Lesson 24: Gideon, Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996),106

Lesson 24: Gideon, Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996),106

I need you to sit in this chair in front of the class. You will be the judge. Some of you will be given a question to ask the judge. The judge will answer each question.

After Joshua there was no one leader over Israel. Instead, judges gave advice, made decisions, and served as military leaders. Israel s covenant showed the mercy and longsuffering of the Lord and would have been the best possible government in Israel. However, under the rule of the judges the people had to demonstrate loyalty to the Lord and His commandments for this ideal form of government to function properly. Since Israel usually broke their covenant during the reign of the judges, the governmental system did not function properly, and Israel fell out of favor with the Lord.

When Joshua and the leaders of Israel who served under him died, the national spirit of Israel also died. Tribal loyalty replaced national unity. Joshua s generation remained faithful to the Lord but the following generation was much less faithful.

And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. (Judges 2:10, 12)

Because they turned away from God, the Israelites became vulnerable to their enemies. When they suffered the oppressions of war, they would turn to God to be saved. Once they were safe and secure, they would return to their former ways and reject God again.

They fell into a repeating cycle of apostasy and repentance. From time to time the Lord called judges (military leaders) to deliver His people from earthly oppression and spiritual bondage (see Judg. 2:11 23; Bible Dictionary, Judges, The, 719). Gideon was one such judge.

The Israelites drove out many of the Canaanites and then made treaties with them. The Israelites began worshipping idols because they began marrying the Canaanites. The cycle continued.

Every year for seven years a powerful group of nomadic tribes would overrun the land of Israel. This was done each year at harvesttime, not by armies, but with people. They invaded, pitching their tents and grazing their animals as they wandered through the land. So devastating were these migrations that they stripped the land of everything that could sustain life (see Judges 6:1 5).

The Midianites were like unwelcome distant relatives who came each year and stayed too long, eating the Israelites out of house and home. They took the Israelites grain and animals with them. The Israelites became so poor and desperate that they cried out to the Lord for help.

What did the Midianites and other groups do to the Israelites? Let s read Judges 6:3 6 Why didn t the Lord help Israel with these problems? Let s read Judges 6:1, 8 10 What are some other reasons why the Lord might not take away our problems?

Some of the reasons may be: Dealing with them helps us become stronger and more valiant They humble us so we will turn to God They are a natural part of mortal life They are the consequences of sin or bad decisions The Lord might not take away our problems, but if we trust in him, he will bless us with comfort and strength. Enrichment Activity #4

The Lord sent an angel to a young man named Gideon as he secretly threshed wheat under an oak tree, hoping to keep the grain hidden from the Midianites. The angel said: The Lord is with you, mighty warrior Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian s hand.

Gideon did not think he was a mighty warrior. The angel replied, Surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man (Judg. 6:15 16; emphasis added). To smite as one man means that the vast masses of Midianites would be conquered as if they were but a lone man.

This seemed unbelievable to Gideon, so he asked the angel for a sign, to prove that he was truly sent from God. Evidence was duly provided, and Gideon bowed in humble submission to the Lord s call (see Judg. 6:17 24).

When the angel came to Gideon, what did Gideon ask? Let s read Judges 6:12 13 How did the Israelites trials help them turn to the Lord? Let s read Judges 6:6

Who did the Lord say would save Israel from the Midianites? Let s read Judges 6:14, 16 How did Gideon react when the angel of the Lord told him that he would save Israel? Let s read Judges 6:15

Who else have we studied this year who felt as Gideon did?

What qualities did Gideon have that would help him fulfill this calling? Let s read Judges 6:12 Also, he lived his life so he could receive the guidance and direction of the Lord.

The first task the Lord gave Gideon was not to save all Israel from the Midianites but to cleanse the sin of idolatry from his father s household. This he did bravely, going forth by night with 10 friends and destroying the altar and grove of trees of the false god Baal used by his father and the community leaders. In it s place they built an altar to the Lord. This made the leaders angry.

What did the Lord tell Gideon to do to the altar of Baal that his father had built and the grove that was by it? Let s read Judges 6:25 26 Gideon s father and others worshiped false gods and were sinning when they used the altar of Baal and the grove.

Joash defended his son before the hostile crowd, saying, If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar. Gideon s service in his new calling as a mighty warrior not only confronted idolatry, it awakened spirituality in his own father. This earned Gideon a new name, Jerubbaal, which means he that striveth with Baal (see Bible Dictionary, Jerubbaal, 712).

What did Joash say to the men who wanted to kill his son Gideon? Let s read Judges 6:31 Although Joash had worshiped Baal, he realized that if Baal were a real god, he would have the power to defend his altar.

Gideon became more confident in doing what the Lord commanded. As harvesttime neared, the Midianites again gathered, this time in the valley of Jezreel (see Bible Dictionary, Jezreel, 713). The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, mustering an army of 32,000 men from throughout Israel (see Judges 6:34).

Gideon then asked for and received a spiritual confirmation that the Lord would save Israel (see Judges 6:36 40). So off to battle they went, camping at the well of Harod.

What did Gideon ask the Lord to do to the fleece of wool so he would know the Lord would be with him? Let s read Judges 6:37 40 Gideon was not seeking a sign to know if Heavenly Father was the one true God. He needed to be assured that the Lord would be with him in battle.

Why do you think Gideon reversed the conditions of the sign the second night? He knew that it was truly an act of God and not a natural event or chance.

The 32,000 Israelite warriors that gathered were more than enough for the purposes of the Lord at the time. The Lord was concerned that when the battle was won, the Israelites would think that they, not the Lord, had gained the victory.

The Lord told Gideon to send home anyone who was fearful and afraid. Some 22,000, almost 70 percent, left for home. There were still too many, so the Lord commanded Gideon to have his troops quench their thirst at the nearby spring.

President Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: Gideon had an interesting way of selecting his recruits. When the men drank water at a stream, most bowed down to drink. Those he passed over. A few scooped up water in their hands and drank, remaining completely alert. They were the ones chosen.

Out of an army of 32,000 men that had come together to fight the Midianites, the Lord wanted only 300 to fight the battle. How was Gideon to reduce the number of his army? Let s read Judges 7:3, 5 7 Why did the Lord want only 300 men? Let s read Judges 7:2 Vaunt means to boast or brag. The Lord wanted the Israelites to trust in him, not in their own strength.

How might Gideon s faith have been tested by this? How might you have felt if you had been left in Gideon s situation with such a small army?

At night, Gideon awoke his men and organized them into three groups. He gave each man a trumpet (ram s horn) and a clay pottery jar with a burning lamp inside. He told them to take positions on the hillside above the Midianites and at his signal blow their horns and break their jars.

Normally only a small number of men in an army carry trumpets. As the Midianites lay sound asleep, the sound of 300 trumpets blaring and jars breaking jolted them to their feet to see the blazing lamps nearby. The battle cry The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon reverberated through the valley (see Judges 7:20).

Believing they were under attack from thousands of Israelites, the Midianites, in their confusion and terror, began killing each other. They fled southward in disarray. Thus the Lord had vanquished Israel s enemies without a single Israelite casualty (see Judges 7:21 25).

Truly the Lord had kept His promise to Gideon: Thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. How did the Lord s instructions help the Israelites defeat the Midianites? Let s read Judges 7:20 22 The Midianites became confused and killed one another in the darkness. Because Gideon s men carefully followed his instructions and Gideon followed the Lord s instructions exactly, they were successful. How are we blessed by obeying Heavenly Father s commandments?

Everyone please stand. Turn around Raise your right hand Name some of the specific instructions Gideon was given You may all sit down again Because Gideon followed the Lord s instructions exactly, he and his army were successful. Enrichment Activity #3

Sometimes we are asked to do things that may not seem important or even make sense to us at the time. If we are given specific directions by Church leaders or parents acting in righteousness, we need to be obedient and have faith that what we are asked to do is important and right. Enrichment Activity #3

When the men of Israel wanted to make Gideon a king, whom did Gideon say should rule them? Let s read Judges 8:23 Whom should we follow? Who leads the Church today? We have a prophet and other leaders chosen by God to teach us, but Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.

We can take strength from the example of Gideon. You will remember how Gideon and his army faced the overwhelming strength of forces vastly superior in equipment and in number. The outcome of that mighty battle is recorded in one short sentence: And they stood every man in his place (Judges 7:21), and the victory was won. Enrichment Activity #1

Today, we are encamped against the greatest array of sin, vice, and evil ever assembled before our eyes. Such formidable enemies may cause lesser hearts to shrink or shun the fight. But the battle plan whereby we fight to save the souls of men is not our own. It was provided by the inspiration and revelation of the Lord. I pray that each of us will stand in his or her appointed place, that the battle for the souls of men will indeed be won (Thomas S. Monson, Correlation Brings Blessings, Relief Society Magazine, Apr. 1967, pp. 246 47). Enrichment Activity #1

I m going to toss this beanbag to one of you and then describe one of the battles of life. If you have the beanbag, tell what he Lord s battle plan would be and then toss the beanbag back to me. Then I ll toss in to someone else to describe a different battle in life. I encourage all of you to follow the Lord s plan in deciding how to handle such situations. Enrichment Activity #1

they every I m going to hand each of you a word. I want you to stand in order so that the message can be read correctly. It was important for each person to stand in the right place, just as Gideon s men did, in order to accomplish what the Lord wanted them to do. What are some other times we can stand in the right place? Enrichment Activity #2

1. I want to live the gospel, To know that its teachings are true, To follow the plan of my Savior And live as he wants me to do. 2. I want to live the gospel, To know I am heard when I pray, To know that I will be happy Because I have learned to obey. Chorus I will try in all I do and say To live the gospel more each day. I will try in all I do and say To live the gospel more each day. Words: Naomi Ward Randall, 1908 2001. 1969 IRI Music: Roy M. Darley, b. 1918. 1969 IRI Enrichment Activity #5

I bear my testimony of the importance of trusting the Lord and his chosen servants. I encourage all of you to listen to the prophet and other Church leaders and to obey the commandments carefully as Gideon did.

Images and clipart are from lds.org, sugardoodle.net, bing & google images and Microsoft Office. Hymn and lesson materials are from lds.org. The lesson and activities are from the Primary 6 Old Testament manual. The story of Gideon is copied and/or paraphrased from the article The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon by Elder Manfred H. Schütze in the April 2002 Ensign and from the Seminary and Institute Old Testament manuals. The quote by Elder Boyd K. Packer is from the conference talk The Power of the Priesthood in the May 2010 Ensign. No copyrighted materials were knowingly used in this presentation. Please do not use this presentation for commercial use.