Topical Encyclopedia In the narrative of Gideon, found in the Book of Judges, God is depicted as the Preserver of Israel during a time of severe oppression by the Midianites. This period is marked by Israel's repeated cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, showcasing God's enduring mercy and faithfulness to His covenant people.Context and Background The account of Gideon is set during the time of the Judges, a tumultuous period in Israel's history characterized by a lack of centralized leadership and frequent apostasy. The Israelites had once again turned away from God, leading to their subjugation by the Midianites. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, would invade Israel, destroying crops and livestock, leaving the Israelites impoverished and desperate (Judges 6:1-6). Divine Intervention and Call of Gideon In response to Israel's cries for help, God, in His role as Preserver, intervenes by raising up Gideon as a deliverer. The Angel of the LORD appears to Gideon while he is secretly threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. The Angel addresses him with the words, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:12). Despite Gideon's initial doubts and feelings of inadequacy, God reassures him, saying, "Surely I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites as one man" (Judges 6:16). The Reduction of Gideon's Army God's preservation of Israel is further demonstrated through the miraculous reduction of Gideon's army. Initially, Gideon gathers 32,000 men to fight against the Midianites, but God instructs him to reduce the number to prevent Israel from boasting that their own strength saved them. Through a series of tests, God reduces the army to a mere 300 men (Judges 7:2-7). This act underscores God's power and the principle that deliverance comes not by human might but by divine intervention. Victory Over the Midianites With only 300 men, Gideon executes a divinely inspired strategy involving trumpets, jars, and torches. The Israelites surround the Midianite camp at night, and at Gideon's signal, they blow the trumpets, break the jars, and hold up the torches, creating chaos and confusion among the Midianites. The LORD causes the Midianites to turn on each other with their swords, leading to a decisive victory for Israel (Judges 7:19-22). God's Role as Preserver Throughout the account of Gideon, God's role as Preserver is evident. He not only delivers Israel from the physical threat of the Midianites but also seeks to restore their spiritual fidelity. By choosing an unlikely hero and employing unconventional means, God demonstrates His sovereignty and the importance of faith and obedience. The account of Gideon serves as a powerful reminder of God's ability to preserve His people against overwhelming odds, emphasizing His desire for their reliance on Him rather than on their own strength or numbers. Nave's Topical Index Judges 7:1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. Nave's Topical Index Judges 8:1-23 Library Miller's views on the Second Coming of Christ. The Service Common to the Holy Angels and Other Bodiless Ones. Swedenborgians, Or, the New Jerusalem Church. Disestablishment The Saints' Privilege and Profit; Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers. Resources Questions about God (All) | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon? | GotQuestions.org Is God a moral monster? | GotQuestions.org God: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics God for Other Anthropomorphic Scriptures by Israel God for Other Anthropomorphic Scriptures: Saul God in the Banishment of John to Patmos God in Turning the Heart of the King of Assyria to Favor the Jews God is Declared to Be: A Consuming Fire God is Declared to Be: Compassionate God is Declared to Be: Eternal God is Declared to Be: Faithful God is Declared to Be: Glorious God is Declared to Be: Gracious God is Declared to Be: Immortal God is Declared to Be: Immutable God is Declared to Be: Incorruptible God is Declared to Be: Invisible God is Declared to Be: Jealous God is Declared to Be: Long-Suffering God is Declared to Be: Merciful God is Declared to Be: Most High God is Declared to Be: Omnipotent God is Declared to Be: Omnipresent God is Declared to Be: Omniscient God is Declared to Be: Only-Wise God is Declared to Be: Perfect God is Declared to Be: Righteous God is Declared to Be: Unsearchable God is Declared to Be: Upright God Loving all of his Children God: Appearances of To Abraham God: Appearances of To Ezekiel God: Appearances of To Jacob, at Beth-El God: Appearances of To Moses and Joshua God: Appearances of To Moses, at Sinai God: Appearances of To Moses, in the Flaming Bush God: Appearances of To Solomon God: Delaying and Destroying Pharaoh God: Delivering the Israelites God: Feeding Elijah and the Widow God: Fighting the Battles of Israel God: Preserver in Delivering from the Oppressions of the King of Syria God: Preserver in Exempting the Land of Goshen from the Plague of Darkness God: Preserver in Exempting the Land of Goshen from the Plague of Flies God: Preserver in Giving Peace With Other Nations God: Preserver in Preserving Their Cattle from the Plague of Murrain, God: Preserver in Saving the Firstborn, when the Plague of Death Destroyed the Firstborn of Egypt, God: Preserver in the Wilderness God: Preserver: As he Journeyed in the Land of Canaan God: Preserver: Daniel and the Three Hebrew Captives God: Preserver: Deliverance from Egypt, God: Preserver: Delivering Israel by Jeroboam Ii God: Preserver: Delivering the Kingdom of Israel from Syria God: Preserver: Delivering Them from the Army of the Assyrians God: Preserver: Jeremah and Baruch God: Preserver: Jesus and his Parents God: Preserver: On Account of Samuel's Intercession God: Preserver: Paul and Silas God: Preserver: The Ethiopian Host God: Preserver: The Wise Men of the East God: Preserver: To Abraham and Sarah, in Egypt God: Preserver: To Hagar, when Abraham Cast Her Out God: Preserver: To Jacob, when he Fled from Laban, his Father-In-Law God: Preserver: To Joseph, in Egypt God: Preserver: To Lot, when Sodom Was Destroyed God: Preserver: To Moses, in his Infancy God: Preserver: To Noah and his Family, at the Time of the Flood God: Preserver: To the Israelites, in Bringing About Their Deliverance from Bondage God: Preserver: To the Kingdom of Judah: in Delivering from Egypt God: Preserver: Under Jephthah God: Preserver: Victories Over the Canaanites Under Joshua God: Preserver: when he Met Esau God: Protecting Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech God: Protection of Homes While at Feasts God: Providence of, Mysterious and Misinterpreted God: Providence of, Overruling Interpositions of The God: Purifying the Waters of Marah God: Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem God: Restoring Manasseh After his Conversion God: should be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth God: Special Grace: To Abraham God: Special Grace: To Solomon God: Supplying Manna and Quail God: Supplying Water at Meribah God: Symbolized by the Darkness of the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle God: Symbolized by the General Structure of the Most Holy Place, See God: Symbolized by the Pillar of Fire God: The Revolt of the Ten Tribes God: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To God: Warning Pharaoh About the Famine God: Warning the Wise Men from the East Sarcasm: God Reproaching Israel Related Terms |