The Midnight concept

YOSHINOBU NAMIHIRA MD ,FACG3000 HALLS FERRY ROAD

VICKSBURG , MS 39180PH 601-638-9800,FAX 601-638-9808

E MAIL: NAMIHIRA @VICKSBURG.COM

Gideon-a mighty warrior,a judge,

YOSHINOBU NAMIHIRA MD ,FACG3000 HALLS FERRY ROAD

VICKSBURG , MS 39180PH 601-638-9800,FAX 601-638-9808

E MAIL: NAMIHIRA @VICKSBURG.COM

Gideon (1) ;Judges 6:1-8:35

• The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the God

• Consequence of disobedience= delivered to the hand of the Midian for 7 years

• The Midianites= stronger position;prevailed against israelites, destroyed the produce of the field at the time of harvest,

• The Israelites= weaker position ;hiding in the caves, dens, the stronghold in the mountains

Gideon (2)

• The Israelites= greatly impoverished , persecuted, oppressed , depressed, not doing too well, : cried out to the Lord for help !

• The Lord’s words of complaints or self reflection on the part of the Israelites

1. The lord brought you out of Egypt

2. Brought you out of the house of bondage

3. Delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians

4. Delivered you out of the hand of all who oppressed you

5. Drove them (the enemies) out before you

6. Gave you their land to you.

1. I am the Lord , your God

2. Do not fear the gods of Amorites, in whose land you dwell

3. You have not obeyed My voice

• The Angel of the Lord= sat under the terebinth tree ,which was in Ophrah which belonged to Joash

• Ophrah=• Joash =• Gideon =threshing wheat in the winepress• working hard , be busy at work,doing

something , not lazy, not idle !• Reason=hide the wheat from the eyes of the

midianites

• The word from the angel of the lord=

• “the lord is with you

• You , mighty man of valor”

• Gideon =really mighty man of valor, military strength , war experiences , good past record of military success at that time ?

• Answer= no !

Gideon’s comments1. If the lord is with us, why has all this

(poor and wretched, sad condition ) happened to us ?

2. Where are all the miracles which our fathers told us about ?

3. Miracles= (1) Exodus from Egypt; (2) the red sea parting and crossing ;(3) manna in the desert ; (4) the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud ;(5) water out of the rock in the desert

• The lord has forsaken us and delivered us to the hands of the Midianites

• Gideon’s comments= complaint, questioning, murmuring,

• The lord’s comments=

• “go in this might of yours

• You shall save Israel from the hands of Midianites

• Have I not sent you ? “

• Gideon • go in this might of yours• You shall save Israel from

the hands of Midianites • Have I not sent you ? “

• Moses• God sent Moses to king

Pharaoh • The ten plagues in the

Egypt• Miracles= the red sea

parting and crossing • Main agenda= save

Israelites and take to the promised land ( Canaan )

• Gideon • go in this might of

yours• You shall save Israel

from the hands of Midianites

• Have I not sent you ? “

• Isaiah • God sent Isaiah as a

prophet • Main agenda= save

Israelites from destruction

• God’s agenda= saving business (+) , not destruction business (-)

• Gideon • go in this might of yours• You shall save Israel from

the hands of Midianites • Have I not sent you ?“• I will be with you• You shall defeat the

Midianites as one man

• Jesus • God sent his only son

from heaven to the earth • The main mission =save

people on the earth from the Satan’s deception , lying about God’s integrity , character

• One man’s rescue mission for the whole mankind !

• Gideon’s qualification:

1. Manasseh

2. The Weakest clan

3. The least in the father’s house

• Gideon’s qualification:1.Manasseh2.The Weakest clan3.The least in the

father’s house

• King David• Working hard • Busy at work for

routine job• Taking care of sheep• Not the strongest, not

the biggest, not the smartest

• Not on the front page of the newspaper

• Gideon’s qualification:1. Manasseh2. The Weakest clan3. The least in the father’s

house

• King Saul• The least and the

weakest , not the tallest , not the first candidate at the first glance.

• The humble in the beginning—God’s employment ,hiring criteria

• The proud, the stubborn, unusable at the end

• No signs of repentance, no recognition of wrong doing, incorrect course of action

• Gideon• Prepared a young gout• Unleavened bread on the

rock• Meat in the basket on the

rock • The broth in the pot—

poured out the ground• Fire=God’s approval,

Ok’s sign,

• Jesus• Bread• Wine• Jesus' blood poured out

to the ground

• Gideon’s two requests

• Fleece experiment• Dew ( water ) inside• Dew (water ) outside • Confirmation and

conviction of the God’s presence , God’s doing in this project

Gideon’s response

• I have seen the angels of the God face to face

• Peace be with you; do not fear, you will not die !

• Gideon thought that he would die, no body is allowed to see God and live in the past. Absolute reverence and respect to God !

• Gideon built an altar for the Lord

• Place=the Lord-shalom

• Location=Ophrah of the Abiezrites

• Cut down the wooden images of Baal

• Tear down the altar of Baal by night ,not by day to avoid public outcry and revolt

• Bulls for burn offering

The Midianites vs. the Israelites

• Gideon and his men = camp at the well of Harod

• The Midianiates=camp at the hill of Moreh in the valley

The final conflict,Amageddon

• The midianites• Gideon• The battle at the

Moreh• The hill of maggido

• Satan and his company

• God’s people • Jesus• The final conflict at

Amaggedon

Selection criteria

• Gideon’s army

• 20,000

• 10,000

• 300 (final selection ) !

• 300/20,000= 1.5 %,only a small number!

• 20,000-300=19,700 (98.5%) sent home, disqualified

event prophet Flood Noah Exodus from Egypt Moses Philistines Samuel Babylon captivity Daniel, Ezekiel Jesus birth, arrival, deliverance from sin John the baptist

Main theme: God sends fire from heaven

• God sends fire from heaven as supernatural manifestation of His presence and clear cut demonstration or visible sign of His approval for the event

Person Fire from heaven, God’s approval

Reference

Abel Fire, his sacrifice, approved

Moses Pharaoh. Hail, fire from heaven

Exodus 9:24

Solomon Solomon’s temple, dedication, prayer,

Gideon Sacrifice, fire Elijah Mt . Carmel , Baal

prophets, face to face confrontation, Elijah vs. Baal. (king Ahab)

The concept of true courage or honest bravery

• People become extremely brave and courageous when they sense the presence of God or the sense of “ God with us “ or God never forsakes us , God will sustain us, God will see us through the trial, afflictions and problems and difficulties.

• On the other hand, people become weak and powerless, incapacitated, lose backbone , lose stamina, lose internal strength, when God is not with us , people lose the sense of God’s presence, when God forsake us, God left us, when God is not sustaining us , support us.

Bravey, courage, strength ,power,joy, +, stamina, more energy, more inertia, more motivation, more driving force,

Presence of God, God with us, God never forsake us, God sustains us, God helps us, support us,

Coward, less power, less energy, less motivation, sadness, -, less courage, less brave,

No sense of God’s presence, God forsake us, no longer with us, God not sustaining us, not supporting us,

main theme: God sends prophet

God sends prophet for warning before great event happens