Judges 8:18-21: From Feeling Forsaken By God To Experiencing His Faithfulness

In Matthew 22 Jesus teaches the Parable of the Wedding Feast. In this parable a king is giving a wedding feast for His Son. His servants went out and invited guests to come but many of them made excuses and did not show up. Some of them even seized the kings servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. Therefore, the king killed those rebels and then sent His servants to gather many others to come to the feast so that the great hall would be filled.

As these invited guests filled the banquet hall the king notices that there was a man who was not dressed in the proper attire. The king asked him how he had gotten into the banquet hall and then he ordered him to be bound hand and foot and cast him out into utter darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus ends this parable with these words, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (22:14)

In this story about Gideon we have seen a call go out to raise up an army. (6:34-35) 32,000 men responded but in the end only 300 hundred were chosen. (7:2,4,7). God chose these men and gave them the faith and grace that they needed for the challenges that they would face along the way.

• They would need these things to to overcome fear.

• They would need these things to overcome tiredness and fatigue. (8:4)

• They would need these things to overcome their lack of provisions and hunger. (8:4-9)

• They would need these things to overcome the anger of Ephraim. (8:1-3)

• They would need these things when they were not supported by others. (8:4-9).

The faith of these men never faltered, fractured, or failed. Their faith sustained them through every discouragement, difficulty, and disappointment. If these men had not placed their faith in the LORD they would have faltered, but they kept their faith in God throughout this battle; therefore, the LORD brought about an amazingly great victory for Israel.

In verse 13 the war ends and then we are given several summary paragraphs. Each of these paragraphs begin with the word ‘Then’. For example, in 8:13-17 we read these words, “Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.” This road took Gideon and his men back to Succoth and Penuel where they disciplined them for their faithlessness and unwillingness to support the LORD’s cause. (Judges 8:4-9) The discipline may seem harsh but it may be helpful to remember that these cities had opportunities to make things right before Gideon returned.

Then Judges 8:18-21, our text for today, begins with the words, “Then he (Gideon) said to Zeba and Zalmunna, ‘Where are the men who you killed at Tabor?’” Gideon confronts these kings for some of the deaths they had caused in Israel. Specifically, the death of his own brothers.

Finally, in Judges 8:22-32 we find the last of these ‘Then’ statements, “Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’”

This morning I would like to consider what is found in Judges 8:18-21 which says, “Then he (Gideon) said to Zebah and Zalmunna, ‘Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?’ They answered, ‘As you are, so were they. Every one of them resembled the son of a king.’ And he said, ‘They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.’ So he said to Jether his firstborn, ‘Rise and kill them!’ But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a young man. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, ‘Rise yourself and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.’ And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.”

Here we discover for the first time that during this season of suffering some of Gideon’s family members had been killed at Mt Tabor. This is the same place that Deborah and Barak had gathered Israel’s armies when they went out to fight the enemy in their day. Maybe Israel had gathered there again when the Midianites first swept into Israel and ‘overpowered’ them? (6:2)

Or perhaps at some point during these seven years Israel attempted to defend themselves but the Midianites ‘prevailed’ and Israel was defeated. In 6:3-4 we read that every year the Midianites would come up ‘against them’. The words may suggest that Gideon’s brothers could have been a part of some organized revolt against the Midianites which had failed. All we know for sure is that at some point Gideon’s brothers encountered these two kings and they were not shown any mercy.

Observation: What Israel should have done was to call out to the LORD for help and repent. Then God would have raised up a judge to deliver them. Until they do this any attempt to liberate themselves would be an act of futility and not an act of faithful obedience to what God was choosing to do for Israel. Therefore, He would not be with them as He has been for Gideon.

The fact that Gideon’s brothers had been murdered is a shocking revelation at this point in the story! This information helps us understand some things we have seen previously in this story. Observation #1: We can begin to understand just how difficult, sad, and miserable these days have been in Israel. Not only were the Midianites taking all of the crops and animals from Israel each year, but they would do this by force. When Gideon says in 8:19, “If you had saved them alive”, we learn that the Midianites did not show Israel much mercy during these past seven years.

We should have known that the Midianites were cruel and oppressive when we saw that they would enter Israel with a 135,000 soldiers. This army would take by force whatever they wanted and they were willing to kill anyone who stood in opposition to them.

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Observation #2: This information helps us understand why the people were hiding in caves and den’s in the mountains. (6:2) The Midianites were a harsh and violent people.

Observation#3: It helps us to see why Gideon was hiding in the winepress (6:11). He didn’t merely do this because he wanted to protect his grain (6:11); but he did this out of self-preservation to hide from a very clear and present danger from the Midianite army. (Proverbs 22:3)

Observation #4: This helps us to understand Gideon’s response in 6:11-13 when the LORD came to Gideon saying, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” Things were so bad at this time that Gideon couldn’t believe these words. Gideon felt like he had been forsaken by the LORD because of the suffering and misery that Israel was experiencing. Honestly, wouldn’t you?

The LORD’s message to Gideon contains two clauses. First, ‘The LORD is with you’. Second, ‘O mighty man of valor’. If the LORD said these things to you, which statement would catch your attention? It was the first statement that Gideon fixates on, saying, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Do you see how Gideon’s attention is drawn to that first clause, “The LORD is with you”? It seems like Gideon does not have a category for these words after all he has been through over these past seven years.

Notice that Gideon does not reply by saying, “If the LORD is with me, why has all this happened to me?” That is how I expect him to respond, but Gideon responds with the larger community in mind. (Seems like a good virtue for a future judge of Israel to have!) In verse 13 Gideon uses the word ‘us’ 5x. Gideon’s first reaction to what the LORD has said is to put them in the context of the larger community and not just to process these words in the context of his own personal experience.

Application: Are you a ‘me-centered’ person or a ‘we-centered’ person? By ‘we-centered’ I am talking about a person who understands what it means to be a member of God’s family. When they hurt, do I hurt? When they rejoice, do I rejoice? When they have a need, do I see it and respond to it? When they fall away, am I burdened to see their faith restored? (The only Person who can be ‘me-centered’ is Jesus who can say, “Why are you persecuting me?” as He refers to the suffering of His people in Acts 9:4)

The LORD speaks to Gideon with singular grammar, but Gideon cannot consider these words apart from the community that he is a part of. Gideon’s mindset is so different than our American individualistic mindset. On the other hand, perhaps this mindset is not unique to us because we saw how individualistic those two tribes in Gad were who refused to help Gideon and his men. (8:4-9) Maybe this is why Gideon was so offended by what they had done and the discipline was so severe? (8:13-17) They were ‘me-centered’ and Gideon had a ‘we-centered’ mentality.

All ‘we-centered’ believers maintain this perspective by being of the same mind of Christ. We see this in Philippians 2:1-5, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…”.

Unlike some, when Gideon expressed that he felt forsaken by the LORD it was not some abstract philosophical musing. No, this feeling was, to some degree, a result of the loss that he had experienced when the Midianites killed his brothers and the suffering Israel had been experiencing. This experience of having been forsaken had become a picture in Gideon’s mind of the grief that he saw his mother express as she grieved over the loss of her sons. This is expressed when Gideon says, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother”. (19)

Gideon had probably said like so many in our day, “If God is loving, all-powerful, and sovereign, then why does He allow these things to happen to me/us?” The fact that Gideon thought he had been forsaken by the LORD is probably exasperated by the fact that Gideon, and so many others in Israel, did not appear to understand that it was not God Who had forsaken His people, but Israel who has forsaken the LORD. (6:1, 6:25-32).

Haven’t we all felt like Gideon does here when he says he feels that he has been forsaken? If not, we one day may experience this. When that day comes there is a proper way to deal with these things. We should express these things from a disposition of faith and willingness to trust the LORD as we ask for wisdom. (James 1:5-7) We should not conclude that the things we have experienced must mean that God has forsaken us or that these things mean that there is no God. The psalmist says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalm 14:1)

However, Psalm 13 shows us that we can ask these questions while believing in God praying to Him in faith during such times. The psalmist says, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the days? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2) The psalmist ends this psalm with these words, “I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (5-6)

The fact that God has overcome these strong feelings of being forsaken for Gideon has brought me great comfort. This is because like many of you I have family and friends who believe that God has forsaken them. They do not understand how a good, loving, all-powerful, and sovereign God can allow sin and suffering to happen.

Like you, I have tried to help my family and friends work through these things, but in the end it is the LORD who will have to overcome these obstacles for them just as He has done for Gideon, for me, and for you. The good news is that now that we have considered this story we know that God will and can do this for a person. With man this may be impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

The LORD overcomes Gideon’s questions and concerns as He uses Gideon to deliver His people from their enemies and from the suffering they are experiencing. Is this not what God does with all of us as well? He saves us and then uses us to share the hope of the Gospel with others.

Unfortunately, even after the LORD delivers Israel from the Midianites they do not turn to the trustingly to the LORD their King. Even after a great victory the people of Israel forsake the LORD and do not acknowledge what He has done. Instead, they turn to Gideon and ask him to be their king. What more could the LORD have done to keep this from happening? What more could the LORD have done to show that it was Him who had delivered Israel? (7:2,4) Sadly, we read these words in Judges 8:34, “And the people of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side…”.

The problem is not with God, but with us! In our sin we reject Him and exchange His glory to worship other created things. (Romans 1) In verse 20 Gideon turns to his son Jether and says, “Rise and kill them!”. When he does not do this, Gideon does it. But contrast this to what God has done. Since the Fall we have set ourselves against the LORD. He should have destroyed us but He did not.

Since that day the LORD has never forsaken His people. The LORD has always sent fourth His invitation to join Him at the wedding feast of His Son to His bride. (Ephesians 5:25-31) The Father has sent His Son into the world just as He had promised (Genesis 3:15), but He did not send Him with a sword, saying, “Rise and kill them!”

No, His Father asked His Son to go into the world and to receive upon Himself the penalty for their sins. Jesus is the Good and Righteous King that Israel so often rejected. But all who repent and believe this gospel, they are invited to attend the wedding feast and given clothes of perfect righteousness to wear. Salvation is a gracious gift that is given to sinners who humble themselves and trust in Christ alone. Because of sin we have always forsaken the LORD, but the LORD has never forsaken us. Far from it, how will He who gave His only Son to die for us withhold from us any good thing?