Word of Salvation – Vol. 34 No. 44 – November 1989

 

The Advent Of Peace

 

Sermon: by Rev. M. C. De Graaf on Judges 6:22-24

Reading: Judges 6:1-24, 1Cor.13; Ezek.13:4-14, 34:20-31

Singing:  263, 449, 3, 444, 110.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

There is no question that stress is certainly one of the side effects of living in the twentieth century.

Though (on the one hand) I am sure that most of us are grateful for the jobs we have, for the homes we live in and the things which are in them, for this wonderful city which we can enjoy… there is (on the other hand) also no question, that our life styles, and all our technology bring with them certain new pressures and tensions, that our grand-parents knew nothing about.

It’s little wonder that so many people spend their time dreaming of tropical islands, and living on a farm – away from the long hours, the busy streets, the fear of nuclear war, the moral confusion, the noisy television, and all the rest of it!

A lot of people are making a lot of money in attempts to help others deal with, the stresses share of modern life.  Just think of hobby farms, and those flotation tanks, and South Pacific cruises.  Even the growth of alternate religions such as the Hare Krishnas, should be seen in this context.  All attempts to find peace, when there is no peace!  And of course, with our Bible open, we can see that for many people, in all these things, it is an attempt to find a spiritual peace where there is no peace!!

For the Israelites at the beginning of Judges 6 the need for peace was, of course, very obvious!  Once again, for the third time in about a hundred years their country had been over-run by a neighbouring nation!

Right through their short history in Palestine there was always that going to and fro – a short time of peace followed all too quickly by yet another invasion, another oppression, another humiliation for the people of God.

Here in chapter 6 it’s the Midianites.  Like the Israelites they were also descended from Abraham.  They’re obviously not a close family, the oppression is as hard, or harder than anything the Israelites had ever experienced.

The Midianites weren’t interested in annexing Israel, they couldn’t be bothered with setting their king over it (as the Babylonians would later do).  They simply came for a few months every year (around harvest time for maximum impact) and basically ravaged the land – stole everything they could, fattened up their livestock and burned the rest!

In a time of no International Aid or Social Security this meant incredible hardship, poverty, and starvation for the Israelites.  They didn’t have the military strength or allies to do anything about the Midianites and their camels.  From a human perspective, they had no choice but to carry what they could and hide in caves in the mountains, hoping to keep out of the way of the Midianites.  Of course, as with our nation today, the reason for this lack of peace, is more than just physical hardship, verse one makes that clear!!

The Midianites weren’t just invading because the Israelites were militarily weak.  They were coming because God had willed them to come.  They were coming in response to the rebellion of God’s holy people.  Not only was there no physical peace, but the spiritual peace of God also meant nothing to them.

They sought their peace and their meaning in the gods and idols of Canaan, and here was the result.  When they eventually, after seven years, wake up to this fact, God immediately responds to both their spiritual and their physical needs!

Firstly – by sending a prophet.  Okay you say you need help, but do you know why?  Do you really understand what’s happened (easy to be sorry in hardship but true repentance is more difficult).  His message told them to look to their God – to see who He really is – what He had done for them, how He could continue to care for them.

Secondly, He goes and sends His angel to sit under that Oak in Ophrah.

If this passage tells us that there was no peace in Israel, it also tells us the same for Gideon.  It introduces him threshing wheat in a winepress, a hole in the ground where no one could easily find you to steal your food.  The lack of peace in his heart is easily seen by the bitter answer that he gives to the angel: “What do you mean the Lord is with us!?  If that was true why would I need to hide here like a coward?  Why would we be so oppressed, why – as we see in chapter 8 would my brothers have been killed by the Midianites?

The Lord doesn’t answer these questions – He simply gives Gideon a command.  Go!  Defeat the Midianites!  I am sending you!

He

BUT GIDEON’S FAITH IS NOT THAT STRONG.  He doesn’t have the vision of Deborah or the foolhardiness of Samson.  His spiritual eyes are firmly locked on himself, and he’s not impressed by what he sees!  “Me!?, the least of the least!?  You’ve got to be kidding!?”

The physical fear that he had for the Midianites, now shows its roots in a spiritual fear.  Even when the Lord reveals himself more fully in verse 16, even when He assures him that He will be with him, Gideon still cannot face the possibility of God’s call!  He asks for a sign and presents before the Lord a great feast which is then consumed in a great fire!

That event quite naturally, at last marks the break-through in Gideon’s ability to believe.  At first he’s afraid, but after he is assured by God, he praises and worships by building and altar to the Lord of Peace!

I’m sure most of us know how the story goes from there.  The story of how Gideon gets his army, how God shrinks it, the incredible victory they eventually have – is quite well known!!

AND YET IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE’VE ALREADY SEEN, it is important to notice some things that really stand out.  For despite the sign at Ophrah, Gideon is still afraid to destroy his father’s Baal and does it in the middle of the night.

Despite the prophet, the people of Israel want to kill him when their idol is demolished.

Despite the fire from heaven Gideon feels he must test God again (TWICE) before he is willing to trust Him enough and fight on his behalf.

Despite the unbelievable victory, the Israelites feel they must have a king.  Quite contrary to the will of God – and a few verses later the book tells us “no sooner had Gideon died and the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals; they set up the Baals as their god and did not remember the Lord their God”  That’s how short the memories were.

That’s how faith was.

And what of Gideon himself?  The last thing we hear of him is that he has taken the plunder from his victory and he’s made it into an idol.

This is most certainly not the story of a great hero who is converted in a great way and does fantastic things because of the strength of his faith.  It is not the story of a nation which is blessed because they were obedient in everything they did.  It is rather the story of YAHWEH SHALOM – “God is Peace”.

It is the story of His grace, His love, His faithfulness, His inability to forget his children, even His wayward children!

It is the story of His bringing Peace into the turmoil of broken people’s lives, especially when they could not find that peace in themselves!

It’s fascinating that when the prophet comes, there’s no mention of a great turning point in the people’s lives.  There is no mention of true repentance.

There’s no question that God demands obedience; his law makes that clear.  And yet even before we can hope to obey there he sits under that Oak, there he sits in human-form bringing the aid that they so obviously needed!!

You know, when you read this story you can’t help but think of that other time when God came and walked, and sat and died on this earth in human-form.  You can’t help but think of all the other prophets who came and told the law of God, and of our inability to save ourselves through that.

You can’t help but think of the other sacrifice; now not just a goat and some bread and broth, but the Lamb of God who came and took away not just Midianites or Moabites, but who came so that the “sin of the world” could be taken away!  When you see that altar of peace, you can’t help but think of that Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the one who sits on His Father’s throne and establishes and upholds justice and righteousness!

Ezekiel said, the false prophets come and they preach: “Peace, peace, but there is no peace”  In the end they’re all like Gideon, best of intentions but with feet of clay.  Peace will only come into the world, when God brings it himself through His Son.

Peace will only come into our lives when we, in faith take hold of that peace.

When our sins, and our failure, and our guilt are at last washed clean in the blood of that Lamb.  When at last we can begin to taste the Peace that transcends, goes beyond, all understanding!!!

Brothers and Sisters, grace be unto you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come.

AMEN