 James 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

 Major Project Due February 6 – Don’t Forget  Rubric for the project will be passed out next Thursday, January 26

 Evaluate the role of Deborah and Barak in delivering Israel  Understand why god chose Gideon to liberate Israel  Examine Gideon’s call and evaluate the use of signs in making decisions  Discover the reasons why god gave Gideon pitchers, torches, and trumpets to defeat the Midianites  Discern the parallels between Gideon’s victory and spiritual success in the Christian life  Evaluate making vows in light of Jephthah’s misguided sacrifice

 12 judges of Israel  Gideon and Samson are 2 of the most famous

 Israel did evil and so God allowed them to be sold into slavery – into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan  Wife of Lappidoth was leading Israel at the time  She sent for Barak – told him she would lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, and then you can kill him.  He said – ‘if you go with me, I will go’  Deborah said – OK – but since you won’t do it – the Lord will give Sisera into the hands of a woman.

 Sisera had 900 iron chariots and all his men  All the chariots fell and all the troops were killed  Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael – wife of Heber the Kenite – relatives of Moses’ brother- in-law – because they were friendly with Jabin the king – so he thought he would be safe  Jael took a tent peg and hammer and while Sisera was asleep she nailed the peg into his temple and he died – DUH!!!!!

 Again the Israelites did evil and so they were given into the hands of the Midianites  Angel of the Lord sat down under an oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the father of Gideon  Angel of the Lord told him to go out and save Israel  Gideon said – his clan was the weakest in Manasseh and he was the youngest in his family  Gideon wanted to prepare a meal for the angel – when he finished he brought it to the angel and the angel touched the tip of his staff to the food and it consumed the food

 God told him to tear down the Asherah pole – altar to Baal  He did it at night because he was afraid  His name changed to Jerub-Baal – Let Baal contend with him  God said that he would defeat the Midianites  Test God – fleece wet – everything else dry; fleece dry and the ground wet

 Started with 32,000 soldiers – God said – too many  1. Whoever is afraid – leave – 22,00 left  Still too many  2. Take down to the water – separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink – 300 lapped like dogs – the rest knelt down to drink  300 were chosen by God

 Gideon and Purah, his servant, went and snuck into the camp and heard what they were saying  Man had a dream – round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the camp and struck the tent and the tent was overturned. Friend said – this can be nothing other than Gideon. This means that God has given the whole camp into his hands

 Divided the 300 into 3 companies – gave them trumpets and empty jars with torches inside the jars  Blew the trumpets and shouted – For the Lord and Gideon – smashed the jars – then took the torches and continued blowing the trumpets in their other hand  Midianites began killing themselves

 Again Israel did evil  Jephthah’s mother was a prostitute – his father was Gilead  When he grew up the brothers did not want him to get any of the inheritance – so they kicked him out.  Jephthah settled in Tob and a group of men followed him – mercenaries  Ammonites went to war against the Israelites – the elders of Israel sent for Jephthah to fight for them.  Jephthah reminded them – they ran him out  So he said – if I do this – you will make me your leader – they agreed

 Promised the Lord – if you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph will be the Lord’s and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering  He returned victorious to Mizpah, his home – and his daughter came out – his only child  He shared what his promise was – she said – just let me spend 2 months weeping with my friends in the hills – she was a virgin  She returned and Jephthah sacrificed her

 Handouts Lesson 9 and 10 Due Wednesday  Complete Into the Bible p. 76 #1-3 to turn in tomorrow