What's in your Backyard?
Judges 6: 25-40
Intro: Earlier, in Chapter six, Gideon was divinely called by the
angel of the Lord.
This call was place upon Gideon for the purpose of delivering Israel out of
the hands of the Mideanites. This invasion by the Midianites was in it's
seventh year, and the oppression was God's chastisement upon His people
because of their gross disobedience. We can see perfection, even in this
act of God's judgment, for the number seven stands for perfection. It seems
that God had achieved perfect judgment and chastisement in these seven
years. We also see another divine principle set forth in this passage. That
principle is that even though Gideon had a private divine call by God, God
would now lead him to make a public commitment. God never calls or
leads us to perform a silent ministry, but does always call and lead us to
proclaim a spoken ministry. This was where the rubber of a private call
met the road of a public commitment. Verse 24
reveals the scene of
Gideon building an altar, naming that altar after God, and worshipping at
that altar. Most of us would conclude that this was a man who was com-
pletely and thoroughly ready to serve the Lord. However, in
verse 25, God
comes to Gideon in the same night, and tells Gideon to get rid of the
altar of Baal, that is in his own backyard. We must understand that be-
fore God will annoint us to minister on the boulevard we must manage our
own backyards. Our new God of Salvation will not stand for us to retain
the old god of sin. What's in your backyard? This act by almighty God
was to show Gideon and us that we must publically destroy whatever was
a private determent. Success in service will never come until we rid our-
selves of our secret sins. What's in your backyard?
We have even another wonderful scene portrayed in the two bulls that
were used. The young bull belonged to Joash, who was Gideon's father,
but was also the keeper of the altar of Baal. This young bull was, no
doubt, ear marked to become a sacrifice on that altar of Baal. But God
directed Gideon to sacrifice this bull on the new altar of God. Just as soon
Gideon sacrificed that bull of seven years, the seven years of oppression
by the hands of the Midianites ended. We could say that seven years of
bondage went up in the smoke of obedient service.What's in you backyard?
You will never see bright lights on the boulevard of service until you rid your-
self of the bondage of backyard sin. However, we should understand that
an altar of this magnitude will not be viewed by everyone as a favorable act.
We further see:
God's Work Renders a Tough Assignment
God's Way Requires a True Alignment
God's Will Radiates a Total Achievement
I. GOD'S WORK RENDERS A TOUGH ASSIGNMENT
Nowhere in God's Word, are we ever told that doing the work of
God would be
an easy assignment. Quite to the contrary, in the early days of the church,
most of those in God's work lost their lives. As we look at Gideon's tough
assignment we see:
A) A Decisive Destruction
(vs 25 "throw down the altar of Baal")
This was not a wavering command of God, nor
was it an option for Gideon.
This was not a task for the faint hearted or weak kneed. If this altar was
similar to one described by archeologists, then it measured 25 feet square,
was 4 1/2 feet high, and was made of stones cemented together with mud.
This explains why Gideon employed ten men to help him as well as the
strength of a young bull. But no matter how tough the task was, Gideon's
orders were precise and specific in saying, "Baal must
go before the Mid-
eonites can go". The object of idolatry must
disappear before the oppression
that has invaded will disappear. You cannot get rid of the oppression in the
frontyard of service, until you get rid of the oracle in the backyard of sin.
What's in your backyard?
A decisive destruction
B) A Dedicated Construction
(vs 26 "and build an altar unto the Lord thy God
upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock
and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wook or the grove which thou shalt cut
down"
In this verse26, we are privileged to read
one of the most important principles
of servanthood and leadership that is ever presented in scripture. Gideon
has been called by a divine appointment to be the designated one to lead
the house of Israel out of bondage. Now, if this was many of our present
day Christians, they would already be setting the battle plan, and assemb-
ling an army. But God's ways are not our ways. God tells Gideon to con-
struct an altar in the exact same place where the altar of Baal had stood.
This was in effect, telling him to put God in His proper place in your back-
yard, before you head out to put God in His proper place on the boulevard.
Get your house in order, and then we can get God's house in order. The
reason our church altars are empty, is because our home altars are empty.
Gideon could not deliver Israel from bondage, as long as his own house
was in bondage. There will be no public liberty in our life until there is first
private liberty in our life.
a decisive destruction
a dedicated construction
C) A Definite Obstruction
(vs 28-30)
Here is the acid test of whether a called out child of God is ever
going to
be worth anything to God. Tearing down that ungodly altar was an act of
destruction, building the new godly altar was an act of construction, but
when the morning came, we see the act of obstruction from the men of
the city. This is where the courage of your convictions will be thoroughly
tested. It's not when you clean out your backyard of sin, and it's not when
you redecorate your front yard with service, but it is when all those former
so called friends show up in criticism of what you say you are. Will you
stand with boldness, or will you succomb and blend back in? This is the
line that is drawn and you must cross this line and never look back.
Note that when Gideon was confronted with this obstruction, he was just
a few feet away from his backyard. Just a few backward steps, and he
would be right back in sin. What's in your backyard?
a decisive destruction
a dedicated construction
a definite obstruction
D) A Delivering Instruction
(vs 31 "And Joash said unto all that stood
against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead
for , let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he is a god, let him
plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar"
1) Privately to a Parent
Notice that the courage of Gideon's
convictions and calling had shot a de-
vine arrow into the heart of his father Joash. This constitutes the hallmark
of staying with the stuff, and standing on holy ground. This conviction in
the heart of Joash would never have occured, had not Gideon crossed the
line that God had drawn before him. He had set his father's house in or-
der, and now God was setting the head of the house in order. Gideon's
stand on the "old paths" was now the changing force in the life of the
"old timer". Joash not only stood up for his son, but renamed his son
"Jerubbael, which means :a Bael fighter and a Baal conqueror". You will
never have a life changing influence on your family until you are willing to
go the full length of surrender.
2) Publically to the People
When the angry men of the city wanted to kill Gideon, Joash spoke up
with mighty courage and divine instruction, and told them that if Baal
was really a god, then let him take care of himself. If he can't defend
himself, then he is not worthy of worship. We can see in this scene,
that godly courage and conviction begets more godly courage and con-
viction.
God's Work Renders a Tough Assignment
II. GOD'S WAY REQUIRES A TRUE ALIGNMENT
Gideon's life is the perfect example of how we must align our walk
with
God's way. Only then, can God equip us for service. If a soldier is ab-
sent from the line where weapons for warfare are being handed out, he
will find himself on the battle field, facing the enemy, without anything to
fight with. God only arms those who are aligned with His way. The
Midianites had raised their ugly heads seven times, and Israel was de-
fenseless and helpless to do anything about it. In verse
34, they raised
up the eighth time. But this time, there was a distinctive difference.
Almighty God had entered the scene, and had raised His Supreme
Head, and had appointed and annointed Gideon to lead the battle. The
name "midian" means "strife". We are also given the divine key for
success in battle. In verse 34, we read "For the
Spirit of the Lord came
upon Gideon." As we further explore this true alignment that is required
by God's way, we see:
A) Godly Alignment means wearing the right uniform
In verse 34, we see two unique words used.
They are "come upon".
These words actually mean, "clothed himself". So,
by application,
we can read this verse this way, "The Spirit of the Lord
clothed Him-
self with Gideon". In Gen 28:20, these words
are used to describe
a warrior putting on a suit of armour. This means that Gideon was
that suit of armour that the Holy Spirit chose to wear. In this not a
picture of the Holy Spirit indwells the believer in this present age of
grace?
means wearing the right uniform
B) Godly Alignment means have a real uniqueness
1) A Unique obedience
We should take note that only after Gideon had
cleaned up his own
backyard, and stood up to the ungodly congregation, did the Spirit
of the Lord come upon him. God only outpours His Spirit into obed-
ient vessels. Notice also, that once God's Spirit had clothed him-
self with Gideon, that Gideon wore his new clothes in a unique way.
He did not grieve, nor quench the Spirit.
2) A Unique Operation
Gideon's first act of obedience and operation was to blow the trum-
pet. This was a declaration of war against Midian, but was also the
signal that summoned all Israel to gather together. A unique obed-
ience will always result in a unique operation. Notice further that
this unique operation:
a) Shows leadership
a short time ago, these same people wanted to kill Gideon, but
now they recognized him as their leader.
b) Sparks fellowship
(vs35 "and he sent messengers")
Both Gideon and the enemy knew that Israel's strength was in
gathering together. Why can't we, as the church, learn this im-
portant lesson. There is strength in numbers, and there is
strength in fellowship. This is also why, Satan seeks to sow
discord among the brethren. United we stand, divided we fall.
God's Work Renders a Tough Assignment
God's Way Requires a True Alignment
III. GOD'S WILL RADIATES A TOTAL ACHIEVEMENT
A) There is a fine line between Faith and
Foolishness
1) Gideon had heard God's Will
(vs 36-37)
Not once, but twice we read these words
"As thou hast said".
Does that leave any doubt, that Gideon already knew the will of
God? Not only this confirmation in speech, but Gideon has also
known God's will in the scene of the miracle, and further more
had experienced the will of God in the coming of the Spirit upon
him. Gideon knew he exact, expressed and enlightened will of
God.
2) Gideon tried to harness God's Will
(vs 37)
Notice that in this verse, Gideon began a
conversation with God.
Sad to say, it was only a one sided conversation, with Gideon
doing all the talking. He now tries to harness and control the will
of God by saying, "Lord, here's my deal, and I want it
completed
by tomorrow morning". Gideon even went further
in his attempt
to harness the will of God by saying, "I want the fleece
wet and
the ground dry". The tragedy of this situation
is that the Work
of God had been seen, the Way of God had been settled, and
the Will of God had been spoken. Why did he demand a sign
from God for what he already knew. This is the fine line between
faith that heeds God's will, and foolishness that tries to harness
God's will.
3) Gideon tried to heighten God's Will
(vs 39)
It seems now that Gideon is not quite satisfied with level of God's
actions. He now steps up his demand by saying, "Lord,
this
time I want the fleece dry and the ground wet".
In other words,
I want you to raise the level of the miracle. Notice that Gideon
was now standing on very thin ice with God. "Let not
thine
anger be hot against me".
There is a fine line between faith and
foolishness
B) There is a time line between the hall of fame and
hall of failure
Notice that after all this fleecing, Gideon was not one item better
off in his understanding God's will. Even though God did respondto
to this fleece fiasco, nothing was gained on Gideon's end. It was
a total waste of time.
Conclusion: Our problem is similar to Gideon's problem. That problem is
is not that we do not hear and know the will of God, we will
not do the will of God. You know that it is God's will for you
to clean up your backyard. You do not need any signs. You
have heard the sound. There will never be any front yard
influence in your life, until you have a back yard inferno.
There will be no victory in your front yard, until there is a
vanquishing in your back yard. God is in the business of
backyard clean ups. What's in your backyard?