There are 3 really cool stories in this chapter about the Judges of Israel: Deborah, Gideon and Samson. I want to talk about them in reverse order. All of these people did great things for God. One of them accomplished great things, but in the wrong way and while constantly giving into sin. Another does great things in the right way, but with a lot doubt at the beginning. And another seems to have just done great things.
Samson
Think back to your High School yearbook from your Sr year. Can you remember who was voted most likely to succeed? Samson would have gotten that spot hands down. Samson was set up for success better than just about anyone in the Bible. Each week we’ve talked about God choosing unlikely candidates who come from very messy situations to accomplish his plan. Samson is the exact opposite.
-His birth was announced by the Angel of the Lord.
-He was set apart from birth for God’s purpose.
-His God-given mission in life was to deliver an entire nation from oppression.
-He was raised in a good home with praying parents who loved him.
-He was empowered by the Holy Spirit with super human strength.
The problem is Samson is a world of contradictions in one person. In spite of all these things he had going for him Samson was demanding (he told his parents “I saw a hot chick, now get her for me!”). He had a false sense of entitlement, he was spoiled, compulsive, quick tempered, rash, selfish and arrogant. He was a man of faith with a weakness for women. He was a man of prayer with uncontrollable anger. He was a leader who cared more about his own fulfillment than setting an example. He was a man of God with no common sense.
One of Samson’s major flaws was that he was motivated by getting even. Look at page 115 of The Story. When he really starts fighting against the Philistines it isn’t to liberate his countrymen from their oppression, it’s selfish revenge. He says, “Since you acted like this, I swear I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you.” A few sentences later he says, “I merely did to them what they did to me.” Samson is the typical childish brat who says, “They started it! I’m just getting even.” Sadly, Samson doesn’t have the corner on this market. We live in a very strange time when being an unmerciful, vengeful, harsh person is celebrated and people wear it like a badge of honor. “Oh, you best had believe I’ll get even. People know not to mess with me. You treat me well and everything will be ok, but if you cross me once it’s on!” Sound familiar?
Another flaw that partially led to Samson’s demise was his incessant need to be in a romantic relationship all the time. I think part of it was due to his over active lustyfulness (it’s a word). I think another part of it was some weird, emotional deficiency in him that made him think he needed a hot chick around him to be complete. I’m no psychologist, but it seems pretty obvious to me that Samson felt incomplete on his own and looked for fulfillment in relationships. Because he felt so incomplete he ran from one unhealthy relationship to another very quickly (Hey, there’s a cute girl, get her for my wife…then Samson went to the house of prostitute…then he stayed in the most dysfunctional relationship in the Bible with Delilah). Surely, nobody here can relate to this, right?
One last flaw I’ll discuss is his arrogance. Samson began thinking he was awesome and he was strong and he could do not wrong and nobody could ever overpower him. He became very arrogant in something God had given him. One of the saddest statements is scripture is found on page 118 of The Story: [Samson] thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know the Lord had left him.
He was so sure of himself and so unaware of God’s presence that he had no idea God had left.
At the end of this story we read that Samson, having been tied up, blinded and put to manual labor, eventually did free Israel from the Philistines’ oppression by pushing over pillars holding up a temple to Dagon. Thousands of Philistines died and Samson’s purpose was realized. BUT!! Did it have to play out like this? Could Samson have fulfilled God’s plan in a way that was quicker, easier and nobler? God used Samson’s flaws; I would rather God use my strengths.
Gideon
Gideon does not have all same things going for him that Samson had. Gideon’s birth is not announced by angels, his conception is not miraculous, nothing is said about his parent being devout, his destiny is not announced while he is a youth, and he does not have super human strength. But even with less obvious potential he turns out to be a much more honorable and effective judge. The only flaw of Gideon’s that we are privy to is that his own insecurity was so deep that he doubted if God could even use him.
When we meet Gideon he is threshing wheat in a wine press. This may not jump out as strange to us, but it is. Wheat threshing normally took place in a big open space, if possible on a large flat rock. They needed space because they would beat the wheat stalks on the ground to loosen everything up, and then throw the wheat up in the air. The wind would blow away the straw and chaff but the heavier wheat kernels would fall back down. Imagine what that process looks like and the elbowroom you would need to do it. Now, this is what a wine press looks like:
But, this is the wine press of a very wealthy family, or possibly even a professional wine producer. This is more like the the wine press Gideon's family would have used:
Ha! Imagine Gideon wadded up in a little ball trying to thresh wheat in the ancient version of a tupperware bowl. Clearly, Gideon is hiding. He doesn’t want the Midianites to steal what little food he has. The story tells us that he is from Manasseh, the tribe with the smallest number of fighting men. Among Manasseh his family is the smallest, and he is the youngest his family. So Gideon is literally weakest of the weakest of the weak. So here’s weak, scared, little Gideon hiding in a stone bowl and the Angel of the Lord shows up. By the way, I love how casual this word picture seems. He plops down and says, “What’s up beast? God’s doing great things huh?”
Now, to save time we’ll go over the speedy version of the story. God tells Gideon he is going to lead Israel to victory over Midian. Gideon is so unsure of himself he asks God for sign after sign to confirm God’s going to do this. This is the infamous “laying out the fleece” story. It takes a while for Gideon to become convinced, but once he does; it’s on. Once he is convinced God is with him he watches as God reduces his army from 32,000 to 300. He attacks 120,000 Midianites with 300 men, they panick and kill most of each other off and then Gideon chases down the kings of Midian and smites them very smitedly.
Gideon turns out to be a beast. But think back to who he was when God first called him a beast. God called him “mighty warrior” when he was hiding and before Gideon fights anyone God changes his name to Jerubaal (contends with Baal). I want you to think about something: what name would you give yourself? How would you describe yourself in a word or small phrase? Maybe it would be something like loser, stupid, will never make a mark, ugly, different, weak, sinful, run of the mill, or something similar. But know this: whatever weaknesses you think define you are the exact opposite of how God defines you.
Deborah
Samson was a leader who had many flaws. Gideon was a leader who just needed a boost in confidence. Deborah seems to just be an all around great leader. I’m not saying she was perfect, but there also weren’t any character flaws so major that they mattered to the story. Instead we are told she was a prophetess and a judge. That means she was the spiritual and political leader of Israel. She must have been on her game. That Israel, a strongly patriarchal culture, followed the spiritual and political advice of a female means she had an amazing connection to God, was incredibly sharp, and very wise. In addition to all this she was incredibly brave, which was a trait men have historically been very possessive of. The text says she sat under a tree, named after her, and the entire nation brought her their problems to solve. This is the type of leader I want to be. Connected to God, wise, respected.
What does this story mean about the use of scripture to justify sexist ideas? We’ve all heard the claim that the Bible is an archaic sexist text. The inclusion of this story dismantles that idea. The other fierce warrior in this story is Jael. She stakes the bad guys face to the ground. Dang. So in every way, this story describes women as heroic, brave, capable and godly. Perdy awesome.
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