Judges 6:12

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”

 

From Background Notes [BN] for January 11^th & 12^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

 

Think of what you were when you were called?  Or more correctly, “Think of what you thought about yourself when you were called”!  Gideon brought no boast of his ability to God in response to his call, but instead confessed his utter inability to be the one “to strike down all the Midianites together.”

 

Judges 6:9-10

I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

 

From Background Notes [BN] for January 11^th & 12^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

 

While God placed before them life and death, they chose death. When they cry to God, His response was first to send the prophet to interpret the chaos of their otherwise deconstructed lives, and tell them why things have gotten so bad.

 

Judges 6:1

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.

From Background Notes [BN] for January 11^th & 12^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

 

Southeast of Canaan, on the northwest Arabian Peninsula (see William G. Dever2), Midian is located on the Gulf of Aqaba. Midianites, according to Genesis 25:2-4, descended from Abraham through his wife Keturah (also, 1 Chronicles 1:32-33). They would later lose at least one battle with their distant cousins who descended from Esau (Genesis 36:35).

Judges 6:34

Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

 

From Background Notes [BN] for January 11^th & 12^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

 

Since there was “no king in Israel” during this period (as the text reminds us several times: 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25!), the people were governed by local tribal leaders who proved unable to always secure their families from enemy attack or civil disturbance. When a crisis loomed large and no local help was effectual…

 

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

From Background Notes [BN] for January 11^th & 12^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“Caught in a loop.” “Catch-22.” “Revolving door.” “Stuck in a rut.” These are all common ways to describe the hopelessness of going nowhere while expending a great deal of energy. The Greeks told the story of a king named Sisyphus…

Proverbs 13:1-2

A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

Proverbs 12:11

Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.