Here's something I like about God: He's not willing to remove consequences for poor choices just to make us feel better. Throughout Scripture accounts are given where Israel is unfaithful to God. God does not shower blessing upon them and allow them to be victorious in battle when they are not following His instruction. He does not remove affliction simply because they whine about experiencing it. God has expectations that stem from His love for us and His interest in having a relationship with us. He knows far-reaching ramifications of disobedience and discourages us from disobedience. Yet still we wander. Like any wise parent, He continues to admonish us and set his boundaries. When we cross them, we are subject to the negative outcomes. When we acknowledge our wrong doing and return to the narrow path, He can provide what He intended at the outset: all the positive consequences that stem from interacting with God and community as instructed based first on the love He has for us which we can reciprocate.  Read less

Gideon was suspicious of the message from the Angel of the LORD. In his view, little faith could be placed in the idea that God was among the Israelites. He observed destruction and devastation all around him because of the Israelites' disobedience. He did not think God was interested in intervening and certainly was not expecting to be used by God.  Read less

It is unfortunately not at all surprising how quickly God was forgotten with the passing of the faithful. To me this passage communicates the importance of ensuring the message of the Cross and the truth of the word of life is passed from generation to generation AND demonstrated among the masses. I know we cannot live in complete isolation, but neglecting to share information with our children about God AND sticking them in a community of idolaters is bound to lead to negative outcomes.  Read less

Women contributed to the preparation of the materials for the tent of meeting and had an active role in working.  Read less

God is much more than a holy, wrath-filled, killer who wipes out all that is not as He is!  Read less

It is interesting here that God seems to create distance between himself and the Israelites by calling them Moses' people rather than His people. In my mind, this signifies God's holiness and His separation from things that are unholy. The Israelites were engaging in the unholy act of worshipping a graven image rather than the one true God. The audacity to say it was the god they built who delievered them out of Egypt is appalling!  Read less