What Does Gideon Teach Us about Strong Faith?

Gideon is listed among the heroes of the faith. He is faithful to the Lord in a time of rampant spiritual rebellion. Thus, God appoints Gideon to lead Israel back to covenant relationship. Although Gideon is from the weakest clan of Manasseh, and he himself is the weakest of his family, he is heralded as a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). He destroys the nation’s Asherah poles (Judges 6:25) and leads the charge against the oppressive Midianites. 

The account of Midian’s defeat at the hand of Gideon is an extraordinary example of God’s power. Through an elaborate process of sifting, the size of Gideon’s army is reduced by an astounding amount. They enter the battle with only 300 fighting soldiers, a pale comparison before Midian’s vast numbers. Although the odds were stacked against him, Gideon is victorious, and Midian is defeated.

Gideon’s defeat of Midian is instructive for our lives of faith. While we may never have to face a rival army, the story reveals how God uses us to fulfill God’s purposes in the world. Despite obstacles looming large over us, God’s power can and will be revealed in our lives. Like Gideon, we are called to respond to God’s leading, even if it stretches us beyond our own comforts. There are three lessons we can glean from Gideon’s defeat of Midian.

1. God Tests Our Faith

Human wisdom suggests that victory in battle is proportional to the size of one’s army. Logic would assert that the one with the bigger fighting force normally wins. Yet this is not how it goes with the Lord. God is concerned with faithfulness, not strength. To that end, God instructs Gideon to allow all who are afraid of the upcoming battle to return to their homes. Scripture records that 22,000 soldiers leave the ranks, leaving only 10,000 remaining. With one announcement, Gideon’s army is reduced by over two-thirds (Judges 7:3). Make no mistake, this would not inspire confidence in the remaining soldiers. 

The account of Gideon takes place when “the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Judges 6:1). Not only did the nation serve the Midianites, but they also worshiped the Midianite deities at the Asherah Poles. Thus, prior to their battle with Midian, God tests Gideon’s army to ascertain their level of faithfulness to the Lord. 10,000 people choose to act in faithful obedience to Yahweh, trusting that the Lord will deliver the nation. Even before they move into battle, the people of Israel had to believe that God would fight for them.

We often talk about God testing our faith. The language of “testing” refers to the places in our lives where God gives us the opportunity to act faithfully. A test of faith is not an exam to which we can pass or fail, it is an opportunity to choose the Lord. Often, such testing occurs in times of struggle or difficulty. God leads us into those times so that we may rely more deeply on God’s presence and power. It is an opportunity to discover the rich presence of the Lord who journeys with us, and fights for us.

2. God Uses Our Weakness

One would think that a two-thirds reduction in the size of Israel’s army would be enough, however, God continues to sift Gideon’s army. The Lord instructs Gideon to remove from the army everyone who does not “lap the water with their tongues like a dog” (Judges 7:4). It is with the lappers that God will defeat Midian. The army that once began with over 30,000 fighters gets reduced to only 300 people. Gideon’s army is reduced in size by over 99%.

There are various theories regarding this curious part of the story. Some suggest that lapping the water like a dog indicated that one was constantly ready for battle. Kneeling to drink, it is suggested, demands that one take their eye of the battlefield, thereby indicating that one is not a keen warrior.

This interpretation is not very convincing, especially given that Scripture contains no positive reference to a dog (see for example Exodus 22:31; Psalm 22:16; Revelation 22:15). Today, we view dogs as domesticated pets, useful for companionship and cuddling, yet this was not the case in the ancient world. Dogs were unclean scavengers. Any association or identification with a dog was an insult to Israel’s holiness. 

The point is that God does not choose the keen warriors for battle, but rather the weak, the cast off, the forgotten. This is consistent with how God works throughout the Scriptures. In the words of St. Paul, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Gideon himself is case in point. 

It can be easy to doubt the power of God in our lives. Our perceived weaknesses stare at us. Like all the great heroes of the faith, it can be easy to object to God’s call, citing all the reasons why God should not choose us. Yet our weaknesses may be the precise reason why God chooses us in the first place. God’s power is made manifest in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). God is always more concerned with faithful obedience than eloquence or strength. When we embrace our weakness, our actions become testimonies to God’s power.

3. We Must Give Credit to God

Why did God go through this elaborate process of sifting Gideon’s army? Why was it necessary for the army to be reduced to a ridiculous number, and staffed by those the most unlikely of fighters? Scripture records that Gideon’s army is reduced in size so that “Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her” (Judges 7:2). God reduces Israel’s army so that they will not fall into the sin of pride.

God wishes to be known in our lives. God’s activity is aimed at ushering us into a deeper life of faith and devotion. To that end, God will sometimes lead us into places that seem challenging or difficult, so that we can witness the reality of God’s presence. When we act on our own strength, it becomes easy to attribute all our success to our own prowess or strategy. God quickly becomes ignored.

As Christian people, we must always recognize that our eternal life never comes about by our own effort or strength. We do not cause our own redemption. And while there may be times where we act valiantly for others, all our boasting must be upon the Lord. We are to live for the glory of God alone, and not for our own greatness or praise.

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The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.