The Enemy Within

The Israelites struggled for 400 years after entering Canaan before they actually possessed the land God had promised. During many of those years, they endured hardship. At one time, the neighboring nation of Midian was so strong that the Israelites lived in mountain crevices and caves. Often, when they planted their crops, the Midianites or other nations would raid them and take their harvest.

But when the Israelites turned away from idols to their true God—when they cried out to the Lord for help (v. 6)—He answered their prayers.

One day the Angel of the Lord came to an inexperienced youth named Gideon, telling him he would lead the Israelites in battle against the Midianites. But the angel's first assignment was a special task. Before he could defeat an enemy from another nation, he must defeat the enemy within. God said, Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord. . . . (v. 25,26 NIV)

This was no small test. Gideon knew people would react in anger and he was afraid for his life. He asked for signs to reassure him all would go well before he followed God’s instruction—and God, who knew his heart, honored his ultimate obedience.

All went well when he followed God's instructions. After that, with a unique and remarkable strategy he led the people and defeated the Midianites. Then he served as an Israelite judge (governmental leader) for 40 years.

Originally published October 5, 1984.
Picture: Como Park, St. Paul, MN, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

A New Attitude

By the time the Israelites reached Canaan and prepared to enter the promised land, it was abundantly clear that God did not choose them because they were wonderful people. In fact, God told Moses to tell the Israelites, you are a stiff-necked people. (Ex. 33:5b NKJV)

Moses repeated the phrase again when he gave his farewell to the Israelites: understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people. (Deut. 9:6)

Stiff-necked means obstinate—unwilling to receive correction. The Israelites qualified because there were many times when they resisted God—refused to receive His Word. Nevertheless, they were God’s people.

There is a remedy for us when we are stiff-necked. We can ask God to give us wisdom. Wisdom includes bowing our necks before God, it moves us away from being rigid to being pliable. Wisdom brings us into a new attitude.

We will never be happy if we are stiff-necked, but Proverbs tells us, Happy is the man who finds wisdom. (Prov. 3:13a)

Originally published April 11, 1986.
Picture: Viewed from the street, West Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig

Opportunity to Trust

Moses said to the Israelites, remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart. . . . (Deut 8:2a NKJV)

When reading that verse, it is important to remember that God doesn’t send tests to see how well His people will do. He sends them as opportunities. We can choose Him or not choose Him. And no one—not even God—predetermines responses during a time of testing. Every person—or every nation—is free.

Nor is God a passive spectator. Because He cares so much, He interacts with individuals and with nations, working to bring them to a place where they have greater opportunity to make the right choices.

When the Israelites came to the end of their long journey through the Wilderness and were about to enter the Promised Land, God reminded them of the blessings He had provided: Your garments did not wear out on you or did your foot swell these forty years. (v. 4) That was the case even though he often allowed hardship before He provided. He allowed them to experience hunger, thirst, failure, attack from hostile armies, etc. Each trial was an opportunity to trust Him—to walk in his ways and to fear Him. (v. 6b)

Originally published July 3, 1987.