A Scared Young Man
The people of Israel were subjected to a foreign invasion. The Midianites and their allies, the Amalekites and Qedemites, would camp on Israel’s land and would raid their food supplies until there was nothing left for them to eat. Israel was in desperate circumstances and the people did what they always did when in desperate circumstances. They cried out to Yahweh.
If you notice in verses 7-10, of Judges 6, God does not immediately send relief. He actually calls a prophet, whom we do not know, to give them an “I warned you message.”
He reminded them of what was told to the people before they entered the Promised Land as the penalty for not following Yahweh,
“A people you don’t know will eat your land’s produce and everything you have labored for. You will only be oppressed and crushed continually” (Deuteronomy 28:33, HCSB).
This was certainly what was happening to Israel. I don’t believe that God takes pleasure in exacting that kind of punishment. However, Hebrews 12 does remind us that God will discipline the people whom He loves in order to bring them back to Himself.
Next Week: Enter Gideon
Mark Riser - Apologist 