1. What is the Cycle of the Judges? Do the Judges get better and better or worse
and worse?

• They sin. They break God’s covenant and go serve other gods.
• They serve. The other nations around them oppress, conquer, and enslave them.
• They cry out. They ask God for mercy and they call out to him to rescue them from their enemies.
• They are delivered. God raises someone up to deliver Israel from their enemies.
• There is peace. God gives them rest from their enemies.
• The Judges in the book go from better to worse. Each judge that God raises up to deliver the people becomes less and less godly.

2. With the Midianites oppressing Israel, what does God tell Gideon to do? Why
does he do it at night?

God told Gideon to go tear down the idols in his city. He told him to take down the
altar to Baal and the Asherah pole. Gideon obeys God but Gideon goes at night
so no one sees him. He was afraid. This does not seem like a courageous and bold
warrior.

3. What does God do with Gideon’s Army? What does this show?

God takes Gideon’s army of 32,300 soldiers and takes it down to 300. These 300
men were the worst soldiers of all of them. But, God is going to show that he is the
one who gives Israel the victory. God is a powerful God who can save with many
or with few.

4. What things are the Israelites holding? How does this show God is with them?

The 300 Israelites are holding jars, trumpets, and torches with fire. Each of these
should remind us of Genesis 15 when God describes making the covenant with
Abraham with the very same elements. This victory over Midian belongs to God
and he will deliver his people.

5. After the Victory over Midian, how did Gideon become corrupt?

After the victory, Gideon became full of vengeance and violence and idolatry. He
killed several of the Midianite kings, he whipped some of his own people for not
helping him and his soldiers on the journey chasing the Midianites, and he made an
Ephod (a high priestly garment) and the people of Israel worshipped it (Ex 32)!
Gideon allowed the power to go to his head.

6. What do we learn about who God is and how this points to Jesus?

God is a God who is faithful to hear and deliver his people. God is a God who
can save powerfully with many or with few. God can accomplish his purposes
through weak men. The battle belongs to him. God was patient with Gideon by
giving him signs and a dream. Finally, we see how good God is because even
though he has unlimited power, he will never become corrupt. Jesus conquered sin,
Satan, and death and rose from the grave and is seated at God’s right hand. No
matter how long Jesus is on the throne, he will never allow his power to corrupt him
one bit. He always will do what is right. He will also never lead us to false
idolatrous worship. The worship of Jesus is the pure worship of God.