Gideon as a type of Christ
- Heralded by a prophet preaching repentance.
- He first made an onslaught
on the adversary -- the devil -- alone, yet not unassisted.
- In the same
action, he built an altar, and himself offered sacrifice, as though he were a
priest.
- The altar was named Jehovah-Shalom -- the Lord of Peace.
- His own
people cried out against his worthy action.
- A sign, a prophecy, of dew --
first on the fleece, the ground being dry -- and then on the ground, the fleece
being dry: thus is foreshadowed the work of the Holy Spirit, first in Israel and
later more fully among the Gentiles.
- Those who were gathered unto him, by
the sound of the trumpet, were reduced to a faithful remnant, being separated to
him by water, and the expression of their abhorrence of all false worship. Those
who lapped like dogs foreshadowed Gentiles, faithful to their leader.
- The
coming victory was symbolized in a cake of bread -- made from barley (Lev 23:10
-- barley).
- The destruction of the Midianite host prefigures the greater
destruction of the Last Day oppressor, in the same plain of Jezreel.
- A
victory accompanied by the blast of trumpets, the smashing of earthenware
vessels and the manifestation of torches of fire, hitherto smoldering
unseen.
- A victory without weapons for the Lord's people who "look on me and
do likewise".
- "Every man's sword against his fellow." The same words come in
Ezekiel 38:21.
- The wolf (Oreb) and the raven (Zeeb) no longer ravage the
flock of God.
- These enemies meet their end at the very place which means an
entering into inheritance for the people of God (Jdg 8:17,18).
- Many details
here prefigure the day of judgment. The names of those to be punished were
written down. See RV margin of Jdg 8:14. There was one ground of condemnation --
it was this: "They were my brethren." And it was only the deliverer himself who
executed judgement.
- Zebah means sacrifice and Zalmunna means, probably,
shadow withheld: Num 14:9.
- Gideon's words: "The Lord shall rule over you" --
it is the Kingdom!
- The leader is to be priest also, but not after the order
of Aaron.
- Seventy sons correspond in number with the nations of the world.
(Gen 10 lists 70 names.)
