"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)

The Grand Narrative: (Judges 6-8) “Gideon the Least”

(Judges 6-8) “Gideon the Least”

 

Published 16 October 2025

Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”

Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching

⚠️ Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Mistakes

  1. 1️⃣ Forgetting God’s warnings — Israel repeats disobedience despite covenant reminders (Judg. 6:1).
  2. 2️⃣ Living in fear instead of faith — hiding in caves when God had given land and promise (Judg. 6:2).
  3. 3️⃣ Blaming circumstances instead of sin — seeing Midian as problem, not rebellion (Judg. 6:6–10).
  4. 4️⃣ Doubting divine presence — “If the Lord is with us…” replaces gratitude with complaint (Judg. 6:13).
  5. 5️⃣ Forgetting past deliverances — loss of generational memory leads to repeated defeat (Judg. 2:10–12).

💥 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Failures

  1. 1️⃣ Failure of courage — Gideon’s generation hid from the fight until God intervened (Judg. 6:2).
  2. 2️⃣ Failure of worship — altars to Baal remained in God’s people’s midst (Judg. 6:25–28).
  3. 3️⃣ Failure of trust — asking for repeated signs instead of resting in promise (Judg. 6:36–40).
  4. 4️⃣ Failure of humility after success — Ephraim’s pride sparks conflict (Judg. 8:1–3).
  5. 5️⃣ Failure of spiritual vigilance — Israel fell back to idolatry once peace came (Judg. 8:33–35).

🚫 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Sins

  1. 1️⃣ Idolatry — trusting Baal and Asherah poles more than the living God (Judg. 6:25–28).
  2. 2️⃣ Disobedience — breaking covenant despite repeated rescues (Judg. 2:19–20).
  3. 3️⃣ Fear — shrinking from divine commission (Judg. 6:12).
  4. 4️⃣ Pride — boasting in human strength and numbers (Judg. 7:2).
  5. 5️⃣ Forgetfulness — neglecting to remember God’s faithfulness across generations (Judg. 8:34).

🏆 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Successes

  1. 1️⃣ Divine selection — God chooses Gideon, the least of his clan, proving grace over merit (Judg. 6:14–16).
  2. 2️⃣ Obedience despite fear — tearing down Baal’s altar at night shows faith in motion (Judg. 6:25–28).
  3. 3️⃣ Strategic refinement — reduction to 300 men revealed divine strategy (Judg. 7:2–7).
  4. 4️⃣ Miraculous victory — enemy panic orchestrated by God (Judg. 7:22).
  5. 5️⃣ National peace — forty years of stability under faithful leadership (Judg. 8:28).

🌱 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Spiritual Growth Lessons

  1. 1️⃣ Fear is the beginning of transformation when surrendered to God (Judg. 6:12–16).
  2. 2️⃣ Faith matures through testing, not ease (Judg. 7:2–7).
  3. 3️⃣ Worship follows obedience — Gideon built an altar after hearing God’s call (Judg. 6:24).
  4. 4️⃣ Victory comes through weakness filled with the Spirit (Judg. 6:34).
  5. 5️⃣ Remembering prevents rebellion — reflection sustains revival (Judg. 8:33–35).

🧭 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Leadership Principles

  1. 1️⃣ Lead from humility — Gideon begins as “least” and becomes God’s instrument (Judg. 6:15–16).
  2. 2️⃣ Reduce to obedience — fewer, faithful people yield greater results (Judg. 7:2–7).
  3. 3️⃣ Lead with discernment — act only on divine direction (Judg. 7:9–15).
  4. 4️⃣ Encourage others through testimony — Gideon’s story emboldens Israel (Judg. 7:15–18).
  5. 5️⃣ End well — sustain spiritual health beyond victory (Judg. 8:22–28).