And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. Judges So why did God get rid of so many potential fighting soldiers? First He cut the army in half, and then cut it down even further! The Midianites now outnumbered them almost 50 to 1! If students have not caught on, explain that God wanted to make sure HE received the glory for the victory. The Israelites had to know there was no possible way they could have done it on their own.
And Gideon? Well, he was still pretty nervous. He sneaked down into the Midianite camp and listened in on their conversation.
In it, he overheard someone discussing a dream he had experienced, in which a big barley cake came and knocked over their tent. Gideon took this to mean that they would win the battle, and it gave him hope and inspiration.
As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. Pause the story for a few rounds of rock, paper, scissors. Talk again about weapons. What kind of weapons seem best for a battle? Probably not trumpets and pitchers with fire inside.
That seems a bit odd and unusual. Do you think God can still use those things to win? Of course! What are some things that you can thank God for? Summarize Judges with the following story, asking the included questions as you read. How does it make God feel when we sin and do things that are wrong? It makes God feel sad and angry when we do wrong things. So, because the Israelites sinned against God, God punished the Israelites by letting the Midianites conquer them for seven years.
The Israelites were so upset about everything that the Midianites were doing to them that they cried out and asked God for help. I am the one who saved you from all your enemies and gave you this country of Israel. I told you that you were supposed to worship Me and not any of the fake gods, but you have not listened to Me. You have sinned and done what is wrong.
Then, God sent His angel to talk to a man named Gideon. He will make it so that you will win the battle. Did you know that God can help us do anything? Stay here until I come back and bring you an offering. Why did Gideon want to give the angel an offering? Gideon took 10 men and tore down the altar of Baal during the night.
When the men saw the Baal altar gone the next morning, they asked who had taken it down. Someone said Gideon. We discussed dew outside and how when we have dew, it is everywhere, and not just certain places.
The next morning when Gideon and the people woke up and gathered together, God told Gideon that there were too many people there to fight the Midianites. God wanted the people to know they won the battle because of Him, not because there were so many people willing to fight.
God told Gideon to let the people go that were afraid. So, 22, left, but there were still 10, people with Gideon. Take them to the water for a test.
Separate the ones that cup their hands and lap the water like a dog from the ones who get on their knees to get a drink. God told Gideon to take the ones that cupped their hands to drink. There were only men, but God said that He would be with them to beat the Midianites. God instructed Gideon to take his servant and go down into the valley where the Midianites were camped. Gideon divided the men into three groups. He gave each of them a trumpet, and empty pitcher with a torch inside.
Gideon told them to watch him and copy what he does. For the battle, I turned off the lights, since it was midnight. The kids threw down their pitchers, held the torch and blew their trumpets! I warned the next door teacher before class! Gideon had men with him and when they got to the camp about midnight, they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers.
Then the other groups of men did the same thing! They held the torches in the left hand and trumpets in their right hand. The Midianite men woke up and cried out! Some of them killed each other and then they ran! Gideon sent messengers to tell the other tribes to seize the Midianites that are hiding. Then, God told Gideon to watch the men who used bad manners while getting a drink in the river. He had Gideon tell every man to leave if he stuck his face to the water like a dog rather than cupping the water in their hands to drink.
You will need a large playing area for this game. Have all students line up against one wall.
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