3RD QTR CL-P

UNIT 3 TITLE: WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

LESSON 2: GOD IS ALMIGHTY (Gideon Defeats the Midianites)

MEMORY VERSE: Isaiah 14:27 – “The LORD of Heaven's Armies has spoken--who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised, who can stop him?”
LESSON DESCRIPTION: To teach the true meaning of trusting and obeying God through the story from the
Bible in the life of Gideon. And how God showed that He is an Almighty God.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of trusting and obeying God
• Retell the story of Gideon
• Identify God’s attribute or character who is an Almighty God.
• Apply the idea of trusting and obeying God
• Realize that God is all powerful because He is an Almighty God.
• Recite the memory verse by heart (Isaiah 14:27).

ARTICLE:
Lesson Opening:

I. Listen, Sing and Move: (3-5 minutes)

What a Mighty God We Serve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyJrEevMUZg

II. Building Up the Story: (5-10 minutes) Starting Questions:

Start out by discussing things that might be scary. What are students afraid of? Why are these things
nerve-wracking?

Then show the word “Almighty” on the poster or write it on the board and explain that this morning
we’re talking about the truth that God is Almighty.

Tell the kids that this story comes from the book of Judges and remind them that the book of Judges was
about the time period after God had led His people into the promised land, but that during this time they stopped
following God and God judged them for the sin and then when they would repent God would send a judge who
he is a sort of like a governor or special leader that could help people to rescue them, and that Gideon was one
of the judges that God sent to rule over His people.

III. Learning from God’s Word:

GIDEON DEFEATS THE MIDIANITES

At the time Gideon appears on the pages of Scripture, the nation of Israel was being invaded year after year by
hordes of nomadic Midianites who deprived them of both crops and livestock. This greatly discouraged the Israelites and
caused them to cry out to the Lord for help (v. 6). God, in answer to their plea, spoke to them through a prophet who
challenged them to recognise their disobedience, then sent an angel to commission Gideon to be Israel’s deliverer.

When the angel met Gideon, he found him secretly threshing wheat in a wine-press—to hide it from the
marauding Midianites—and greeted him with the words: “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour” (v. 12, RSV).
Despite Gideon’s blunt query as to whether God could really be with Israel when they were so overwhelmed by their
enemies, God’s call still sounded out.

As a result of God’s call, Gideon mobilises some of the local tribes to confront the marauding Midianites, but
despite this clear call, a strong doubt emerges. He ponders on the fact that he is an untried soldier, ignorant of the
methods of warfare: “My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (6:15, NIV). Suddenly
invested with the responsibility of leading Israel into battle, he therefore seeks a positive sign from the Lord.

His first request is that a fleece or sheep’s wool he spreads out overnight should be wet, while the ground
around it stays dry. When this is granted, he asks for a more convincing sign—namely that the fleece or sheep’s wool
should remain dry, while the ground around becomes wet. This, too, is granted, and never again does Gideon doubt his
commission from the Lord.

Gideon succeeds in recruiting an army of 32,000 men, but God tells him that granting victory to so many could
lead to the boast that they had overcome the enemy without His aid.

So the Lord told Gideon to send the faint-hearted 22,000 home and left the 10,000 brave men, but yet another
an alertness test was given—watching the way in which the soldiers drank from the river (those who kneel down to
drink were sent home while those who drank water like a dog remained)—resulted in the 10,000 being cut down to just
300 men.

On a night visit to the enemy camp, Gideon overhears a conversation anticipating defeat (v. 14), and returns to
inspire his men and organise a surprise attack.

He equips his army, not with swords or staves, but with the strangest military equipment an army has ever
known—trumpets, earthenware jars and, inside the jars, a lighted torch.

When darkness fell, Gideon divided his 300 men into three companies who were deployed silently around the
enemy and gave them instructions that, at a given signal, they should copy his actions with military precision.

When the moment for action came, the 300 blew a blast on their trumpets and shattered their earthenware
jars, thus causing the light to shine out, and shouted loudly: “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” (v. 20, NIV).

These surprise tactics brought great consternation to the enemy, who fought amongst themselves and finally
fled in disorder and disarray.

Gideon and his men stood and watched the Lord defeat the Midianites without having to strike a blow! It was
obvious to all that the Lord’s strategy, although strange and unusual, was nevertheless the cause of their great victory.

To bring about lasting peace, the Midianites must not only be scattered, but expelled from the land of Israel.
Gideon sends messengers to the Ephraimites to intercept the retreating Midianites at the river Jordan who, when they
arrive, put to death two Midianite leaders. The Ephraimites express great anger toward Gideon for not having called in
their assistance earlier, but Gideon appeases their anger by a shrewd speech. He points out that although he and his
army had dispersed the Midianites, it was the Ephraimites who had put their two leaders to death.

Later, he is faced with another problem when the local inhabitants refuse to supply his famished troops with
food. But he surmounts this, too, and presses on to capture and personally execute the kings of Midian.

Upon his triumphal return, the Israelites proposed that because Gideon had delivered them from the Midianites,
he should become their king and found a family dynasty (v. 22). He firmly rejects this offer, saying that the Lord alone
must rule over Israel (v. 23). Three hundred men under the Lord’s leadership had routed 135,000 Midianites, and Gideon
believed that God’s rule over the nation was superior to kingship.

Instead, Gideon requested from his fellow Israelites some of the spoils of war in order that he might make an
ephod, a priestly garment to which a breastplate was attached. This breastplate was associated with the casting of lots
to obtain God’s guidance in ruling the nation (see Ex. 28:30).

Gideon’s perseverance in exploiting the God-given victory in the valley of Jezreel ushered in forty years of peace
for Israel. It is interesting to note that the Midianites, as enemies, are never mentioned again in Scripture. Gideon sets
up a religious centre at his seat of judgment in Ophrah and, by use of his new ephod, seeks to implement his declared
policy that the Lord, not himself, should rule over Israel.

So God won the battle for them with only 300 men. They could see that they won only because
God is all powerful….or ALMIGHTY.

What have we learned?

There are two lessons we have learned here, (1) the Israelites won only because God is all powerful or
ALMIGHTY; and (2) from Gideon’s life is that once we face up to the challenges which God gives us, our
weaknesses can become strengths. Gideon’s insecurity gave way to a sublime confidence in the sovereignty of
God, he had earlier learned how to simply and humbly accept God’s help—an attitude which transforms every
insecure struggler into a ‘mighty man of valor’.

A. Let’s Read and Discussed:

1. Who is Gideon?
2. What did Gideon asks as a positive sign from the Lord that he should rule the Israelites to defeat
the Midianites?
3. What weapons did Gideon use to defeat the Midianites?
4. Why did God reduce the size of the soldiers, from 32,000 to 300?
5. Describe God’s character here in the story.

B. Agree or Disagree: Tell the children that you are going to read some statements that talks about trusting
God. Ask them to stand if they agree. If they disagree they should sit down with arms crossed.
1. It is good to trust God even if you are afraid.
2. It is not good to trust good at all.
3. Trusting god means you are giving all your life to Him.
4. To trust is to obey.
5. Sometimes we need to lie in order to gain the trust of others.

Read and Remember the Meaning and Spelling:

1. Almighty – all powerful
2. Invaded – attacked or enter by force
3. hordes – groups, gangs or crowds
4. nomadic – travelling or wondering
 5. deprived – denied, robbed or poor
6. discouraged – disheartened, depressed or hopeless
7. commission – command, charge, order, assignment
8. threshing – rubbing, separating or beating
9. marauding – looting, raiding, robbing or plundering
10. blunt query – honest or direct question or request
11. overwhelmed – overpowered physically, stunned, or shocked
12. valor – courage, fearlessness

Review the memory verse:

Isaiah 14:27 – “The LORD of Heaven's Armies has spoken--who can change his
plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?”

Let us Pray:
Father God, we thank You for the story about Gideon. Help us to be like him and like You. Give us a
heart that trusts fully in you especially when we are in doubt or have fears, because you are our Almighty God,
who is powerful. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Assessment/Seatwork (You can add more to this)

1. Why was Gideon threshing wheat secretly?
a) He was ashamed to have food in a time of famine.
b) He wanted to hide it from the marauding Midianites.
2. What did Gideon use in asking God for a confirming sign?
a) A wool fleece. b) Unleavened bread.
3. Was God displeased with Gideon when he expressed his doubts?
a) Yes. b) No.
4. Gideon’s fleece was used to determine the will of God.
a) True. b) False.
5. What equipment did Gideon’s army use when going against the Midianites?
a) Swords, spears and chariots. b) Trumpets, jars and torches.
6. The test of faithfulness involved keeping one eye on the enemy.
a) True. b) False.
7. What was the cause of Gideon’s great victory?
a) The ability of his army to be disciplined. b) The Lord’s unusual strategy.
8. Gideon seemed to meet with more opposition from those who were supposed to be his friends than from those
who were his enemies.
a) True. b) False.
9. Did Gideon become Israel’s king?
a) Yes. b) No.
10. What caused the Israelites to fall into idolatry?
a) The shrine Gideon set up using his new ephod.
b) The influence of pagan nations around them.
Activity 2. (For Kinder & Grade 1): How did it happened?
Direction: Arrange the following pictures from how it happened in the story. Number it from 1-5.
 __________ _________ __________ __________ _________

Activity 3. (For Grade 2-3 only) Title: Good Samaritan’s Puzzle

Homework: Title: “Good Samaritan Homework”

Kinder: A only
Primary: A, B & C
A. Print this for distribution in the school as their homework. (Note: You can also include the memory
verse at the bottom of this coloring page.)
Direction: Write your name on top of the page. Color this neatly and nicely. Then take a picture and
send it to Teacher Kim/Teacher Agatha.

B. Copy the words 3 times and form a sentence on the following words.
1. attacked
2. robbers
3. stripped
4. half dead
5. bandaged
 6. pity
7. innkeeper
8. denarii
9. reimburse
10. thoughtful

C. Copy the questions and write your answer legibly.

1. How do you share your love to your family members?
2. How about your friends?
3. If you had an enemy, will you help them when you see that they needed your help? Why or why not?

Deadline of submission: April 25, 2022

Seatwork/Quiz: