포항중앙침례교회_주일오전예배 설교_26.10.04/ 기드온을 세워가시는 하나님

Preacher: Pohang Central Baptist Church

Date: 2026-10-04

The place of revival is a monumental place that changes the world. Therefore, Satan desperately tries to hinder us from reaching that place. If we cannot overcome Satan's hindrances, we will stop on the path of revival. Thus, to go to the place of revival, we must be armed with the full armor of God. Spiritual warfare is not fought with words, but with strength. Without spiritual strength, we will be defeated. To have spiritual strength, we must wear the full armor of God, which means prayer and the Word. How much should we pray and read the Bible every day? We must continue until the day we die. Every day. I hope you do that. >> Amen. Amen. >> If you do not do this, I believe you will be 100% defeated. The world is not easy. Things do not happen just by talking. There are tremendous disasters. These can only be overcome with the full armor of God. Hmm. Now, let’s briefly review last week's message. Let me read the sermon title. Start. >> God Calling Gideon >> Yes. >> Amen. >> Yes. Since a few of you did not follow, I will say it again. Start. God Calling Gideon. Amen. >> Now, looking at verses 1 to 24, we see the process by which God calls the weak and timid Gideon and raises him as a warrior. Verse 1 states that the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. This means that Israel is not moving forward but is stagnating. Hmm. However, the faith that does not actually make progress and remains in the same place is also our reality. I see many Christians running on a hamster wheel. Always, yes, they remain in the same place. Even after ten years, they are still in the same spot. I hope you move toward your goals. >> Amen. If there is a place of addiction where you are going back, a place where you are chasing the world, or a place of sin in your life, you must realize that it is the spiritual hamster wheel you are running on. God cannot use someone who is running on that wheel. Hmm. Now, from verses 2 to 6. Because Israel has turned away from God, they are suffering greatly from the plundering and oppression of Midian. This is the same. If we turn away from God, we will be trampled by the world. When suffering comes from turning away from God, what you must remember is: do not seek a way to live by excluding God. And do not create a refuge for yourself. What we must do at that time is cry out to God. We must seek God and return to Him. From verses 7 to 10. The children of Israel cry out to God because of the oppression of Midian. According to the pattern in Judges, someone must come, and that is a judge. But this time it is a little different. Who comes? A prophet comes. Instead of sending a judge, He sent a prophet. What does this mean? Hmm. You cry out to me because of your problems and want them to be resolved, but I want you to listen to what I have to say to you. I want you to listen to my words. I want you to hear why I am doing this to you and what you are doing wrong. That is God's heart. You see, there may be unbearable suffering and trials in our lives. Of course, we must pray. But before praying for the problems to be solved, you must listen to what God is saying to you. Only then can it be resolved. Hmm. The problem that the prophet proclaimed to Israel was that they had heard not to fear the gods of the Amorites, but they did not obey that voice. Here, the Amorites do not refer to one of the seven Canaanite tribes, but are a general term for Canaan. You are serving the idols of Canaan. You are fearing them. That is what it means. The word 'fear' here, 'yare,' is the same word we use when we revere or fear God. Therefore, the message that God is sending through the prophet is this: You are currently fearing the gods of Canaan. You should fear God, but you are fearing the gods of Canaan. Why is Israel fearing the gods of Canaan? It is because they truly believed that Baal and Asherah governed their livelihoods. We are the same. You see. Hmm. We also often think that we must live according to the values of the world to survive. That is exactly what Israel was trusting in Baal and Asherah for. Hmm. Who governs our lives? The world? God? Yes. We must examine ourselves and see what we are truly trusting in. Yes. We may also think that we must live according to the laws of the world. We can have this kind of faith. Hmm. Verse 11. The angel of the Lord calls Gideon. Gideon is currently threshing wheat in the winepress out of fear of Midian. Now, from verses 12 to 16. The angel of God says to Gideon, who is threshing wheat in the winepress out of fear of Midian. He calls him a mighty man of valor. The Lord says, "The Lord is with you." So when the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, Gideon's first reaction is to complain to God. Why do you not help us? Why has God delivered us into the hands of Midian? They start with complaints and grievances. Did He not just send a prophet to tell them what was happening? He said it was because they served the gods of Canaan that this happened. Therefore, when the angel of the Lord appeared, what should they have done first? They should have repented. "God, we have sinned." That was what they should have done. Now, looking at Gideon's attitude, he is complaining to God when he should be repenting. Hmm. That is our true nature. Hmm. Despite Gideon's complaints, God says, "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian." "I am sending you." This time, Gideon responds that he is not qualified to do that. "My family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest and most insignificant in my father's house, so I cannot do it." He thinks he is not qualified to do that. This raises a question. Why does God appear to this weak and fearful Gideon, call him a mighty man of valor, and tell him to go? And why did He come to him while he was threshing wheat in the winepress? Hmm. In fact, it is quite embarrassing for Gideon. If God had come while he was praying or doing something noble, he could at least have pretended to be doing something, but now he cannot even do that. Hmm. Now, why does God call the fearful Gideon a mighty man of valor and come to him while he is threshing wheat in the winepress? It means this: God is saying that even such a person can become a warrior. You see, when God uses a person, He does not care about their abilities, education, experience, background, or gender. He does not say, "Bring me your academic credentials." He does not ask such things. Hmm. By calling Gideon and making him a warrior, God is telling us that anyone can become a warrior if God is with them. Now, from verses 17 to 21. Gideon has just heard too many overwhelming things. He suddenly appears and calls him a mighty man of valor, tells him to save Israel from the hand of Midian, and says he will send him and that he will strike down the Midianites as one man. He has said all these things, but from Gideon's perspective, it is something he cannot accept at all. There is a huge gap. He feels, "That is something for someone else to do; why is it being said to me?" As such overwhelming words are spoken, Gideon's request is, "Then show me a sign that the one speaking to me is God." That is his request. Gideon goes and prepares a large offering. Yes. He bakes unleavened bread, slaughters a goat, and brings broth. The angel of God says, "Pour it on that rock." He pours it all out. When he touches it with the staff, fire comes out from the rock and consumes it all. What does this mean? Who confirms to Gideon that the one speaking to him is God? It confirms that it is God. Hmm. From verses 22 to 24. When the offering is burned up, he sees that the angel of the Lord has vanished. At that moment, Gideon realizes, "Ah, the one speaking to me is God." But at that moment, an uncontrollable fear rushes into Gideon's heart. Why? Seeing God means death, and since he heard it was the angel of God, he thought, "I will die." That was the fear. To the trembling Gideon, God says, "Peace be with you; do not be afraid." "You shall not die." But when he hears that word, suddenly peace rushes into Gideon's heart. The fear of death completely disappears, and an overwhelming peace from God floods in. Gideon experienced that. A marvelous peace. So he builds an altar and names that altar what? Jehovah Shalom. He calls it that. You see, it is the same today. When we hold on to God's word, anxiety disappears and peace comes. Remember that when you trust in God's word, fear disappears and Jehovah Shalom comes upon you. >> Amen. This >> grace of Shalom. >> It is so needed for us living in difficult times. I assure you, read the word every day and go to the place of prayer. Peace will never leave your heart. >> Amen. >> Try living without doing this. You will always be anxious. You will always be afraid. You will not be able to find peace. No matter what you do, there will be no peace. Try drinking. You may forget for a moment when you drink. You may feel peaceful. But when you wake up the next day, you will be even more anxious. Read the word. Pray. A tremendous peace that the world cannot give will come into our hearts. I hope you live every day enjoying the grace of Jehovah Shalom. >> Yes. Now today, we continue to see how God is raising Gideon. Today, we will meditate on the word about God raising Gideon. Now let’s read the sermon title together. Start. God is Making >> Amen. >> Yes. He is calling him and raising him as a warrior to save Israel from the hand of Midian. As we observe this process of God raising Gideon, we can confirm that God is also making us into warriors today. Now let’s read verses 25 and 26. Start. That night the Lord said to Gideon, "Take your father's bull, the second bull of seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has and cut down the Asherah that is beside it, and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this rock, with the stones laid in due order, and take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down." Now, verses 25 and 26—imagine the scene in the village. Israel is living in Canaan, and the village where the people of Israel live generally looks like this. Yes. In the village where God's people, Israel, live, there was an altar of Baal. There was an Asherah pole. This was everyday life. However, because they were being plundered by Midian, they were crying out to God. When God called Gideon, what was Gideon's first reaction? Why has God delivered us into the hands of Midian? He complained like this. But what was in Gideon's father's house? There was an altar of Baal. Would that be a problem? Would it not? Yes. Would it be a problem? Would it not? Israel. They are now facing a serious problem before God, but they have no awareness of serving Baal. What is the problem? Everyone does it. Because the pressure from Midian is painful, they cry out to God for salvation, but at the same time, they are still serving Baal and Asherah. Does this make sense to you? No, to approach God, you must remove the idols. Do you understand the behavior of Israel, who approaches God while serving Baal in their daily lives? But this is our reality. We are doing the same thing now. Hmm. So why is Israel serving Baal and Asherah while believing in God? They believe in God. Now, it has been 170 to 230 years since they settled in Canaan. So do you remember your ancestors from 200 years ago? Do you remember your ancestors from 200 years ago? You do not remember, right? 200 years is not a short time. You see, the people of Israel recognize God as the God of the wilderness. They recognize Him as the God who led their ancestors through the wilderness. And they recognize Him as the God who brought them into the land of Canaan and gave them victory in battle. To them, God is the God of their ancestors from the past. It is like many people in Korea today who say they are Buddhists without any connection to Buddhism. To them, God is just an abstract concept. So what do they truly believe in? They believe that Baal and Asherah give them rain for good harvests and bring them prosperity. The center of their hearts is placed on Baal. Israel has become Canaanized. That is what God was worried about. Through the book of Judges, we will continue to see how the people of Israel became Canaanized. Now let’s read the text on the screen together. Start. Calling on God while serving Baal and Asherah; serving God and Baal and Asherah at the same time is mixed faith. However, just as Israel became Canaanized, if we do not serve only God today, we will live according to the values of the world. You cannot serve both God and the values of the world. >> After entering Canaan, Israel could not overcome the Baal and Asherah that the Canaanites served. Even until the time of the monarchy, they went through a constant cycle of destroying and rebuilding, breaking down and rebuilding. Similarly, what is it that we cannot overcome while living our faith today? We are unable to break free from the values of the world. We keep going back and forth between God and the world. In fact, if we look at many aspects of our lives today, we have become secularized. The term 'secularization' means that we have become like the world. It is the same meaning as Israel becoming Canaanized. Now, what are the secular values that we cannot overcome? What are the things we keep discarding and then grabbing again? Pay close attention. Look carefully at the screen. Money is everything. I must raise my children well. I must succeed. I must gain honor. I must be recognized by others. Having leisure, enjoying life, and indulging is the best. These are the values of the world. It is not that we should not have all of these. It is not that they are bad. But none of these should be placed above God. That is idolatry. If your children are above God, that is an idol. If money is above God, that is an idol. If the desire to be recognized by others is above God, that is an idol. Now, will you look again? Look at the picture that includes God. These are the values that we constantly encounter while living in this world. Take a moment to reflect. Among all these things, where is the center of my heart directed? Where is the center of my life placed right now? I hope you reflect honestly. Placing something higher than God means that I am following the world, and placing something higher than God means that I am currently worshiping Baal and Asherah. If I am running hard toward a value that is higher than God, then I too have become secularized. If you truly believe that, it means you are completely secularized and have a mixed faith. The problem of Israel was not the external enemy of Midian. Their true problem was their internal state of serving both God and Baal at the same time. So God not only spoke to Gideon but also responded with fire and gave him Shalom, but that night, He required Gideon to take actions worthy of his calling. What is that? It was to bring the second bull of seven years old. This is God's command. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "seven years"? How long has Israel been suffering under Midian? Seven years. Therefore, the command to bring the second bull of seven years old is seen as a symbolic command from God to save Israel from the oppression of Midian. Another point is that the Hebrew word translated as 'second,' 'shor,' also means 'excellent' or 'superior.' Thus, it is interpreted as a command to offer the best to God. Many biblical scholars find it interesting that this bull is still alive despite the plundering of Midian. They took all the livestock, so how could a bull survive for seven years? It is believed that Gideon's family, the Abiezrites, believed that Baal brought prosperity and hid the bull from Midian's eyes for seven years. This is what is happening within Israel. In other words, Israel has now become completely like Canaan. They are just like the Canaanites. What we must be most careful about and reflect on is our secularization. If we become secularized, our reason for existence disappears. If we all become secularized, the light of the church established in this world will go out. Now, people have become like this. They are wholeheartedly serving Baal and Asherah. So what did God tell Gideon to do? He told him to tear down the altar of Baal. He told him to cut down the Asherah pole beside it. The Asherah pole was made of wood. He told him to cut it down. And he told him to go up to the top of the mountain and build an altar for the Lord. Then he was to place the second bull on the altar and use the wood from the cut-down Asherah pole to offer it as a burnt offering to God. That is what He commanded. Do you think it is easy to carry this out, or do you think it is difficult? This is like one of us receiving a revelation at night to blow up Pohang Central Baptist Church. Can you do it? It would not be easy. Now let’s read together. Start. If he had not spoken, they would have died as sacrifices to Baal. But now God wants to help us, and by having us offer burnt offerings to the Lord and tearing down the altar to offer a new burnt offering, He allows us to live as separated ones. To live for us, to live for our desires, to live for the spirit, to live for heaven, to live for God in our lives. >> Yes. You see, what God first confirms to everyone engaged in spiritual warfare with Him is holiness. It is holiness. If you do not restore holiness, God will not be with you. And if God is not with you, you cannot defeat 135,000 with just 300. You absolutely cannot win. You see, that is why when God came to find Gideon, who would carry out the war to save the people from Midian, He did not ask about his family. He did not ask how wealthy he was. He did not ask how influential his family was. He did not ask how capable he was. What did He require? To remove the idols and restore holiness. This is what He is saying. What is holiness? It means changing the purpose of what you were going to offer to Baal and offering it to God. It means distinguishing yourself from the Canaanites. That is holiness. >> If you become like them, you become a Canaanite. We must be different from the world. Hmm. To make something holy means to change its purpose. Tear down the altar of Baal and build an altar for God. Turn the idols into firewood. Change the direction of the seven-year-old bull prepared for Baal to be offered to God. What is that? That is holiness. Washing your hands is not holiness. This is holiness. This is what He requires. It means becoming a person of God. Yes. Even if you live in the land of Canaan, it means living like a person of God. Even if you live in the world, it means living like a person of God. What is that? That is holiness. >> Now let’s read together. Start. Everything is directed toward God. The issues of glory and wealth belong not to the world but to God. Everything is for His glory. It is, and it is, and it is. Give everything to God. Give everything to God. >> Can you say Amen? >> Amen. >> Can you say Amen? >> Amen. This. >> This is a person who can become a warrior for God. >> You must change the purpose. The purpose of everything God has given you must be directed toward God. >> Amen. >> Hmm. Now let’s look at verse 27. Start. Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had said to him, but because he was afraid of his father's house and the men of the city, he did it by night. >> Now in the house. There was an altar of Baal, right? There was a bull, right? There was also 10 kg of flour, right? Now how many servants are there? There are ten, right? The house of Joash seems to be quite wealthy and a prominent figure in this area. Now Gideon. What did God tell him to do? But looking at verse 27, what is he afraid of now? What is he afraid of? He is afraid of his father's house and the men of the city. Why is he afraid? All the descendants of Abiezar truly believed in Baal and Asherah. They believed they had to believe in them to be blessed. Baal and Asherah. That was a belief deeply rooted in the hearts of that generation. It was accepted without doubt. Is it easy or difficult to tear everything down? He is afraid. Because he knows the atmosphere. Hmm. The people Gideon is afraid of are his family. And the men of the city. Who are these men of the city? All the descendants of Abiezar are gathered to live in Ophrah, right? Who are they? If you look closely, they are all relatives. Uncles, aunts, all such people. Hmm. He obeys God's command to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah. Gideon knows exactly how those people will react if he does this. He is afraid of that. Hmm. You see, the people of Israel wholeheartedly believed in Baal and Asherah, yet they also believed in someone else. Do they not believe in God too? At least they believe in Him like the God of their ancestors. But if Gideon goes and destroys everything... what will the people say? They will probably say, "Hey, are you the only one who believes in God? We believe in God too." Even if they believe, they will say to do it moderately. Ugh. So they might criticize Gideon and think of him as a fanatic. They might even kill him. "Are you the only one worried about God? We believe too." They would say that. Ugh. "Our ancestors believed in God, and we believe in God well. Don't act so smart." They would say that. Gideon is very afraid of that. So he cannot do it during the day. When does he do it? He does it at night. He does not want to, but God's word is so clear. In the end, he received a response by fire. This is clearly from God. He cannot not do it. So when does he obey? He obeys at night. What do you think when you look at Gideon? Wow, he really lacks faith. Do you think that? You might think that. But Gideon was afraid, yet he obeyed at night. The important thing is that he did everything he had to do. He tore down the altar of Baal, cut down the Asherah pole, built an altar for the Lord, and offered the second bull as a burnt offering to God. We can criticize Gideon for not doing it during the day but at night, but I think many people do not obey even in situations where they are afraid, burdened, or may be criticized. They do not do anything at all. They do not even pretend. It is okay if it is late. You see, I hope you obey even at night. >> Amen. >> You see, when you follow the Lord, there are times when you must risk your life to keep your faith. You may be criticized, and your honor may be damaged, but we must obey God's word exactly. >> Then we will experience God. >> Now what will happen next? From verses 28 to 30. From now on, I will not read the Bible because we are short on time. The next day after he obeyed came. Look with your eyes. The townspeople came and found that the altar of Baal had been destroyed. The Asherah pole beside it had been cut down. They saw that another altar had been built in its place. There, they saw the seven-year-old bull they had been raising for Baal offered as a sacrifice. The townspeople were shocked. Where had this idol been? It was in Joash's house. The whole town had gathered at Joash's house to worship Baal, and now that idol had been destroyed, so the townspeople were all shocked. "Who did this?" They investigated. It was revealed. Who did it? They found out it was Gideon. The townspeople all gathered and said, "Joash, bring out your son." "He must die." They said that. But think about it. These people are God's people, right? Is it a good thing for God's people to destroy the idol of Baal? Is it a bad thing? Is it something that should lead to death among God's people to destroy the idol of Baal? They wanted to kill him. This means they had completely become Canaanites. They are not the people of Israel. They have become Canaanized. Gideon was afraid, but he went at night to obey God's will. I wish the result of that obedience was a smooth path, but he faced the danger of death. Today, it is the same for us. If you obey the word given by God, not everyone may applaud or welcome you. Hmm. But we must obey. Perhaps in today's church, if you purely obey God's word, secular believers will criticize and persecute you. "Are you the only one who believes?" There are those who challenge you like that. The church of God must never become a place that criticizes obedience to God's word. That is a church where the light has gone out. That is a broken church. If someone obeys God's word, should we not pray for them, respect them, and support them? But today, the church does not do that. When you try to live according to God's word, they say to you, "Don't act so holy." Hmm. Now, I will not read verses 31 and 32. The townspeople all rose up. They said Gideon must die for destroying the idol. In fact, the person Gideon was most afraid of was his father. He was a key figure who owned and managed the altar of Baal and led idol worship. His father. You see, the ancient Canaanites believed that if Baal and Asherah were angry, severe droughts, famines, or wars would occur. So they easily offered human sacrifices to appease the anger of the gods. Killing a person and offering them as a sacrifice was not difficult for the Canaanites. So the Abiezrites, having become thoroughly Canaanized, are saying that Gideon must die. This means they want to capture him to offer him as a sacrifice to Baal. But when they say this, who is likely to lead? It is Joash. He has the image of Baal in his house. He is the leader of idol worship. But it is destroyed. You see, even today, if you go to places like Pakistan or India, parents kill their children in "honor killings." That is the custom there. Hmm. But what is amazing is that Joash, who was most active in Baal worship, has changed. Now who is defending Gideon? Joash is defending him. That is amazing. We cannot know how such a thing happened. But it is not just a simple father's love. He did not just do it because he is a father who wants to protect his child. Joash saw that his son Gideon had destroyed the idol of Baal. Then what should happen? Lightning should come down and kill him. Baal should kill him. But nothing happened. He must have realized something. "Ah, this Baal is nothing." God must have done something. So he completely turned around. And he uses an amazing logic to speak to those who say, "Bring out Gideon." "Let us kill him." He says, "If Baal is a true god, he will contend for himself about the destruction of his altar." "Baal will punish the one who destroys his altar, so we do not need to intervene." At Joash's words, the townspeople could say nothing and all went home. You see, when Gideon obeyed God's word and faced the threat of death, he never imagined that his father would become his ally. His father saved him. The idol was in his father's house. He had destroyed the altar in his father's house and cut down the Asherah pole, so Gideon could never have dreamed that his father would be on his side. You see, when God works, He transcends our thoughts. When you obey God's word, you will experience who is sent to you. You will have the experience of meeting Joash. When you obey God's word, you may face immediate difficulties or hardships, but on the path of obedience, who does God send? He sends you a Joash to defend and help you. Joash may be someone you do not expect. God sends someone to help those who obey. I hope you experience meeting Joash while you are obeying. >> Now that day, Gideon receives a new name. What is it? Jerubbaal. Jerubbaal. It means "Let Baal contend with him" or "The one who contends with Baal." Did not Gideon fight against Baal? This is actually like trying to break a rock with an egg. Today, we too must become Jerubbaal like Gideon and fight against the Baals of this age and world. What must we fight against in the world? Think carefully. We are God's people. We must fight against materialism. We must fight against hedonism. We must fight against the media that devastates our souls. We must fight against self-worship that places ourselves in the place of God. We must fight against all the forces of Satan. Hmm. If you lose focus, you will become secularized in an instant. Hmm. When you fight, do not fight alone. Just as Gideon fought with ten servants, we must fight this war together as a community. But what is happening now clearly shows how "Canaanized" Israel has become. They cannot be distinguished from the Canaanites. Today, if we become secularized, we will not be able to tell whether that person believes in God or goes to church. This means they have become thoroughly secularized. While living life, there is no difference at all. They chase after money, chase after pleasure, and enjoy going out. Ugh. I mentioned that it has been at least 170 years and at most 230 years since Israel entered Canaan. But now serious Canaanization is taking place. In every village, there are Baals and Asherahs. They are worshiping them. What is the big problem? There is no awareness of the problem. "What is the problem?" That is the real problem. We may be doing the same thing now. We may be living like the Canaanized Israelites and asking, "What is the problem?" Hmm. How can we know if our values have adopted the ways of the world, if we have become secularized? As I meditate deeply on this passage, I want to share something with you. If you become secularized, it is the end. Hmm. If you become like Canaan, is it not the end? The church must pursue the kingdom of God. >> On the other hand, the world pursues the material. As secular values enter the church, there are too many people with materialistic and prosperity-centered faith. Just as the people of Israel worshiped Baal, who promised wealth and fertility, so do today's Christians. It seems that God's will is not very important to them. Secular success is important. Wealth is important. Honor is important. They pursue a high quality of life. They think that getting their children into prestigious universities is the ultimate success in life, prioritizing it over the kingdom of God and pursuing mammon. To have become like this means we have become like the world. Can we not live as pure Christians? Can we not live as God's people while living in this world? The church must center on God's word, but if it is influenced by secular values, the self becomes central, and regardless of what God says, people will pursue convenience. That is not God-centered but human-centered. They pursue self-centered convenience. The same goes for their faith life. They should live as missionaries to save the world, but they think that since they have given offerings, they should receive services. So if the sermon, worship, or programs do not please them, they easily change churches. They prioritize comfort and convenience. They reject the life of carrying the cross, the life for souls, the life of building community, and the life of obeying God's word—they say, "I do not want to live like that." Hmm. They only want a burden-free religious life. There are countless people like that. They sit, but they have accepted all the values of the world. They have become secularized. And they say, "What is the problem?" Is there really no problem with Israel serving Baal and Asherah? That is a problem. Hmm. The church is a holy community, but as secular values have entered, holiness has collapsed. Especially today, moral standards have completely collapsed. They think purity is outdated. Many people ask, "Why keep purity before marriage?" There are many such people even within the church. Immoral culture, cohabitation before marriage. I am sorry, but I hope such things do not happen here. College students say, "Let’s share a room." and men and women live together. They just live together, then break up and live with someone else. This is like Sodom and Gomorrah. But there is no awareness of the problem. "What is the problem?" Everyone lives like that. No. You see, Christians should not live like that. Homosexuality, same-sex marriage, abortion. You see, calling killing a living person murder. A fetus has all human characteristics after 14 weeks. Our country has now become a crazy world where laws are made to kill those babies with drugs. Is that not murder? How does God view this land? But there is no awareness of the problem. The church accepts and follows the voices of the world without criticism. We have no room to criticize Israel. We are walking the same path now. Hmm. They are 230 years behind, but how long has Christianity been in Korea? It has been just over 100 years. The church should be a place that does not discriminate based on human conditions. This is how God originally designed the church. There is no discrimination. There is no distinction between Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free. But if the church discriminates based on human conditions, it has become secularized. If it discriminates based on secular professions or educational backgrounds and forms factions, it becomes another scene of the world. You see, the church is a gathering of brothers and sisters, and it must never discriminate based on human conditions. No one should act arrogantly in the church, nor should anyone feel inferior. The same goes for this. >> If you discriminate, you have become secularized. Have I not become secularized? We must carefully reflect before God. As I meditate on the book of Judges, I see a lot of myself. Have I not become secularized? Hmm. From verses 33 to 35. Now after this, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the East gathered together and encamped. They must go to war. The Spirit of the Lord who made Gideon into Jerubbaal comes upon Gideon. Here, the Hebrew word for "come upon" is 'labash.' It means 'to wear' or 'to put on.' It means to put on clothes. Therefore, it means that the Holy Spirit completely enveloped and controlled Gideon's whole being. When he obeyed God, tore down the idols of Baal and Asherah, built an altar to God, and offered the bull prepared for Baal to God, the Holy Spirit enveloped Gideon. It is necessary to hold on to God, but it is more important that God holds on to Gideon. >> Who does God hold on to? God holds on to the holy and those who pursue holiness. I hope you become a servant who is held by God by pursuing holiness. Now Gideon is seized by the Holy Spirit. And he blew the trumpet of war. How long has it been? It has been seven years since he blew the trumpet. Ehud blew it after 40 years, right? We see it again after seven years. But what is amazing is that now when Gideon blows the trumpet, who follows first? The Abiezrites follow. Abiezar. Who are the Abiezrites? They are the people who wanted to kill Gideon. The townspeople who had gathered at Joash's house to kill Gideon for destroying the altar of Baal are the first to volunteer to go to war. Isn't that amazing? The father who wanted to kill him defended him, and the townspeople who wanted to kill him were the first to go to war. Hmm. Why have these people changed? They wanted to kill him, but after hearing Joash's words, they must have thought a lot. And they thought that Gideon, who had destroyed the altar of Baal, would immediately die, but nothing happened. Then when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, they realized that he was truly the chosen leader of God. They realized that God is the true God. They realized that and repented and turned around and volunteered to become soldiers first. I hope all of you recover holiness before God. >> Amen. >> From verses 36 to 40. Think about the story so far. God calls him. He shows him by fire that the one speaking is God. And when He spoke, Gideon risked his life and obeyed by destroying the altar of Baal. The father who thought he would kill him defends him. The Abiezrites and the townspeople all follow him. And he killed the house of Baal, but now nothing happens. Ah, He is truly alive. The things he can confirm and feel are happening repeatedly. Now what must he do? He just has to go. But Gideon hesitates again. He hesitates again. What does he say? Why is that? Looking at the army of 135,000, he feels fear again in his heart, thinking, "Can I really win?" So what does he request? He requests to confirm again whether God will truly save Israel by his hand. That is the sign of the fleece. No, he has already received that much confirmation. Now he must go. But he still cannot go. Gideon seems to lack faith, right? But what does God do? He says, "Just let the fleece be wet." He does it. What does he do next? He even requests until he feels it is too much. What does he say? "Lord, do not be angry with me, and this time let the fleece be dry." God does not rebuke him but accepts all of that. The next day, it was indeed true—the fleece was dry and the ground was wet. Look closely. Whose appearance is this? It is our appearance. We receive amazing grace from God. Sometimes we experience God in amazing ways. But when it comes time to obey, we fear again. We ask for confirmation again. We ask to show us again. Are we not doing that now? We have already received a lot of confirmation, but when we see reality, it seems impossible. So we may ask God to show us another sign. Many people do that. As I read this passage, I realize that I am doing the same thing. When things get tough, I ask for more confirmation. Gideon's fleece is not a model we should all follow. God does not rebuke Gideon's weakness and lack of faith. He accepts him. God accepts our weaknesses too. When we are so lacking in faith and fearful that we ask God again, God does not say, "Stop it." He accepts us again. Because God is much greater than our doubts and lack of faith. God accepts us even if we have more requests. Hmm. You see, do not hesitate at God's word. It is okay to respond slowly to God's word. But obey everything God has said. >> Amen. >> And restore your holiness. >> Amen. I bless you in the name of the Lord to become God's people who are seized by the Holy Spirit to save dying souls in this dark age. Let us pray.