What Gideon Can Teach You About Leadership

In the middle of the night, a cacophony of piercing trumpet blasts, smashing pitchers and flashing lantern lights jolted the Midianite army from sleep. Believing they were surrounded on three sides, the Midianites thought tens of thousands of Israelite soldiers were about to swoop down on them.

The groggy Midianites were frightened by the alarming sounds, which they knew were a signal for war.

“We’re under attack! Our enemies are upon us!” they screamed.

Stunned and confused by the chaos of sound and lights, the soldiers scrambled for their weapons. In the darkness and confusion, they panicked, thinking they were outnumbered.

“Israel is about to overtake us—we’re all doomed!”

God caused each man to believe that his comrade was an Israelite. Midianite clashed sword with Midianite, and they killed their fellow countrymen by mistake. Those who did not turn their swords on one another fled.

Yet, in reality, there were only 300 Israelite soldiers encircling the camp. They were led by a man named Gideon, whose full story is recorded in Judges 6-8.

During the confusion, Gideon organized soldiers from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher and all of Manasseh to pursue the retreating Midianite army.

Soon, God granted victory to the Israelites. And, after defeating the retreating armies, the Israelites cried for Gideon to be their king. Instead, he told them to “serve the Eternal.”

How did Gideon get to this point—having the faith to lead an army of 300 against Midianite hordes? What qualities allowed God to use him as a leader?

Message from the Eternal

Gideon lived in the village Ophrah in the territory of Manasseh. During this time, Israel had departed from God—they disobeyed His instruction, worshipping false gods and committing evil acts in His sight. Therefore, for seven years, God had allowed Israel to suffer under the brutal hand of the Midianites and their allies because they did not obey Him. Many fearful Israelites hid in caves.

One day at harvest time, Gideon was using a winepress to thresh wheat. Normally, this act was done by using cattle to tread the wheat on a threshing floor. But Gideon did so with a winepress because he feared the Midianites; he knew that they might come at any moment and take away his wheat. Gideon and his family desperately needed the crop, for there was very little wheat left to harvest.

Gideon worked behind a tree so as not to be seen. As he raced to get the wheat ready so he could hide it from the Midianites, he noticed a stranger sitting beneath the tree. The stranger appeared to be a handsome, strong man who wore fine clothing, clean and crisp. He definitely did not look as though he had been living in a dirty cave.

The stranger said to him, “The Eternal is with you, Gideon, you mighty man of valor!”

Struck by the high quality of the stranger’s appearance and his boldness, Gideon wondered if he was in the presence of someone important.

Gideon replied: “My lord, if the Eternal is with us, then why are we cowering in caves like wild animals? Why do we flee at the first sight of Midianite troops? Where are all of God’s miracles, which our fathers told us about—how God brought us out of Egypt and freed us from the bonds of slavery? The Eternal has forsaken us; He has delivered my people into the hands of the Midianites.”

Gideon had grown tired of living in daily fear, feeling helpless and hopeless.

The stranger boldly said, “The Eternal is with you. Go in His might and you shall deliver Israel from the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”

Gideon suddenly realized that he was speaking with the Messenger of the Eternal, who would later be known as Jesus Christ.

“But how can I deliver Israel?” Gideon said. “My family is the least in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s household. There’s nothing special about me.”

Unlike most people, Gideon did not think that he was better than others. This meant that he had the right kind of attitude—he was humble. This is a critical quality God looks for when choosing His leaders. God rejects those who think they are greater than others because He knows that such vain people will not fear and obey Him.

Out of the tribes of Israel, Gideon’s clan, the Abiezrites, was the smallest in Manasseh, which is why Gideon did not think he was great or special.

The Messenger said, “I will be with you, Gideon. I shall enable you to conquer the Midianites as though they were only one man” (Judg. 6:11-19).

As with Moses before him, Gideon needed reassurance that God would truly work through him. Gideon could not yet bring himself to believe that God would choose someone like him to deliver Israel. So he asked for a sign.

“Please stay where You are,” he said. “I will be right back and bring You an offering.”

The Messenger graciously agreed, knowing that men need His help to walk by faith and not by sight (II Cor. 5:7).

Gideon quickly gathered the best that he had, a young goat, unleavened bread, and broth in a pot—and placed it on a rock as directed by the Messenger.

When the Messenger of the Eternal took His staff and touched the offering, fire shot out from the rock, consuming it!

Amazed by this miracle, Gideon stood in awe. It showed that God had accepted His offering. Gideon turned to speak with the Messenger of the Eternal, but He had disappeared.

Suddenly realizing that this truly was God’s Messenger, Gideon feared that he did not pay Him proper respect. As he worried, the voice of God spoke to him: “Peace be with you, Gideon. Do not fear. You shall not die.”

Thankful and filled with awe, godly fear and respect, Gideon built an altar to God. He called it “The-Eternal-Is-Peace.”

Task from God

That same night, God spoke to Gideon again. He said, “Take 10 of your trusted servants and your father’s seven-year-old bull with you. Destroy the altar of Baal, which belongs to your father, and chop down the carved image of wood next to it. Cut up the wood and build an altar for Me on the summit of this stronghold. Then use the wood to burn the bull upon My altar.”

Knowing the task would be dangerous, Gideon decided to carry out God’s instructions under the cover of nightfall. He took 10 of his family’s most trusted servants and did as the Eternal had commanded.

This is another quality God looks for in leaders. He wants those who live His way to follow His commands, even if they are unpopular.

The next morning, the people of the village were horrified to see what had been done to Baal’s altar. They also noticed that the wooden image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, which stood next to the altar, was missing. The townspeople were shocked and angered.

“Who did this evil deed?” they cried. “Who would be wicked enough to disrespect the holy things of Baal and Asherah?”

Soon, the blame fell on Gideon—and the crowd wanted his life.

Joash, Gideon’s father, stood up for his son: “Will you fight Baal’s battles for him? If Baal is a god, then let him fight for himself.”

The accusers paused, exchanging nervous and embarrassed looks. If they insisted on executing Gideon, it would appear their pagan god was too weak to deal with a physical man. So they backed away from their accusations and left Gideon alone.

News of Gideon’s “crime” reached the ears of the Midianites, Amalekites and other nearby peoples. Fearing they had a rebellion on their hands, the leaders of these pagan hordes set up camp in the Jezreel Valley near where the Israelites lived.

Hearing about the approaching threat, Gideon asked God to show him what to do. As a result, God sent the power of His Spirit to give Gideon courage and boldness to meet the enemy head-on. Wasting no time, Gideon blew the trumpet alarm, calling for his clan, the Abiezrites, to assemble.

Once they gathered before him, Gideon addressed them with a rousing speech: “For seven years, we have cowered under the threat of the Midianites and their ruthless allies. They have preyed upon our people like locusts. The time has come for our oppression to end.”

“But how?” someone shouted.

“By turning back to God—by fearing and obeying Him, and putting the Eternal first in our lives, as our fathers did in the past. God is the reason why Israel had so much success over its enemies years ago. God will fight for us again, if we put Him first. But if you continue to bow down to Baal, Israel is doomed. Baal cannot save us. Neither can the other false gods of the land. But the Eternal can!”

With one voice, the Abiezrites agreed to follow Gideon into battle.

Gideon then sent messengers throughout Manasseh and the neighboring tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. All of the tribes responded to Gideon’s call to fight (Judg. 6:33-35).

Faith from Miracles

As Gideon and his leaders examined terrain maps and discussed battle plans, men whom he had sent out to spy on the Midianites’ camp came back with a report: “The enemy has amassed an army so large, it seems like a swarm of locusts. The Midianites and their allies are spread out as far as the eye can see,” he said (Judg. 7:12).

The report shook Gideon’s faith, and he began to have doubts. “Is God truly using me?” he wondered to himself. “I have never commanded an army before. And I come from the smallest clan in my tribe—surely God wants someone greater than me to deliver Israel. After all, who am I?”

Gideon did not yet understand that God can use anyone to lead His people—as long as the person is humble and yielded to His divine will.

When he was alone, Gideon prayed to the Eternal: “Almighty God, if You will deliver Israel through me, as You have said, then please prove this to me with a miraculous sign. I shall leave a fleece of wool on the threshing floor overnight. Tomorrow morning, if there is dew on the fleece but the ground is completely dry, then I will know that You shall use me to deliver Israel.”

God often has had to encourage His servants, who sometimes lack faith, to go forward.

The Eternal was very patient and merciful to Gideon. The next morning, Gideon discovered that the fleece was soaked with dew—in fact, he was able to wring out an entire bowl of water from it. Yet the ground had stayed dry. God had answered Gideon’s request!

Though encouraged by this miraculous sign, Gideon’s faith was still not strong enough. So he prayed to God again: “O Eternal God, please do not be angry with me. Just let me ask of You one more sign: I will leave the fleece on the threshing floor overnight again. When tomorrow morning comes, let the fleece be dry but the ground wet with dew. Then I will know that You are truly using me.”

Again, God did as Gideon requested. The next morning, Gideon anxiously awoke to find that the ground was soaked with dew while the fleece was completely dry!

Gideon was so encouraged by this second miracle that he found the faith to do what had to be done (Judg. 6:36-40).

God Fights for Israel

Since God had patiently allowed Gideon to test Him, He decided that it was time to test Gideon. He often tests His servants to discover their weaknesses and to build His holy, righteous character in them.

Though the Israelites were already outnumbered—32,000 Israelites against “swarms” of enemies, God decided to shrink the size of the army. This was done to test Gideon’s faith as well as to prove without a doubt that God was the only reason Israel would succeed.

Soon, 32,000 soldiers became 10,000. But that was still too many. Again, the army was paired down—with only 300 men remaining to fight.

Each time Gideon was asked to send more troops home, he complied—putting his faith in the Eternal rather than physical warriors.

God then spoke to Gideon: “Get ready to attack, for I have delivered the Midianites into your hands.”

Believing God would bring victory to the Israelites, Gideon knew he still had to do his part. He armed the 300 men with clay pitchers, torches and trumpets, later to be used to awaken the Midianites in frenzied confusion. Then they set out in the dark of night to claim the victory God had promised.

Gideon was able to be used by God because he had a humble attitude and did not think highly of himself.

To read more about how God can use a person with a meek and humble attitude—and what He can accomplish through them—read the entire account of Gideon’s life in Judges 6-8.