| Preface | 2 | |
| Table of Contents | 3 | |
| References | 5 | |
| Reprint Guidelines | 7 | |
| Introduction to Gideon and the Period of the Judges | 8 | |
| Cycles of Prosperity and Oppression | 8 | |
| Political Structure | 9 | |
| Judges | 9 | |
| Religious Situation | 11 | |
| The Purpose of Judges | 11 | |
| Author and Date of Judges | 11 | |
| 1. The Lord Is With You, Mighty Warrior (Judges 6:1-32) | 13 | |
| The Scourge of the Midianite Hordes (6:1-5) | 13 | |
| Prophet Explains the Oppression (6:6-10) | 14 | |
| An Angel Appears to Gideon (6:11) | 15 | |
| Mighty Warrior (6:12-13) | 16 | |
| Gideon's Call to Be a Deliverer (6:14-16) | 16 | |
| Gideon's Hospitality -- and Sacrifice (6:17-21) | 17 | |
| Building an Altar (6:22-24) | 18 | |
| Worship of Baal and Ashtoreth | 18 | |
| Gideon's First Assignment (6:25-27) | 18 | |
| Gideon's Father Defends Him (6:28-32) | 20 | |
| Lessons for Disciples | 21 | |
| 2. Gideon's Incredible Shrinking Army (Judges 6:33-7:15a) | 23 | |
| Gideon Summons the Tribes to War (6:33-35) | 23 | |
| Putting a Fleece before the Lord (6:36-39) | 24 | |
| Gideon's Army Encamps (7:1) | 26 | |
| Too Big an Army to Give God Glory (7:2-3) | 26 | |
| Still Too Many (7:4) | 27 | |
| Separate the Lappers for Battle (7:5-6) | 29 | |
| Nearly 10,000 Lappers Sent Home (7:7-8) | 30 | |
| With 300 I Will Deliver You (7:7) | 30 | |
| The Lord Encourages Gideon (7:8b-12) | 30 | |
| The Enemy's Barley Bread Dream (7:13-15a) | 31 | |
| Lessons for Disciples | 32 | |
| 3. The Sword of the Lord (Judges 7:15-8:21) | 34 | |
| 300 Men, Trumpets, Jars and Torches (7:15-20) | 34 | |
| A Rout of the Midianite Army (7:21-23) | 35 | |
| Calling upon Ephraim for Assistance (7:24-25) | 36 | |
| Dispute with the Ephraimites (8:1-3) | 37 | |
| Allies Refuse Aid (8:4-9) | 38 | |
| Capturing Zebah and Zalmunna, Kings of Midian (8:10-12) | 39 | |
| Punishing the Uncooperative Allies (8:13-17) | 40 | |
| Slaying Zebah and Zalmunna (8:18-21) | 40 | |
| Lessons for Disciples | 41 | |
| 4. Gideon's Tragic Mistake (Judges 8:22-35) | 43 | |
| The Lord Will Rule over You (8:22-23) | 43 | |
| Gideon the Savior (8:22-23) | 43 | |
| Gideon Refuses the Kingship (8:22-23) | 44 | |
| Suzerain-Vassal Treaty | 44 | |
| The Tabernacle Throneroom | 45 | |
| Gideon's Share of the Spoils (8:24-26) | 46 | |
| Gideon's Ephod (8:27) | 46 | |
| Spiritual Unfaithfulness (8:27) | 47 | |
| Spiritual Snares that Divert our Focus | 48 | |
| 40 Years of Peace (8:28-31) | 49 | |
| Return to Baal Worship (8:33-35) | 50 | |
| Lessons from Gideon's Later Years | 50 | |
| Appendix 1. Canaanite Religions and Baal Worship | 52 | |
| Baal and Ashtoreth | 53 | |
| Cult Prostitution | 53 | |
| Monotheism | 53 | |
| Idolatry | 54 | |
| Detestable | 55 | |
| Summary | 56 | |
| Appendix 2. Weapons in the Late Bronze Age | 57 | |
| Appendix 3. Handouts for Group Participants | 60 | |