CONTENTS
In the progress of the history of Israel, we are here presented in this Chapter, with an account of Israel ' s rebellion by sin against God, after the forty years rest which the Lord had given them, from all their enemies, from the victory of Deborah and Barak. We are here told of their ill treatment by Midian: God's message to Israel by a prophet: Gideon is raised up, for their deliverance: an angel appears to him to encourage him: the conduct of Gideon in consequence thereof.
What a sad representation doth the Holy Ghost give us in this renewed instance of Israel's sin, of poor human nature in its best characters. Reader! remember that this is God's people, God's church of whom we read. My people (saith the Lord) are bent to backsliding. Hosea 11:7. Sweet is that promise, I will heal their backsliding. Hosea 14:4. For I hope that the Reader hath not now to learn, that unless the Lord heals, there is neither balm nor physician in Gilead, Jeremiah 8:22. Reader, do not overlook the expression in this verse, that the Lord delivered Israel into the hand of Midian. For what is Midian? what are ten thousand enemies, except the Lord gives the power to scourge? Deuteronomy 32:30. Besides, this is the very tenor of the Lord's covenant, Psalms 89:30, etc.