Midianites, Amalekites and Children of the East Gathering - Judges 6:33

In the book of Judges we learned how Jehovah God told Gideon, “Take your father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the grove that is by it. And build an altar unto the LORD your God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which you shall cut down. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die: because he has cast down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will you plead for Baal? will you save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one has cast down his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he has thrown down his altar”, and in chapter six and verse thirty-three of Judges, we learn how,“all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together”where we read,

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

The verse reads, “Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, …” The writer began with the words, “then all the Midianites” which means “at that time each, the whole and everyone of the Midianites or Midian whose name means ‘strife’ was the son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians”, “and the Amalekites” whose name means “dweller in a valley and was the son of Eliphaz by his concubine Timnah, grandson of Esau, and progenitor of a tribe of people in southern Canaan” “and the children of the east” which means “and the offspring and progeny belonging to people in the eastern direction” “were gathered together” or “assembled and were collected with one another” to do the following. The writer shared how everyone of the “Midianites, Amalekites and offspring of the people in the eastern direction” were assembled  with one another. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.” The writer continued with the words, “and went over” which means “and passed, carried, marched and crossed”, “and pitched in the valley of Jezreel” or “and lay siege and encamped within the vale, lowland or open country belonging to Jezreel whose name means ‘God sows’ and was a descendant of the father or founder of Etam of Judah”. The writer shared how the “Midianites, Amalekites and offspring of the people in the eastern direction” set up their camp for war within the open country belonging to “Jezreel”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how the “Midianites, Amalekites and offspring of the people in the eastern direction” began to act by setting up their war camp in the lowland belonging to “Jezreel”. A time of battle against Israel was on their minds once again, and little did they know, God was setting up His camp against them as well. God knows we have foes against us who desire to keep us from a personal relationship with Him, but He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and to be raised from the dead after three days. When we surrender our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and to assure us that He is able to rise up against all those who are opposed to Him and us. (See Isaiah 54:15-17; Romans 8:37)

Next time we learn how, “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".