Judges, Chapter 6, verses 11-24
11 An angel sendeth Gideon for their deliverance, 17 Gideon's present is consumed with fireMatthew, Chapter 19, verses 23-30
23 telleth his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, 27 and promiseth reward to those that forsake any thing to follow him19
19:24 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, (a proverbial expression,) than for a rich man to go throughthe strait gate: that is, humanly speaking, it is an absolute impossibility. Rich man! tremble! feel this impossibility; else thou art lost for ever!
19:25 His disciples were amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? - If rich men, with all their advantages, cannot? Who? A poor man; a peasant; a beggar: ten thousand of them, sooner than one that is rich.
19:26 Jesus looking upon them - To compose their hurried spirits.O what a speaking look was there! Said to them - With the utmost sweetness: With men this is impossible - It is observable, he does not retract what he had said: no, nor soften it in the least degree, but rather strengthens it, by representing the salvation of a rich man as the utmost effort of Omnipotence.
19:28 In the renovation - In the final renovation of all things: Ye shall sit - In the beginning of the judgment they shall stand, Co2 5:10.Then being absolved, they shall sit with the Judge, Co1 6:2: On twelve thrones - So our Lord promised, without expressing anycondition: yet as absolute as the words are, it is certain there is a condition implied, as in many scriptures, where none is expressed. In consequence of this, those twelve did not sit on those twelve thrones: for the throne of Judas another took, so that he never sat thereon.
19:29 And every one - In every age and country; not you my apostles only; That hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or wife, or children - Either by giving any of them up, when they could not be retained with a clear conscience or by willingly refraining from acquiring them: Shall receive a hundred - fold - In value, though not in kind, even in the present world.
19:30 But many first - Many of those who were first called, shall be last - Shall have the lowest reward: those who came after them being preferred before them: and yet possibly both the first and the last may be saved, though with different degrees of glory. Mat 20:16; Mar 10:31; Luk 13:30.
6 The calamities of Israel by the Midianites, Jdg 6:1-6.
The message God sent them by a prophet, Jdg 6:7-10.
God's commission to Gideon, confirmed by a sign, Jdg 6:11-24.
He breaks down the altar of Baal, Jdg 6:25-32.
The preparation for war, and encouragement by another sign, Jdg 6:33-40.
6:11 In Ophrah - In Manasseh: there was another Ophrah in Benjamin, Jos 18:23.The Abi - ezrite - Of the posterity of Abiezer.Threshed - Not with oxen, as the manner was, Deu 25:4, but with a staff to prevent discovery. Wine - press - In the place where the wine - press stood, not in the common floor.
6:12 Is with thee - That is, will assist thee against thine enemies.Man of valour - To whom I have given strength and courage for this end.
6:13 With us - The angel had said, Peace be with Thee: but he expostulates for All: herding himself with all Israel, and admitting no comfort, but what they might be sharers in.
6:14 Looked - With a settled and pleasant countenance, as a testimony of his favour, and readiness to help him. Go - Or, go now, in thy might: in the strength which thou hast already received, and dost now farther receive from me. Have not I sent thee - I do hereby give thee command and commission for this work. God's fitting men for his work, is a sure evidence of his calling them to it.
6:15 My family - Heb. my thousand: for the tribes were distributed into several thousands, whereof each thousand had his peculiar governor.Is poor - That is, weak and contemptible. The least - Either for age, or fitness for so great a work.
6:16 As one man - As easily, as if they were all but one man.
6:17 That thou - That it is thou, an angel or messenger sent from God, that appears to me, and discourseth with me. Or, a sign of that which thou talkest with me; that is, that thou wilt by me smite the Midianites.
6:18 My present - A repast for the angel, whom he thought to be a man.Set it - That thou mayest eat and refresh thyself.
6:19 An ephah - The choicest part of a whole ephah; as also he brought to him the best part of a kid dressed; for a whole ephah, and a whole kid had been superfluous, and improper to provide for one man.
6:21 Consumed the flesh - By which, he shewed himself to be no man that needed such provisions, but the Son of God; and by this instance of his omnipotency, gave him assurance, that he both could, and would consume the Midianites.
6:22 Alas - I am an undone man: I must die, and that speedily; for that he feared, ver. Jdg 6:23, according to the common opinion in that case.
6:23 Said unto him - Perhaps by an audible voice. Peace be to thee - Thou shalt receive no hurt by this vision; but only peace, that is, all the blessings needful for thy own happiness, and for the present work.
6:24 There - On the top of the rock, as is evident from ver. Jdg 6:26, where that which is here expressed only in general, is more particularly described. Jehovah - shalom - That is, the Lord's peace; the sign or witness of God's speaking peace to me, and to his people: or the place where he spake peace to me, when I expected nothing but destruction.