Judges 8:4-35

v4-17: Exhausted but still in pursuit is a good description what the Christian life is often like. It often hard to keep going in obedience to God's Word, resisting temptation, putting sin to death, but with the help of the Lord we must keep going.

v18-21: "The destruction of these two kings" has been used as a precedent for pleading in prayer for the defeat "of other enemies of the church."

v22-28: After Gideon defeated the Midianites, the Israelites wanted him to be king. "They thought it very reasonable that the one who had gone through all arduous and dangerous work of rescuing them should enjoy the honour and power of commanding them forever after." But Gideon knew this was not right. However it is right that the Lord Jesus, who "has rescued us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies, who are the worst and most dangerous enemies," should rule over us. Is there anyone better to rule over us than the "One who has such great privileges in heaven and such great compassion for this earth?"

v29-35: The people of Israel forgot "both judgments and mercies, and the effects of those acts of God" were lost. Sadly we are just as prone to forget. We forget that the Lord has rescued us. We forget how unpleasant it was when He disciplined us because of our sin.