7 Fruits of Israel: Gideon the Barley Loaf 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Deuteronomy 8: 7-8 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and date honey.” 

Barley is one of the first cultivated crops. In biblical times it was widely used animal fodder and was also considered as food for poor people. It came to symbolize God’s provision in the severity and harshness of life.  It pictures the severity and harshness of the life and death of Jesus Christ who “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:7-9). 

Barley is a picture of Jesus humbling Himself to provide for our salvation and deliverance from the severity and harshness of judgment.  We receive victory when we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and allow Him to lift us up. (James 4:10) 

Gideon was a “barley loaf”, a fearful man, who, when he had humbled himself in obedience manifested the warrior spirit that God had placed in him. For the full details of Gideon’s life, read Judges 6 and 7.  

When the Angel of Lord first spoke to Gideon, he was fearful of the Midianites. However, God did not speak to Gideon’s fear, He spoke to Gideon’s potential. (Judges 6:11-12)” Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!'' 

Gideon answered out of that he and others thought was his identity.  

(Judges 6:14-16) “Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?''  

So Gideon said to the Angel of th Lord, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.'' And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.''

 

In humble obedience to the Lord, Gideon--  

• tore down the throne of Baal 

• led a victorious army of only 300 men 

• overheard a Midianite relate a dream in which a barley loaf brought down the Midianite army. The Midianite interpreted the dream to mean that the sword of Gideon would defeat them. 

•was victorious in using God’s plan of arming the soldiers with trumpets and lighted torches inside pitchers. 

The battle cry of the day was “the sword of the Lord and Gideon. 

Gideon, the barley loaf, humbled himself and the Lord exalted him. 

1 Corinthians 1: 27:  “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” 

 7 Fruits of Israel: Barley 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

Deuteronomy 8: 7-8 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and date honey.” 

These seven fruits make up the Bikkurim, the first fruits offered in thanksgiving to the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem during the Appointed Times of the Lord: Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot) and Tabernacles (Sukkoth).  

The first of the Bikkurim was offered on the First Fruit of the Passover season. This Feast of First Fruits came 3 days into the Feast of Unleavened Bread which followed the day of Passover.  Jesus died on Passover and rose on the Feast of First Fruits. 1Corinthians 15: 20. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”   

The offering at that time included the first fruits of the barley harvest. Barley is one of the first cultivated crops. It was widely used as animal fodder and was also considered as food for poor people. It came to symbolize God’s provision in the severity and harshness of life. It pictures the severity and harshness of the life and death of Jesus Christ who “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:7-9). 

Barley is a picture of Jesus humbling Himself to provide for our salvation and deliverance from the severity and harshness of judgment. We receive victory when we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and allow Him to lift us up. (James 4:10)