“And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.” Judges 7:25
As we are in the middle of life we tend to think we will never forget what we are going through. The problem is we do and the things we should remember, we forget. Gideon is in the midst of a battle. God has defeated the great Midianite army with 300 Hebrew volunteers. Now they are chasing the few remaining enemy soldiers who are alive and have fled from the valley of Megiddo. To do that he calls on the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh and Ephraim.
As they track the fleeing enemy, the tribes of Israel come upon a real prize.
The Ephraimites successfully mobilize and capture two princes of Midian – Oreb and Zeeb, though the rest of the Midianite leadership manage to slip across the river. Oreb means raven and Zeeb means wolf. Both names are Arabic. One author suggests the names of animals are used to show the desire od the person to be fierce or warlike to their enemies as animal which the person chose. These leaders surely had acted that way. They led their army to harass and pillage the Israelites for seven years. Now these princes are found and are decapitated by the Ephraimhites and their heads are brought to Gideon across the Jordan.
The places where these princes were executed is now commemorated as the rock of Oreb and the winepress of Zeeb. (God called Gideon to deliver Israel while he was hiding in a winepress. After Gideon obeyed and followed God, now we find the enemy of Israel hiding in a winepress as God led the nation of Israel to defeat them. This execution of these two princes is a great victory for Israel. It is a memorial of God’s faithfulness.
He heard Israel when they cried out to Him and he delivered them from an enemy larger and mightier than they. This victory is to be
remembered by the nation. In Psalm 83, Asaph cries out for God’s help in defeating a large coalition of nations who are ready to attack Israel. He sees God’s people are outnumbered by many enemies – there is no way they can be victorious. “For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You.” In his prayer, Asaph recalls the greatness of what God did here against the Midianites and those who led them. “Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb” (Psalm 83:11). Some of you may face this kind of situation, Cry out to God like Asaph.
God reminds Israel of this victory again in Isaiah 10. The mighty and fierce Assyrian tormented and attacked God’s people. God tells the people of Jerusalem not to fear the Assyrians (Isaiah 10:24). He assures them He will give His people the victory just as he had against Midian. “The Lord Almighty will lash them with a whip, as when he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb” (Isaiah 10:26). Like the Midianites the The Assyrians, flaunted their great might and boasted incessantly of their superiority. Isaiah cried out to God that Israel would remember as the Assyrians attacked them that God did not need great numbers to defeat an enemy. Israel only need trust in the Lord and remember what He did at the rock of Oreb. Don’t forget the power of God shown her. Not by our might but by God alone is the victory won.
What can we learn? Christians face a world that is increasingly hostile to them. If God wills, we can expect persecution to increase. We must remember the greatness of our God, just as Israel needed to remember. Our God defeats mighty nations with fierce and cruel rulers. We must remember that God heard his people when they cried out to Him and He delivered them in a way that brings glory to Him. We may be fearful and we may be hiding in winepresses but if we hear God and obey and follow Him we can be assured He will
act and give the the victory. We must be sure to give Him the glory.
The story of Oreb and Zeeb also serves as a warning to every nation who despises and attacks God and His chosen people. (This includes the USA today!) Lawlessness and persecution will increase but the God who defeated the Midianites with 300 is still on the throne and still hears our cries.