The 11th picture of Christ Gideon and his likeness to Christ. We can find glimpses of our Saviour in the lives of many of those believers we encounter in the Bible. But it reminds me of an old canvas picture that has been lying neglected for a long period and the paint has flaked, dirt and dust has besmirched it and much of its beauty has gone BUT you can still see enough of the artist's work to make out something of the original painting. When we look at the lives of those in Scripture, sadly, the failings and faults of these good men and women tend to obscure the beauty of the Lord. It's like the old painting that time and neglect and abuse had marred the original so that only a little of its first splendour can be seen. Gideon is an example. There are blemishes in his life which tend to obscure and conceal and veil the blessed likeness to Christ which God's grace had imputed to him. He, like every believer, is a "new creature," 2 Corinthians 5:17. We are made "the righteousness of God," 2 Corinthians 5:21. When we are saved we can say with Isaiah, God "hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness," Isaiah 61:10. We shall therefore bear His likeness. We can search out the record of Gideon's life and see in it pictures of the Lord Jesus. At the beginning of his story let us note: I. The circumstances that prevailed in Gideon's day. 1. The nation was in rebellion. Verse 1. 2. The nation was in bondage. Verse 2. 3. The nation was impoverished. Verses 2-6. That is the a picture of the world into which our Saviour came in order to redeem sinners.