Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-15
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. O. SHERBJRN.


Aug 26tH tiueons hrHly-JuuSes 'i-o'
Some two hundred years have now
passed since the death of Joshua. They
have been years bringing little credit te
the chosen people of God. Again and
again they have fallen into the wicked
practices of their idolatrous neighbors. In
times of their extreme degradation. when
the exactions of their enemies became
uncomfortable, they had for brief periods
returned unto the Lord. These periods
however, hardly lasted longer than during
the rule of some delivering judge, to whom
the people became obedient for season.
AT the time with which this lesson has
to do, the Israelites were passing through
one of the severest expressions they ever
experienced. For seven years. on account
of their sins, they had been given over to
the hands of the Midionites. This tribe
descended from Abraham by his second
wife Keturah, had their possessions both
on the east and west of Jordan. They
were connected with the Arab tribes
sprung from Ishmael. Their modes of
attack, and habits Of life are quite the
same rs those of the present desert tribes
The vi of Judge, gives us a picture ol
the dcsolation which came to the land or
account of their devastatons. When the
people had, by patient toll, secured croE
from the soil, and gathered some hocks
and herds from the scattered stock Of the
previous years plunder, then the hordes
from the desert would sweep through the
land and leave only desolate waste
behind them. We get a glimpse of the
precarious state of life and property by
considering the circumstances in which
we get our first introduction to Gideon
He was threshing wheat in vine vat. SO
that his proceedings might not be noticed
by the keen eyed sons of the desert. BY
such means he hoped.to secure little for
the needs of his fathers household. Under
such surroundings the angel of the Lord
found him and gave him commission as
the deliverer of his people. After some
doubt and questioning Gideon accepts his
divinely imposed work, and. by bold
attack upon the idol worship of his family,
he gains the name by which he is called in
the first verse of this lesson His earlier
name, Gideon, the newer, gave place to
the name suggested by his first exploit in
delivering Israel. He. in The night time,
cut down the grove where the family wor-
shipped Baal, tore down tho altar and
builded one to the Lord and offered there
one of the few bullocks of their herd to
the Lord God. In the morning inquiry
was made us to who had done such II deed
and it was said Gideon, the son of Joasb.
Then the demand was at once made that
this sacreligions son should be brought
forth before the people for punishment
His father answered "will ye plead fol
Baal?" "Let Baal plead, d,-Jerubbaal.
So much for the man, who is the hero o.
our lesson, and for the times in which be
lived. He has now assumed leadership ol
the people. and with an army OF thirty
two thousand men is face to face with 8
host of the Midianites, who have covered
the country "like grasshoppers. The
Midanites were never great warriors, i
G., outside of their own peculiar modes o.
desert warfare, a kind of strike and rur
method. 1t is likely that an army O.
tbirtv-two thousand, under prudent ane
courageous leader could easily turn thi:
great host to flight. Hence the danger
that the people might forget that it was
God who had delivered them and say
"mine own hand hath saved me.''
So Gideon was commanded TO sent
away all such as were timid or fearful
and under this command more than two
thirds ,f the whole army turned backward
to their homes. Great as was this reduc
ton God still declares that the number i!
too great, and another test is proposed b.
which seventeen hundred more leave then
leader, and he finds himself in the face o
80 great an army with only three hundred
men. A great deal of ingenuity has beer
expended in the effort to explain ant
understand tho last test applied. Som'
have said that the dipping of waite
in the palm and tapping it with th'
tongue indicated q certain cautious spiri
which was much needed at this time
These men would not throw themselve
upon their knees and drink lest the enem.
make sudden descent upon them. Others
with Josephus, understand the matter jus
in an opposite manner. They say tina
tapping thus from the hand signified con
sternaton, and q departure from wha
was natural, through cowardice. There
fore, say they, Gods hand is more clearl
seen because Ly three hundred of the mos
timid he wrought deliverance. Neithe
explanation is more satisfactory than t
consider the test simply an arbitrary on
by which to reduce the forces unde
Gideon. The result is well known TO a
Bible readers, and the history OF event
has ever been strong incentive to trus
in this history. One is that large number
if they are timid and faithless, is OF n
advantage in the work of God. For tn
real purposes of aggressive work most
our modern churches might be reduced b
two thirds, Gideon's army was, and yet b
able to accomplish all that they are nov
bringing to pass. Another lesson is this
the number and strength OF our enemies
nothing when God undertakes for III
Satan would make every ono of us bellev
that we are hopelessly in his power, bt
the voice of God declares mo man sha
be able to pluck them out of my Father
hand" and "Who is he that shall hari
you if We be followers of that which
goodP'
When Scotcbman answers a questio
he settles tho matter in dispute once ft
all. On certain occasion the questio
was asked: "Why was Mary Queen