The National tribune., 1888-11-29
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by a Study Of The Iate
national Sunday -sehool lesson Appointed f
Dec. 8. Judges, 7:1-S.

Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above
SUBJECT: THE VICTORY OF THE THREE-HUN
DRIED UNDER GIDEON OVER TIE INDIAN
TIES.
l. Tine
The Exodus took place in the year 2513 A. N.
Let US suppose with Josephus that Joshua was
then DO years old. He lived to be ITO years
Old Josh. %: 49, Therefore his death oc-
CURED % years after the Exodus began. He
hence died in the year 257S A. VI. Add 80
years for the succeeding generation q: l01
also, eight years during which Israel was sub
ject to the King of Mesopotamia 3 81 Also
10 years, OthniePs reign q III ; also. 10 years
of service to Eglon g.: also, SO years un-
der Ehud and Shamgar g: so; also 20 years
ofservitude to Jabin "a 81 also 40 years ofTest,
Barak aud Deborah controlling the govern
ment (5:1 49,; also, seven years OF subsection to
the Midianites ,6;1); and we have 282l, the
year A. M. when our lessons opens or 1888
b. O. The above chronology supposes the
events of chapters to 6 happened success
siYely and not contemporaneOnsly But many
students think that in some instances different
judges mentioned acted simultaneously. By
this plan the date is fixed by many, A. III.
1855, or B. G. 1919.
g Places
We are interested in the scene Of the battle
The following places are named a. The well
of Harod. Harod means trepdation. 1t may
have been given to the spot Gu account of the
fear stirred up among the Midiautes when
routed by Gideon. Or more likely the refer
ence is to the fear of the p, 600 Israelites who
had apprehensions Of danger in the impending
battle. ". g. The we'll was probably on the
north side of Mt Gilboa. b. There were two
elevations, Gilboa to the south and MOreh to
the north. The valley of JeZrecl lay between.
"a = A. IL i IL
Little Hermon. The Midianites occupied the
south side of the northern HILL with lines quite
down to the valley. The Israelites camped on
the north side of the southern hill. C. Mt.
Gllead is mentioned in Y. 8. Students are not
clear in their understanding of the location.
1t is we'll known that the Mt. Gilead is east of
the Jordan. Some think there was also a Mt.
Gilead on the west side in the vicinity of Mt.
Gilboa. Scott, Patrick and Henry so teach.
Drs Hale A. Clarke and Bush hold that the
eastern Mt. Gilead is meant
The well was probably spring The modern
name is den DiaiWd Little Hermon is called
by the Arabs Jebeled Duhy. Stanley identified
the spring, finding it the largest spring at the
foot on the north side of Mt Gilb0a.
good view held as to Mt. Gilead is that the
name does not point to a mountain, but to
proyerb growing out of many conflicts in the
vicinity of the Mt Gilead on the east side and
giving rise to the use of the word Gilead to
indicate any spot of special conflict and danger.
Says Ewald:
From the unusual words, It is easy to perceive
that they contain an ancient proverb, which in its
literal sense would be especially appropriate to the
tribe OF Manasseh. Mt Giiead the place of Jacobs
severest struggles, Gen, 81, etc., may very
well, from patriarchal times, have become pro-
verbal equivalent for scene of conflict, which Is
manifestly all that the name here means. And
Mauasseh was the very THE which had often found
That Tor them also Gliead was place OF battle"
8. Gideon.
The leader of the Israelites was Gideon. He
belonged to a famous family. Dean Stanley
said, They were q magnificent family-eyery
one of them like prince" The word Gideon
means a newer of wood or a wood-chopper
Then, since warrior is one who cuts down the
enemy, it was fit Gideon be so named. He was
an impetuous soldier. In 6: IL he is styled a
mighty man of valor." he was the youngest
son OF Joash of the tribe of Manasseh. His
father was called an Abiezrite to show he de-
scended from Abiezer, who was son or grand
son of Manasseh. Gideon was natural leader.
He was loyal to Judaism and patriotic to his
country. He was so opposed to Baal as to be
named Jerubbaal, which means an opponent to
Baal. (6:32.) Notice how he dealt With Baal.
70: 25-32l He livedat ophrah. rs: 10
A. Midiaaites.
The foes met by Gideon were Midianites.
| They lived east of the Jordan. They were ex-
ceedingly numerous and very bold. Attack
ing country, they seized on property and
cattle and devastated the land. They were as
grasshoppers in number. (6:5; 7:I2.) There
were $4,000 Midanite soldiers arrayed against
the Israelites. (S:10.) Gods people had been
reduced to great straits. Many we're forced
from fear to Live in dens, caves and strong
holds. (6:2.) This was too much for the brave
Gideon to endure. Naturally bold he was yet
more REINFORCED by the descent of the Holy
Spirit urging him TO action.
s. Gide0a's Army.
Gideon on fire for his country went to re-
| cruiting forces from his own and neighboring
| tribes. (6:35) He thus secured au army of
| 81, 600 men. (7:3) None, some say, came from
the east of the Jordan. Ephraim complained
| because not invited. ISL.
| God resolved to reduce the number, lest a
victory given might be attributed wholly to
human strength, and this he spprehended even
| while the forces of the Midianites were 1885,
| 600 to 320 900 Israelites. With such compara-
| tive numbers one IsFaelite would be equal to
| four to five Midianites. God therefore direct
| ed Gideon to allow any of his soldiers who pre-
| ferred so to do to return to their homes it be-
| ing understood they were afraid of the issue
| of the coming battle. Having volunteered, it
is curious so many, $4,000, left the ranks, for
! saking their comrades only 10000 strong
! against $4,000 enemies. Such soldiers as the
| 1000 would be the very first to attribute a
| victory to themselves had they been favored
! with success in battle. What a humiliating
view we get of human nature. The $4,000
were probably glad to escape when they knew
| the Midianitish forces so greatly outnumbered
| them. Gideon probably thought his army too
| small in number when it was 81, GOO. What
now when he saw it reduced to 100002 a
| coward on the battlefield is demoralzng. 1t
was well to get rid of the 1000. Gods great
! object in securing victory to the Israelites was
| to call their minds out toward himself: there
| fore he wanted the secret of success to be po-
| tently, uuquestionably due to him, so that the
| Israelites would thereafter follow him exclu-
| svely. 1t is we'll in a great emergency that
| every man be brave Epaminondas knew this
fact, and, So in his fight against the Spartans
at Leuctra, noticing some of his soldiers were
weakening in courage, he issued this procla-
nation: Whoever of the BGotians wish to
| withdraw are at liberty to do So"
Ten thousand are too many and hence God
arranges for reduction. Opportunity was
! given to the 10000 to go TO the spring
| (Harod, V. L. for drink. They had no cups
1t was arranged that such as leisurely knelt at
the bank, putting their faces into the stream
and drawing the water into their mouths
should be excused, while such as quickly
dipped the water into the palm of the hand
| and cast it into their mouths, as a dog does
| with its tongue, should be chosen for the battle
The test was made, and it was found that 300
i 4 =, l.