The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-12-06
GIDEON'S ARMY.

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! reeoN Y eo,,aru QUARTER. M
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iEnNAi iON\I SeHi6o, ScO. -
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@s verses - S-Soioen IsA'' ]s0n- W.
documentary by Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
rn,;ss;o, iion g lesson unTIppen nsSnhiS
Publsherl
The summary of the history of Israel un-
der the Judges for $50 wears. as given in our
last lesson, was that they forsook the Lord
and served idsls. then their enemies op-
pressed them. then they cried unto the Lord
in their distre 3 and He raised up Judges who
delivered them. the Lord being with the
nudge: after the iudge's death they sinned
again, were again oppressed, cried, were
again delivered, and thus they lived, SHINING
and repenEing. The book of Judges opens up
to us this history and tells US who the oppres-
sors were.and who the deliverers were whom
God raised UP; the manner and duration Of
the various expressions, and the manner of
tho delivGrance, with the number of years
they rested Up to tho present lesson the
oppressors were the kings of Mesopotamia,
Moab. ald Canaan for periods of eight, eigh-
teen and twenty wears; the deliverers were
AtLraieI Ehud and Shanrsr. Deborah and
Barsk, and the wears Of rest were forty
eighty and forty years respectively After
.ke rule of Deborah and Barak the
peyt onnrossorc ,yare tha Midia,itas who
for seven wears had cruelty oppressed Israel
whe,, God called Gideon to- be their deliverer.
The record of his call and the appearance of
tho Lord to him is found in the preyious
chauter. where we learn that the secret of
his success as q saviour and Judge of mis- peo.
ple was in tl.se words of the Lord to him
ssGo in this tiU might. have not I se,t theo:
surely win bo with theeI wi, l4-l@, which
ia just thoSecres of the lifb of every true be-
lever today, Being encouraged by God be
ovsrthrs,y his fasher's altar to Baal and
bailt am altar unto the Lord and offered sac
rifice; the spirit of the Lord came upon
him, be blew trumpet, sent out messengers
and g .thered n army of $4,000 men. 10.
days lesson tells US of the sitting of that
army down to 800 men. with whom God
wror sht Israsrs deliverance.
l. .!Jerubbaal. who is Gideon.n Gideon
sicI ,i!ed a ..feller or b,uiser.n and is a TYNE
of, the Lord Jesus, the great deliverer and
ju lge who came to destroy the works OF
tie devil and who will bruise Satan under
our feet shortly. He was the Youngest of q
poor family in the tribe Of Manasseh wi, 15),
but the spirit of the Lord qualified him for
therwork to which he was called and made
hin,s a sA,ccessfui leader of men God chooses
the foolish and the weak to confound the
WISE and mighty that no flesh may glory in
his presence. Il Cor. 1, 26-3l)
Jerubbaal signifies "a contender with
Baal," and Gideon was SO called by his father
after he had overthrown the altar Of Baal
| wi. 81, 81; If any one will be filed with the
spirit and used Of God they must first be
willing to overthrow all the idols Of pride
| and self and let the Lord alone possess and
control them. Baal signifies "lord," and al
the other lords must be set aside that Jesu
may reign supreme.
3. "The Lord said unto Gideon" Did you
heart ever say: "Oh, II could only hear tht
| Lord speak to me would be strong and O.
good courage" Well, be sure Of this, tina,
| jus. as truly as the Lord spoke to Gideon, 81,
| is speaking to you today in His word; ane
| until you are sure Of this the Bible will neve,
be O very precious book to you. "The peopl
are too many. lest Israel vauu
! themselves against Me-" A small COMPANY
| surely, when compared with the great hos
Of Midiau. and yet God says they are to,
| many. Numbers arc not to God what the,
are to as. and until We can see the unsees
| Almighty One rathe than the seen nultitud
who ere only flesh we shall not be-valiant to
| God
| 8. "Whosoever IL fearful and afraid. le
| him return This waa In accordance Wit
the Iav, and the roasou was, lest they shul,
| make others to be fearful and faint hearted
| Deut xx.S) A fearful or discouraged per
son Is not ono whom the Lord can use: there
fore He 50 often exhorts His people 70 aB
stron. and courageous Deut xxi. 8. =. 2s
| Josh. [ O. o. Is: Z. rs: xxiii. g: Ps. txvif II
xxi, "a, and riany others, There is on
text which, it seems to me, ought to cure al
discouraged workers for Christ. and ID /
| this: HE shall not fail nor DO discourage.
till He have set Judgment in the earth"
f. "The people arc yet too many; brip
| them down unto tho water, and will tr
them for thee there" If $1,000 was com
pnratively small army with which to con
tend with Midian, what shall we think O
| only 10000; and what must Gideon hav
thought when tho Lord said to him, 9Th
| neonle nre vet too manvr, The nroces, n
| ,ro.r,,,;,.. 49,, ,,,, ov,,.-o,. .+..,,.L q
. "e ~ ou aPaion' o1ensen ~
ser'lco ID uo' On unc'nalnon QUO, oub tn
LorUknows WhSf he Is doing, and dc mus
have well tried material; faith says, "Eve
so, Father" and<yields and obeys, althoug
il seems moro and more like canrtinp mite
foi,une (,idaon ,,irh, have snid ..Iord ,
~, ss,,d ,,,o LEI 1aSa tha1 N onn .
YOU sonu 'no 20. ie0s 'n"n toIooo Ianu0
go, Iu ~ "auo oe sneer naoness' Uuo .
evidently mad no such thoughts; he was nc
managing this business and he had pcrfee
confidence in the Lord
NJ "By the three hundred men that lar
NO., ,,;,, ~ou rorn III 1n 600 - -
~ W ~ lug to,ouo ~er ~
orousne ooF'n 70 tne water 70 ofinR' Wv
kpelt Uowu TO drlnk, while'Hhe other ~
lifted tho water 70 theA mouths With thei
hands, and that simple test decided 3sh
.,on,d go Wh,+x a it'll. tb;,r ,nd ,.,,,r
5000 80. e. .. -. ,rs,, sno,,'a ,,. a.'u - r
"o' 'a.Io 4. ~, NY SnoS-. uU' sAuie
Lnoei dowA ana Jake a Good drunk, ana Vhi
virtuo was thcro IN iaHoing it like dos'
was simply matteY Of self indulgence {
qualification I'M very innocent aud harmlc;
thing. but it was at q. very e1.itica; time. n
thrro u,ndret, ..eroed to feel the imror.,n,
,.o,l h1,to,,, ,Io,,. ~ ,,,,,.t II -
, VI 'no WI OSioao '"e'a Q" inuon, ailu .te
hearts were SO see on tho conqueso OF ehe
!: =; 3 :ss a.; s::s