The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-12-08
GiOEON'S ARMY.
IAtsrrstis.al Sunday School Lssssa -
Dscs nbsr ., 1SsS.
Especially arranged from s. S. Quarterly
7 InI1 Il


--Zcch. 40.
CENTRAL TRurH-God can give the vic
tory 10 the fewest numbers and the ieeb!est
instrumentalities.
TMn-About b. c. 1909. Two hundred
years after our last lesson. Gideon WAS
/ Judge from b. c. le9-llS2.
! PLACE-Gideon's home was in Ophrah, in
Manasseh The battle was fought IN tho
valley at the foot of Mt. Gilboa, fifteen or
twenty miles southwest OF the sea OF Gal
lice.
/ GIDEON (fellcr Of tree) was son OF Joash
the Abe2rIte a. e, descendant OF Ablezer).
He was born AT Ophrah, IN the tribe OF Man
/ assch, about l260 wears before Christ lie
Judged Israel for forty years (Judg S'2S),
and the nation enjoyed peace and prosperity
under ms rule, and worshiped the true
God He WAS one Of the greatest OF the
judges.
Tas MIDIAsIrHs Descendants OF Abra-
ham through the fourth son OF his wife
Kcturah They lived east Of the Jordan on
the Dead Sea.
( INTERVENING EvHNTs-l. The oppression
of Chushan- Rishathaim during the last days
Of Joshua. eight years. BIC, l435-l427.
2. LIST Judge, Othuiel, forty years. BIC.
l427.l3s7.
s. Oppression by Moabites, eighteen years.
B. g. l3S7-l3jo.
! 4 Deivcrancc by Ehud, Cd Judge, rest
for eighty years. Be l369l2S9.
/ 5. Sd Judge, Shamgar.
d. Oppression by Jabin and Slsera, twenty
years. b G. l2S0-l269
z. Delverancc by Deborah and Barak,
4th Judge, rest for forty years. BIC. l2o9-
1920
Oppression by Midianitcs, seven years.
BIC. 1929 l22?.
Q. Dciverancc by Gideon, 9Th Judge, and
rest for forty years BIC. l2?2llS3.
INTRupUCTIoN-Two hundred years have
passed since the death Of Joshua. The
Northern tribes have now been suffering for
seven years under the depredatons of the
Midanites, who have carried away their
cattle and destroyed their harvests. To-
days lesson gives an account of the dellv-
erance God sent them when they repented.
Hairs OVER HARD PLACEs-l. Je'tibbddl'
ie., one who contends against Baal, Gideon
was so named from his casting down Baaps
altar (See Judg 6;2432.D Herod AorclE
fountain and hill in the valley OF Jez-
reel, at the base of Mt. Gilb0a g. Whaso-
o.sw diresd at the sight Of tho malt
tude Of the Midianites 5. Loppc.h. brought
stopping in his march, showing sArnsstness
and activity and prudence, ~ not pattins
himself in the power of the enemy by lying
down. & 1r>ssv,ts: each Of tho three hun
dred had 4 torch, which he hid in . pitcher
a. . dark lantern, ard q trumpet which was
usually in the hands only Of leaders. so
that there seemed to bo throe hundred
chieftains. Ths blarc Of the trumpets and
the crash Of pitchers confused the INDIAN
ties. (See the rest OF the chapter)
. CoMaRNTs-Two hundred years is long
time; yet from the death OF Joshua 70 the
events OF this lesson, two centuries had
stretched their length During this time
God had more than once called the nation
back to its allegiance TO Him, and delivered
them from their enemies. But they had
again lapsed INTO doatry, and IN consc-
quence had been oppressed solely by the
Midianites and Amaleltitcs from the east OF
Jordan. Then Judges go they cried unto
the Lord, and He graciously raised up Gid
con to be their delverer. After his call by
God Gideon gathered his army Of only thIr-
ty-tWo thousand men. AT last Gideon had
only beggarly army of three hundred men
left God encouraged Gideon's faith by
sending him down by night stealthiiy into
the camp Of INDIAN, where he overheard
one of the MdianiteS telling his coHrade
dream typ icai Of the overthrow Of the host
of indian by a very small force Of Sssall'
ants. Encouraged by TIN. experience, Gid
con returned TO his small army and cheered
them for the fray. He divided his army
into three companies, and, making md
night assault, overtarsw Me hosts of INDIAN
IN spite OF their overwhelming numbers.
/ This proves 10 US, over aAd over again,
tho power OF faith in God. II is com.
mentary on the verse: This is the victory
that overcsneth the world, even our faith. "
1t wa, . Lesson learned by Israel with
great dif1culty and easily forgotten Tbs
church OF Jesus Christ has had the same
experience from that day to this. she has
too often wanted TO walk by sight. She
was not ready TO march against the foe,
unless shs had her full ranks Of at least
thirty-two thousand men TO rely upon. So,
too, with individual disciples They arc
very brave when they are in a majority.
Rut when they see their comrades melting
Away, So that they are IN danger OF stand
ing alone, their courage mets away also.
As soon as we have a Gideon in our spirit
ual army. we shall have Gldeon's viCtO
res But while we depend spOn an arm OF
flesh and refuse to move forward without
, 1t, we shall have nothing to record but spir-
itual defeats. - Rev 4 r. Schau6er
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
| l. God raises mp great heroes and leaders
from the most obscure families.
I 2 BY doing the duties near at hand we
are prepared for our future work
1 B. Gods army needs courage, quickness
and prudence.
( A. our character is revealed in our most
trivial actions.
5. Never be discouraged because your
numbers are small and your means feeble.
cone with God is a majority
! G God aids and strengthens the faith Of
His soldiers.
CARRY religious principle INTO common
! life, and common life Will lose its transitori-
ness. The world passcth away. The things
seen are temporal Soon business, with all
/ its cares and anXietics, the whole "unproft-
able stir and fever Of the world" will be TO
US a thing Of the past But religion does