The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-11-29
Gods Victory Through Gideon.

Cod. in bringing his wonders 20 pass,
generally, though not always, works
through secondary causes. A faith
filled. Holy Spirit-energized man is one
OF his favOrite means OF effecting his
great results. The history Of the world
proves this. 1t was through righteous
Noah. faith-fHed Abraham. the pa
triarchcs and Moses. Joshua. and 9TH
ers in The ancient days; the apostles
and CbrysostOm, Athenasius, Augustine.
and the reformers in the more modern
times that history has taken its trend
for good and built up Christianity and
our present day civilization. God is the
great factor or agent Of progress in the
world. He is the efficient cause Of ali
spiritual life and growth in the world.
II is through God that mankind is being
lifted upward in the scale OF living and
that the souls OF individual men are
being saved.
But God works through men 70 reach
men. In doing this God does not vio-
late the nature or the free agency OF
any man. Each mans faith is his own,
and the work he does for God and his
fellow-men he does voluntarily and al
ways acts along the line OF his own in
do a great work among the Israelites in
the time Of Gideon he chose Gideon as
his instrument OF victory. The Hebrew
words say that he clothed himself with
Gideon. II was almost like an incarna-
ton. So that the work accomplished was
the work 81 God and the work OF Gideon
combined kind OF divine human work.
Thus the battlecry OF the soldiers Of
Gideon was this The sword OF the Lord
and OF Gideon
God took good care in winning the VIC
tory for the Israelites to show them by
many incidents OF the battle that Il was
not by their own strength or genius that
they won the victory. 'IraeTs danger
seemed TO lie in the smaIlness Of their
army but Jehovah said that II lay in
the largeness OF their army. Their real
danger was OF pride. seif-confdence, and
Boosting individuals and churches usu-
ally think that their danger lies in their
weakness. but il really lies in their
strength II we desire Gods strength
We must be weak in ourselves. Jehovah
amazed Gideon by saying the people are
too many for me. God always saves men
In way that leaves no room for boast
ing"
The Need of Victory.
Through their unbelief, worIdliness.
and sin the Israelites had gotten them
selves under the power OF the heather.
Heather idolaters became cruel and hard
oppressors Of them. They plundered,
robbed, and maltreated them. Israel at
this time is a type OF a Christian man
who has become worldly in spirit and
has not kept himself true TO Cod, his
faith, and service. and has not lived 4
pure and upright life. Such a CHRISTIAN
Is always under bondage TO tho evil
forces OF the world. and Joy in God de-
parts from him. and Satan sorely afiicts
I him.
II is pitia5le 70 see the wretchedness
and inefhciency that even a Christian
e. Periences on account OF his sins and
unbelief. how much more the wretched-
ness and misery OF a man who has no
faith in God at all and is without God
and without hope in the world. He who
commits sin Is the servant Of sin.
When Israel sinned God gave them
into the hand Of some OF the neighboring
tribes. who oppressed them. For seven
years. at the lime OF our lesson. the
Midianites had oppressed Israel They
were a rowing and piratica- kind OF peo-