The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-11-15

AVAaANNaaH \ To ut N'''"Nt tH
them for the Lord your God lie aIihh
fight Tor you. "-Deut 3.-2
TIME period OF the Judges lasted
according 10 our Bible margins. 81 years
70. G.. ii27-i095 Including Ei aud Samuel
Gideon lived about the middle of DDS pc.
Rod Many scholars make The pHilp1
shorter. and place 10 later The quesuth
Is unsettled
pLACE.-The broad valley OF Jczreel
which extends from The plain Of Eadrae-
lon southeast 20 the Jordan. The souln-
ern part Of Gal.loc. The test of me 5J
was by the Well Harod, 3 miles from
the Jordan and ten miles south OF Na1-
areth. In this region took place the great
battle IN which Saul and bis sons were
slain q Sam 2jl; 3lD.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Period Of the Judges.-Ihe
Book Of Judges is a collection OF rec
ords belonging TO the period between
the death OF Joshua and the birth OF
Samuel, a period of ESQ years accord
ing to our common chronology But
II we add together the numbers given
I'm Judges they amount TO 40 years
For this and other reasons It Is en-
drely probable that "the expressions
and deliverances were not successive,
but. in part, synchronous There were.
I'm fact, without exception, local strug
giles: and # is not only conceivable.
but highly probable, that while one
part of The land was enjoying secur-
ity under IT'S judge other tribes were
groaning under the foreign yoke. '-
Prof Moore. While several of the
events were thus occurring at the
same time I'm different parts of the
land. I'm other cases the judges ruled
I practically over the whole. THE
Judges formed temporary heads in
particular centors. or over particular
groups of tribes in the north
of Israel, Gideon. I'm the center Jeph.
thah. on the east of Jordan, Samson.
i'm the extreme southwcst"-Driyer
The Moral Decline.-At the close
of a long period Of peace and pros.
perity the people had degenerated
morally. Business transactions with
The Canaanites.-transactions which
often required the performance OF re-
Igious rites. made It easy not &c
realize the difference between them
They were attracted by the easy NOR
ais of the heather.
The Cry from the Dopths-ln thor
great distress the people began 20 re-
pent and cry unto the Lord for help
A prophet was sent TO show them that
their trouble was on account of their
sins Judg. 6:71W.
The Answer,-ood Raises up Gid
eon.-Gideon belonged 90 the tribe of
Manasseh. His fathers name was
Joash and lived at Ophrah. not far
from shechem lie was man OF
highly noble person. and a noble race
Ike the son of king and whose
brothers each one rosemblel The
children of a king (Judg S.lSl. lie
vas a man Of strong common sense.
patriot a true lover of God. can.
tious. modest. brave. and enthusiastic
The signs of the fleece Judg g. 35.
iO). says Ewald. illustrate G.ieon's
own character. warm and jealous
while AN around were Indifferent and
cold: calm and cool. when all around
were excited. Gideon was probably a
midMoaged man at this time. for he
had son of his own almost grown mp
Judg 500
The Sitting of the Army-Gideon
proclaimed. whoever is fearful and
afraid. Dot him depart I'm view Of
he fearful odds AGAINST them two
thirds Of the army turned back, loay-
ing only 10000 soldiers.
Still there We're too many for the
purpose. The second sieve was WOW
en- Of alertness. quick Wit. selfcontrol
vigorous strength. boldness The test
was through their way of drinking in
the near presence of the enemy
I'm order TO understand the test we
must see clearly the circumstances
Gideon's army was on one side of the
stream. and the enemy on the other
and how near some scouting parties
might be was unknown. for the reeds
and shrubs along the banks afforded
ample cover for hostile ambushes
Those who bowed down. drinking
headlong. did not appreciate their po-
sition or the foe
The Victory by the Sword Of the
Lord and Of oideon.-Vs. 923. The
Encouragement.-Vs 915 Everything
was now ready. except a new inbreath-
ing Of courage and faith. To accom-
pllsh this Gideon and his officer went
early in the night into the camp of
the Midlanites sleeping in the security
Of their numbers Listening near a
tent. they heard a man telling 70 his
comrade a dream from which he bad
Just awakened Compare with yl3 the
translation and annexation OF the
Polychrome Bible. u dreamed that
a cake OF barley griddlebread,-a
kind of fat. round. hard-baked. ASH
cake. representing the lsraelite peas
antry-was rolling hither and thither
through the camp of INDIAN. and &c
came TO a tent and struck 10 and
turned It upside down" The men
interpreted the dream as meaning the
overthrow of INDIAN by Israel
Practical Points.
The story of Gideon does not teach
that he cares nothing for means adapt
ed to the end. Gideon had faith. but
he used his forces in the best way
and selected the 300 because OF their
adaptation 70 the special service &C.
/ quired.
In the Christian warfare fho rIm
pets express our power of speaking
for God. The lamps are our chaAe.a.
and example. lighted hy Gods grace
and shining for men. and the pitchers
represent our capacity OF rea.. ID.
the truth and the s-|rIt 0. Cod
nj UHnTWF