The Montgomery tribune., 1907-11-15
Gideon and His
Three Hundred
Sunday hooILesson iorNov.i7. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT--Judges 1923. Mem
ory verses II, is.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Ye shall not fear
them; for the Lord your God He shall
fight for you."-Deut. 1922.
TIME-IThe period of the judges lasted,
according to our Bible margins, 1872 years.
b. G. N27-1095 uncluding ELI and SamueD.
Gideon lived about the middle OF this pc
riod. Many scholars make the period
shorter. and place 1t later. The question
is unsettled.
PLACE.-The broad valley of Jezreei.
which extends from the plain Of Esdrae-
Ion southeast to the Jordan. The south
ern part OF Galilee. The test of the 3Oo
was by the Well Harod, 13 miles from
the Jordan, and ten miles south of Naz-
areth. In this region took place the great
battle in which Saul and his sons were
slain Il Sam. 29:1; Bid.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Tho Period of the Judges.--The
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 2S0 years accord
ing to our common chronology. But
IL we add together the numbers given
in Judges they amount to 410 years.
For this and other reasons 1t Is en-
tirely probable that "the expressions
and deliverances were not successive,
but, in part, synchronous. There were,
in fact, without exception, local strug.
gles and 1t is not only conceivable,
but highly probable, that while one
part of the land was enjoying secur-
ity under its judge other tribes were
groaning under the foreign yoke
Prof. Moore. While several Of the
OF IN
same time in different parts of the
land, in other cases the judges ruled
practically over the whole. THE
judges formed temporary heads in
particular centers, or over particular
groups of tribes,-Barak, in the north
of Israel, Gideon, in the center, Jepb.
thah, on the east of Jordan, Samson,
in the extreme southwest"
The Moral Decline.-At the close
perity the people had degenerated
morally. Business transactions with
the Canaanites.-transact which
often required the performance Of re-
ligious rites,-made 1t easy not to
realize the difference between them.
They were attracted by the easy NOR
ais of the heather.
The Cry from the Depths.-In their
great distress the people began to 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. 6:7-10).
The Answer,-God Raises Up Gid.
eon.-Gideon belonged to the tribe Of
Manasseh. His fathers name was
Joash and lived at Ophrah, not far
from Shechem. He was man of
highly noble person, and noble race.
like the son of king, and whose
brothers leach one resembled the
children of king (Judg. S:1S). He
was man Of strong common sense.
a patriot, true lover of God, eau
tious, modest, brave, and enthusiastic.
The signs of the fleece (Judg. 6: 36-
40), says Ewald, illustrate Gideon's
own character: warm and jealous,
while all around were Indifferent and
cold; calm and cool. when all around
were excited. Gideon was probably a
middle-aged man at this time, for he
had a son of his own almost grown up
(Judg. 8:20).
The Sitting of the Army.-Gideon
proclaimed: whoever is fearful and
afraid, let him depart" In view OF
the fearful odds against them two
thirds of the army turned back, leav'
ing only 10000 soldiers.
Still there were too many for the
purpose. The second sieve was WOW
en of alertness, quick wit, self-control
vigorous strength, boldness. The test
was through their way Of drinking in
the near presence Of the enemy.
In order to understand the test VIC
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
y headlong, did not appreciate their po
sition or the foe
The Victory by the Sword Of thu
Lord and of Gideon.--Vs. 9-23. Th'
Encouragement.-ys. 9-15. Everything
was now ready, except a new inbreath
ing of courage and faith. To accom-
plish this Gideon and his officer wen
early in the night into the camp o
the Midianites sleeping in the securit!
of their numbers. Listening near I
tent. they heard man telling to hi
comrade a dream from which he hat
Just awakened. Compare with via thu
translation and annexation of thu
Polychrome Bible. Il dreamed tina
a. cake OF barley griddle-bread.-'
kind of fiat. round, hard-baked. ash
cake, representing the Israelite peas
antry--was rolling hither and thithe
through the camp OF indian, and 1
came to a tent and struck 1t ant
turned It upside down." The mel
interpreted the dream as meaning tn
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