Evening star., 1907-11-16

PREFIEW- The sacred pennan in
this book gives general account in order
of the men raised up judges. and of
their achievements. Othnel. the first
was of the tribe of Judah Judges. iii ~
Ehud. the second a Baniaminite. and the
third ShamSer, had only local influence.
Deborah. the wife of Lapdoth was
fourth. showing that a woman might oc-
cupy the Office Judges. iv and ". Und "
inspiration and guidance Barak conquered
the Canaanites. a mark OF the imbecl
of the men Judges, iv:9l. A peace of forty
years followed. Again Israel fell into
evil ways and the Midianites Amalekltes
and other people of the east came up and
subdued them. The expressions We're very
severe, and in some parts many found
refuge in dense and caves Judges. vi, -.
After seven years Gideon was called by
God to be TIE deliverer. Hesitatins until
assured of divine will. he made procama-
ton and 10000 men rallied about him
By a simple device these We're twice re-
duced. until little band of 300 only was
Uudges. vii:7 assembled on the hilltop
overlooking the splendid INDIAN army in
the valley below
DREAM.-One night soldier in
the enemy's camp dreamed that a cake
of barley tumbled in upon them and
smote and overthrew a tent. This in
cident would make little or no Impression
i'll our day, except. possibly. it would BE-
related to amusa in an idle hour. For
we hold dreams 10 be but the disturbed
action of the mental powers. resulting
from some excitement or abnormal phySi-
cal condition. But in biblical times
dream was a kind of vision. by which
important matters not otherwise known
might be disclosed tGen.. xx:3p. GOD
employed this method of speaking 10
prophets (Numb.. xii:6 and to kings
Il Kings ii:5). On several occasions, the
Droaches to persons who did not serve
Him tMatt.. XXvii:1S). This fact SHOWS
that nations outside the Abrahamic cove
nant were not outside the gracious i0fiu-
ences of Gods spirit Critus, H:lD. The
dream or vision was needed then more
han now. because of the ignorance OF the
people and the limited revelation then
made GI Peter. i10). We may reason
ably nope that in the largeness of His
mercy God communicated much to the
ancient world even beyond what has been
revealed Rom.. i:19).
MEANING-God not only gave
dreams to men. but he gave others the
ability to interpret the dreams Can..
vi:2). Whether a peculiar natural cast
of mind rendered one susceptible to spir-
itudI 1n1nRS II t-OE, Ail't1 VI Nl!tti!ti
the spirit of God impaired information
dan, ii :2S), it matters not. The dreamer
and his Interpreter were generally found
near together, as If the same impression
were duplicated, as I'm the case of Jo-
seph and the baker Gen. Xl:16). When
the Midian soldier recited his dream that
night his companion Immediately gave
the sense. In the cake of barley he saw
Gideon. In the overturned tent he saw
the defeated enemy to which they both
DO
BILE and significant, he ascribed the fore
seen victory to the power of Jehovah.
The Midianites had evidently heard of the
recent uprising under Gideon. and they
must have known what had been the re-
suit when God thus called n man TO lead
His people. Hence. there was doubtless
running through the minds of the enemy.
aching at last the common soldiery,
fcar and expectation of defeat.
OVERHEARD.-That same night
Gideon, with his faithful servant. Plurah.
came down to the Midlanites to learn
what he might of their situation God
had told him to do this Judges. vii:.tt.
His steps were directed through the picket
line to the very place where the two men
were and he came at the very time to
hear their conversation. The message
seemed to him to be from God who had
said in advance that he would hear some
thing to his advantage. The barley cake
moreover, must have impressed him as
L very ippi pIi tiii''i.''i VI '''''N
force Usa. xii:14, 15). Gideon's faith was
strengthened. He needed TO further evil
dence but resolved to enter upon the
hazardous undertaking, not doubling the
result. God had led him along step by
step from the thrashing floor in Ophrah
Judges vi:1D, until the final declaration
had been given by one in the enemys
camp. Before quitting the place he, with
his servant, as all orientalists do when
they become conscious of the Lord s pres
2nce Gen, xxiv:25). offered Thanksgiving
for past favors and prayer for further dl-
recton.
PREPARATION. - Returning that
light to his men. Gideon immediat ly
,oade ready. With commanding faith h
i laclared ttat God had delivered tn
Nidianites into their hands. Faith al
WAYS sees the future as present. He
proceeded to divide his forces into three
aatta:iors one hundred in each. placi1g
little army was in size like that which
viv: ~ But. unlike that of the patriarch,
they were unarmed. They We're not ex-
-,-cted to fight They were simply Gods
advanced coUriers, sent out to arouse
the enemy whom God Himself would de-
feat Into every mans hand. therefore,
Gideon placed. not a sword or spear. but
a trumpet an empty pitcher and a lamp
or torch in the pitcher. with these In
plements they are before morning to make
way for the display of divine power Ex.,
viy:lo-14l. not unlike the displays of tor
r1er years Josh, vi:2D. God could have
Zone what he proposed without the pitch
RS, lamps and trumpsts, but by these the