The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-11-07
Gideon and His
Three Hundred
Sunday School Lesson lOrN IL. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper

them; for the Lord your God He shall
| nght for you."-Deut. 3.22.
TIME-The period Of the judges lasted.
according 10 our Bible margins. $40 years.
b. G. if27-iO95 Including En and BamueD.
/ Gideon lived about the middle OF this pc
riod. Many scholars make the period
shorter. and place II later. The question
Is unsettled.
PLACE-The broad valley OF Jezreel.
which extends from the plain OF Esdrae-
Ion southeast 20 the Jordan. The south
ern part Of Calilee. The test OF the 300
was by the Wei Harod. - 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 we're
slain q Sam. 29i; BID.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The 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 ESQ years accord
ing TO our common chronology. But
II we add together the numbers given
In Judges they amount 10 410 years.
For this and other reasons Il is en-
tirely probable that the expressions
and deliverances we're not successive.
but. in part, synchronous. There were,
In fact, without exception, local strug-
giles; and II 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
events were thus occurring at the
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. Jeph-
thai. on the east of Jordan. Samson.
In the extreme southwest Driver.
The Moral DeclIne.-At the close
Of 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-
liglous rites.-made Il easy not 20
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 Oudg. 6;7-10).
The Answer.-ood Raises Up Gid
eon.-Gideon belonged 10 the tribe OF
Manasseh. His fathers name was
Joash and lived az Ophrah. not far
from Shechem. He was man Of
highly noble person. and noble race.
Ike the son OF a king. and whose
brothers each one resembled the
children OF a king (Judg S:1S). He
was a man OF strong common sense.
a patriot. a true lover OF God. eau
tious, modest. brave. and enthusiastic.
The signs OF the fleece Oudg. 6: So
t0). 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
middle-aged man at this time. for he
had a son of his own almost grown up
(Judg. $500.
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 we're too many for the
purpose The second sieve was WOW
en- OF alertnoss. 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 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 Gldeon.--Vs 9-23. The
Encouragement.--Vs. 9-15. Everything
was now ready. except new inbreath-
ing Of courage and faith. To accom-
plish 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 man telling TO his
comrade a dream from which he had
Just awakened. Compare with via the
translation and annexation OF the
Polychrome Bible Il dreamed that
cake OF barley griddle bread.-a
kind of fat. round, hard-baked. ash.
cake. representing the Israelite peas
antry--was rolling hither ard thither
through the camp of INDIAN. and 1t
came to a tent and struck II and
turned It upside down The men
interpreted the dream az meaning the
overthrow OF INDIAN by Israel
Practical Poln,..
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 800 because OF their
oaartatfon IN tho snaefai eprvfca m