Evening star., 1907-11-16
for SUNDAY Schools.
STAR LESSON FOR NOVEMBER II,
Ru Ra,. E Cilha.t n n
SECRETARY AMERICAN SOCIETY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
GIDEON THREE HUNDRED" Judges vn:a23

! three hundred might become copaitners
J and witnesses with Him.
! ORDERS.-Thesn preparations being
made. q deon gave instructions under
. three heads: Look on me, his first
! order. As Gideon locked to God. his fol-
lowers must look to him (Matt, xvi:3D.
! That centralized and unified the band. re-
duCing ii to one solid force. animated by
one spirit. DO as I do" was the second
orde-. That night was to be one of
deeds. and those deeds were not to he
varied, but uniform, not by command
but by example q Cor. KID. Do what
Blow the trA1eI,hs instrument OF
ing wa calling to surrender. appealing
y Dr help. The third order was to shout The
/ sword of the Lord and of Gideon. an
nouncing that the Almighty, by His serv-
ant had attacked the enemies of Israel.
These orders were much the same as
those given for the capture of Jericho
John. vi:9-lD. only the ark was not pres
ent. 1t was intended by the noise of the
trumpets by the Fight of the lamps and by
the shouting of men to terrorize the Midi
antics. Nothing but faith could devise
such plan. Nothing but faith could ex-
ecute il. That faith was needed in every
man.
BATTLE-Down came the 600 at
midnight. Drawing near. they deployed.
forming on one side of the camp. Once
in place. Gideon's trumpet sounded. break
Ing the silence and 800 trumpets responded.
din. The lights of the torches cleaned in
the darkness. Men awakened from slumber
heard the dread acclaim. The sword of
The Lord and of Gideon" The surprise
was complete. The confused soldiers
starting from their resting places. knew
the significance OF what was transpiring,
but knew not the location or the number
Of tie foe brought against them They
had reason to believe that during the
night mighty amy of Israel had come
hair
midst. To increase the confusion they
were turned upon themselves, each taking
his brother to be enemy While Cid
Aon and his men stood still Gsa. xxx:
80 blew their trumpets and shouted.
the strife ragged furiousiy. Toward morn
ng a remnant. disengaying themselves,
fed leaving 10000 dead on the field of
carnage ne eo141sed mass Of broken
parel and bodies of the slain showed the
terrible conflict of the night
PCRSC1T.-The news of the battle
spread rapidly, and the thousands whom
Gideon had dismissed Judges vii - rallied
and pursued the fugitives Judges. vii:
23. Messengers were sent into Mount
Ephraim. the old home of Joshua
Judges. iii:lO, ana the people there re-
sponded gladly, Fastening to the fords
of the Jordan Judges. iii:2S to an
tercept those who might seek to escape
to the other side. In this way two
princes OF indian were captured. But
Gideon. pushing on with tireleSs resolu-
ton. overlook the foremost and put them
to death. Thus. in a single night and
day. that vast multitude was utterly de-
stroyed. The land was freed from its
oppressors by the mighty hand of God.
The eighth chapter of Judges relates
the closing incidents of the pursuit. the
manner in which Gideon improved his
victories, the light in which the people
considered the wonderful event, and the
short-lived advantage gained by it all.
Judges. (viii :33) But the whole occur
renee is one of the most remarkable OF
that gloomy period in the history OF Is.
rael, and gave the great chieftain per-
manent place among the men Of the GEN.
tures who lived by faith (Heb., xi:32)
REVIEW.-One great lesson needs
to be learned in every age-man must
trust in God. And that supreme duty
must be supported by several subordinate
truths. Gods power is not limited by
the day of darkness and trial He is
very pi<ant help. He saves not by sword
q Samuel. xvii:i7). but by His own
right hand. The feeblest instruments
used with faith may accomplish great
results Indeed. He sometimes employs
the weakest to overthrow the strong
est. q Cor, i:27) His saints are mighty
in His hands Isa., xxx:17) One shall
chase a thousand, and two put ten thou
sand to fight. Deut., Xxxii ;36). The
passage just studied taught this lesson
to Israel but they soon forgot it. We
have no similar mode of instruction: the
deeds of blood are gone. but the record
OF the Divine doing remains. Yet we
too, forget what is written on every page
of personal and national history, that
success in the battle of life is ever
through the help % God. The oppressive
Midanites may be subdued, if the In
dividual and the people will but put con-
f6ence in the Almighty.