Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-11-16
Gideon and His
Three Hundred
Sunday SchOOlLesson iorNOv. Il. 1907
Specially Prepared fey This Psper


them. for the Lord your Cod ne shall
hght for YOU. "-Deut 5.c2
IlME.-The period % the judges Lasted.
according 20 our Bible margins 3g2 years.
~ G. lf2l-los5 ducluding r,u and Samuel.
Gideon lived about the middle % this pc
riod. Many scholars make the period
shorter, and place 80 later The question
is unsettled
PLACE.-The broad valley o. Jez-eel.
which extends from the plain of Esdrac-
Ion southeast 90 the Jordan. The south
fTn part OF Gallec The test OF The SOD
was by the Well Harod. l3 miles from
fhe Jordan. and ten miles south Of Naz-
areth- In this region took place the great
battle I'm which saul and his sons were
slain "a sam. e9l. 3f-D.
Comment and Successive Thoucht.
The Period Of the Judues-The
Book Of Judges ls a collection of rec
ords belonging TO the period between
the death of Joshua and the birth OF
Samuel period Of $50 years accord
ing 20 our common chronology. But
n we add together the numbers given
In Judges they amount 90 40 years
For this and other reasons it is en-
ucely probable that the expressions
and deliveranccs were not successive.
but. In part. synchronous There were.
In fact. without exception. local strug-
giles, and it is not only conceivable.
but highly probable. that while one
part OF the land was enjoying seCur-
ity under its judge other tribes were
grooming under the foreign yoke. "-
Prof. Moore. While several OF the
events were thus occurring az 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-
thah. on the east OF Jordan. Samson,
In the extreme southwest Driver
The Moral Decline.-At the close
OF a long period OF peace and pros
perity the people had derenerated
morally. business transactions with
the Canaanites. transactions which
often required the performance of re-
hgious rites.-made 70 easy not 20
realize the difference between them
They We're attracted by the easy NOR
ais OF the heather.
The Cry from the Depths-In their
great distress the people began % re-
pent and cry unto the Lord for help.
A prophet was sent 90 show them that
their trouble was on account OF their
sins (Judg. 6;7-l0)
The Answer,-God Raises Up Cid
eon.-Gideon belonged 20 the tribe OF
Manasseh His fathers name was
Joash and lived at Ophrah. not far
from Shechem He was a man OF
highly noble person and a noble race.
like the son OF king. and whose
brothers each one resemhled the
children OF a king" (Judg S:1S) He
was a man OF strong common sense,
a patriot, true lover OF God. eau.
tious. modest brave and enthusiastic.
The signs OF the fleece (Judg. 6. So
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
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 alertness, quick wit, self-controI.
vigorous strength. holiness The test
was through their way OF drinking in
the near presence Of the enemy.
In order 20 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 Gideon.-Vs. 9-23. The
couragement-Vs 9-15. Everything
was now ready. except a 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 Midianites sleeping IN the. security
Of their numbers. Listening near a
tent, they heard a man telling to his
comrade a dream from which he had
just awakened. Compare with v.l3 the
translation and annexation OF the
Polychrome Bible "I dreamed that
a cake OF barley griddle-bread.-a
kind OF fat. round. hard-baked. ash
cake. representing the Israelite peas
antry-was rolling hither and thither
through the camp OF INDIAN and IL
came 20 a tent and struck Il and
turned II upside down" The men
Interpreted the dream as meaning the
overthrow Of INDIAN bv Israel
Practical Points
The story OF Gideon does not teach
that he cares nothing for means adapt
ed 90 the end Gideon had faith. but
he used his forces N the best way.
and selected the 300 because OF their
adaptation to the special service re-
CURED.
In the Christian uarfara the .r,,n,