The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-11-14
Gideon and His
Three Hundred
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. u. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
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.
TTME.-The period Of the judges lasted,
according to our Bible margins. 1892 years.
b. c. 1427-f095 Qncluding ELI and SamueD.
Gideon lived about the middle Of this pc
Rod. Many scholars make the period
shorter, and place 1t laten The question
10 unsettled.
PLACE.-The broad valley Of Jezreei,
which extends from the plain of Esdrae-
Ion southeast to the Jordan. The south
ern part Of Gahlee. The test of the 300
was by the Well Harod. 10 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; 31:D..
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 $50 years accord
ing to our common chronology. But
IL we add together the numbers given
in Judges they amount to 410 years
Eot anu OihCi itoooho ~ 10 Sh
tirely probable that 'the expressions
and deliverances were 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
ha f,ratnn unlrn ~
Prof. Moore. While several Of the
events we're 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-
thah, ON the east Of Jordan. Samson,
In the extreme southwest. st."-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,- s,-transactions 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 theiI
sins (Judg. 6:7-10.
The Answer,-God Raises Up Gid
eon.--Gideon belonged to the tribe oi
Manasseh His fathers name was
Joash and lived at Ophrah, not fal
from Shechem. He was man ol
highly noble person, and a noble race
like the son of king, and whose
brothers each one resembled the
children of a king (Judg. S:19. HI
was a man Of strong common sense
, patriot, a true lover of God, eau
tious, modest, brave, and enthusiastic
The signs of the fleece (Judg. 8: 36
4O), says Ewald, illustrate Gideon
own character; warm and Jealous
while all around were Indifferent ant
cold; calm and cool, when all aroun'
were excited Gideon was probably
middle-aged man at this time. for h
had a son Of his own almost grown u
(Judg. S:20).
The Sitting Of the Army.-Gideol
proclaimed: Whoever is fearful an
afraid, let him depart" In view O
the fearful odds against them two
thirds of the army turned back, lea,
ing only 10000 soldiers. ->-a
Still there were too many for tn
r purpose. The second sieve was woy
i en- OF alertness. quick wit, self-contro
{ vigorous strength, boldness. The tes
a was through their way of drinking 4
n the near presence of the enemy.
s In order to understand the test W
must see clearly the circumstance
o Gideon's army was on one side of tn
. stream, and the enemy on the othel
3 and how near some scouting partie
a might be was unknown. for the reed
n and shrubs along the banks afforde
j ample cover for hostile ambushes
o Those who bowed down, drinkin
Q headlong, did not appreciate their pt
f; sition or the foe
Q The Victory by the Sword Of tn
r Lord and Of 6ideon.-Vs. 9-23. TIL
announcement 9-15. Everythin
Q was now ready. except new inbreati
J. ing OF courage and faith. To accom-
:. plish this Gideon and his ofiicer wen
q early in the night into the camp @
!. the Midianites sleeping In the securit
Of their numbers. Listening near
tent, they heard man telling to hi
comrade a dream from which he ha
Just awakened. Compare with v.13 tn
translation and annexation of tn
n Poiychrome Bible. II dreamed tha
n a cake of barley griddle-bread.-
kind of nat, round. hard-baked. asl
: cake. representing the IsraeIite pea
q antry--was rolling hither and thithe
through the camp OF Midian and