Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-01-30
,NIFpNHIlONAI.
SUNDMSC1OOL
LESSON
By E. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course Moody Bible In
stttute, Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JANUARY "a
GIDEON AND THE THREE HUN
DRIED.

0hE4s
LESSON TExT-Judges 7:1-S 1924
GOLDEN TExT-Not by might. nor by |
power. but by my Spirit. saith Jehovah of |
hosts-Zech- 4:6. R. ".
This was the period of Israefs !
transition from a nomadic to an ag-
riculturaI life. The record we have |
is an alternate succession OF 1dolatry |
and subjugation with a return to Je- /
hovah and to liberty.
I. "Gideon and All the People," w.
1-8. Rallying about him his clansmen
Gideon chose a position at the spring
of Harod near Jezreel, his back to Mt
Gilboa and the Midianites to the north
next to Mt. Moreh. He thus con-
troIled the fords of the Jordan and
could prevent the enemy from return
ing to their homes in the desert coun-
try. Outwardly the great discrepancy
of numbers made the situation look
dubious for Israel, but in reality the
danger was that the army was too
large, since when the victory was
gained they might "vaunt themselves"
| Individuals and churches usually
count their strength according to num-
bers. (See II Cor. 12:90 II we desire
| Gods strength it must be as we our
sometimes limited by having too many
and not enough of the right sort.
| When God delivers he leaves no room
| for boasting CEph. rs, 9; Rom. 3:2O.
God can save as well by the few as
by the many q Samuel 1850, and fire.
| quently uses the weak and despised
| things to confound the mighty Il Cor.
| 1:27, 2S), that mo flesh should glory
In his presence Il Cor. 1920 These
were two tests whereby Gideon was
to select his warriors: ID go to,
proclaim whosoever is fearful
let him return" ". 81. 1t is
not well to criticize too severely the
%, 900 who returned; even in the Gar
den not only Peter, but all the disci-
pies forsook the Master and fed. God
does not choose men because they are
heroes, but to make heroes of them
by the power of his might. Cd There
is yet another sitting. God gives Gid
con the clue ". -. viz, to decide by
their method of drinking. Those who
drank "as a dog lappeth," were those
not to be taken off guard even while
drinking.
II. Gideon's Second Assurance, w.
e-15. It was absurd. humanity speak
ing, for 800 men to expect to defeat
135 900. God strengthened" Gideon
". ID Gideon and Phurah, at Gods
command, entered the valley and drew
near the Midianite host. Avoiding the
guard, if any, they drew near enough
to hear a man telling his dream to
his fellow" The latter interprets
this as nothing else than the Sword
of Gideon" ". 40. Gideon worshiped
God and at once returned to arouse
the camp of Israel.
III. The Sword of the Lord and OF
Gideon, Wv. 1928. In all probability
these men wore their usual weapons
as soldiers and carried food for their
use in pursuing the enemy. However
for this midnight attack they needed
only three weapons, lamps, pitchers
and trumpets. Each of these have a
spiritual suggestion for the Christian
Il (See Matt 1854; Ps. 119:105; also II
Cor. 4:6, z, and Eek. 1873, 6; 1. Cor
14:s0 Gideon's stratagem of dividing
his men into three companies and
} then as the pitchers are broken to
blow the trumpet caused lively panic
J among the Midianites. That Gideon
had faith and courage in himself, and
in the word of Jehovah, is suggested
in mis- words, Look on me and dc
L likewise" We are to look to the cap
tain of our salvation" (Heb. 1922 and
| by our lives of obedience prove the
devotion of our life John 1874
} 14:2D. As already suggested. there
were probably no defenses surround
: ing the enemy and in the darkness
] Gideon and his men easily approached
the camp. 1t is easy to imagine the
r scene-the midnight hour, the army
suddenly awakened by a deafenins
shout, the blasts of trumpets, the 300
torches flashing forth amid the crash
of earthenware, and all of this il
dense darkness. The Midianites III
the confusion turned their weapon
: against each other and fed toward
the Jordan and into the regions be
yond toward the desert. Others fol
lowed by the ten thousand, fleeing to
! ward Succoth and Penuel. We O
this day have our wars and battles
against the wrongs, the principalitie:
and powers of evil. which are around
e US and within u.s. Such battles re
s ouire the same courage. and skill, and
d conservation of ourselves. as did tn;
e wars of those ancients against thu
s enemies that threatened the very ex
e istence of the people of God
Gods work in this world Is Otter
done by a few persons who have had
a vision OF him. who have grown IL
l. | character and devotion and VIII mo-