Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-01-20
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson lv.-First Quarter, For
Ian. "a, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Tsxt ot the Lesson, judy. vii, Ia, t6-
Sa-Menory Verse, 7-GoIden Text.
Zech. iv, g. Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
The call of Gideon to be the Lords
representative in the deliverance of
Israel at this time WAS made very
plain In our last lesson Today's les
son and the chapter following tell of
the actual deliverance and that under
Gideon the country was in quietness
forty years (ehapter viii. 2sl In these
three chapters Gideon's name is men
toned thirty-nine times, but some
name of God is used sixty times. In
all things He must be pre-eminent- 1t
Is God who worketh; we are only in
struments. Interesting references TO
this great deliverance, with an onward
kok to greater deliverance by
greater Deliyerer. are found In Is,. TX.
Al: <, &c, 81: Ps. lxxxiii. 8.
When the Spirit of the Lord clothed
Himself with Gideon and he blew the
trumpet $1,000 from several Of the
tribes were gathered unto him which
seemed a very small number to go
against an army which was without
number and as grasshoppers for null
titude Chapter vi ). $3.50 According
to Deut. XII. 80. they would. howey-
er, be equai to 80. 100000 of the enemy
or even 160.o00.o00. but the Lord said
to Gideon. The people that are with
thee are too many for Me to give the
Midianites into their hands. lest Israel
vaunt themselves against Me- and so
all the fearful and afraid ones were
requested to return home verses 2, 81
This was according to the law in Deut.
Xxx. s. and reduced Gideon's army to
10000.
l am interested TO know what Gideon
thought when the Lord said The PEG
pie are yet too many" or il he made
any remarks when he saw the 10000
dwindle down to only 300 but shall
have TO wait The lesson of ii Chrou.
xiv, II. is strongly impressed upon me
Lord it is nothing with Thee TO
help. whether with many or with them
that have no power" As then so now.
God is seeking the whole hearted ones
whom He can use. He is ready to save
all who will come to Him and not will
ing that any should perish John vi.
81; II Pet. ill., 81. but for service it Is
still true that Of the many who are
called few are willing to be His choice
ones. The cost of discipieship seems
too great luke xiv. 33,. II all the
fearful ones and the ease loving ones
in our churches were turned down
would there be only one in a hundred
ready to deny self utterly?
An interesting incident of encourage
ment for Gideon is found in verses
Ella. for. though listeners are not sup
posed to hear any good of themselves.
this was certainly an exception. for
it was of the Lord. both the dream and
the Interpretation and the time of tell
ing It Now. try to imagine Gideon's
advance-three companies Of 100 each
and each man with a trumpet in one
hand and a concealed lamp in the 9th
er. Was there ever anything so seem
ingly ridiculous in the annals of war
fare? But He did 1t who uses things
that are not to bring to naught things
that are. He filed with food thousands
Of hungry people by means of few
loaves and fishes which a little boy
had He overthrow an army of 1885,
600 by one angel. His name is Won
derful" Look on Me and do likewise
As l do SO shall We do verse ID
These are the Captains orders, and to
rs today the word is Follow Thou
Mev'
Not worldly ways nor schemes of
any kind to draw or hold the people
young or old, but just the clear note
Of the gospel trumpet and the lamp of
consistent Christian life. for the life
is the light. When the 800 lights shone
forth, and the trumpets sounded and
the cry arose on the midnight air The
sword of the Lord and OF Gideon"
and every man stood in his place round
about the camp. then the host Of the
enemy ran and cried and fed and slew
each other, and the Lord wrought the
victory verses 1929. 1t is still true
that the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strongholds III Cor
Ed.
There will always be faultfinders
like the men Of Ephraim, and we are
apt to forget that soft answer turn
eth away wrath chapter viii. Is: Prov
Nv. II. There are often ungrateful
scoffers who need to be taught by
thorns and briers tehapter wifi. 60, 16
III. and there Is rarely an Abigail to
plead for the foo.s who act thus fool
ishly II Sam. XIV, 10. II. 23-3D. The
wisdom of Gideon is seen in his say
ing to those who desired him to rule
over them. II will not rule over you;
the Lord shall rule over you"
(viii, p. 23j. The folly of Gideon is
seen in his leading Israel to worship
an ephOd instead of the living God