Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-22
LESSON FOR JANUARY "a
GIDEON AND THE THREE HUN
DRED

LESSON TEXT-Judges 7:1-S, 1923
GOLDEN TEXT-Not by might, nor by
power. but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of
hosts.-Zech. 4:6. r. v.
This was the period of Israefs
transition from a nomadic to an ag-
ricultural life. The record we have
is an alternate succession of idolatry
a'3d subjugation with a return to Je-
hovsh and to liberty.
/. "Gideon and All the People," w.
1-s. Rallying about him his clansmen
Gideon chose 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-
trolled the fords of the Jordan and
could prevent the enemy from return
ing to their homes in the desert coun-
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. 12:9) If we desire
Gods strength it must be as we our
selves are weak lisa. 40:29). God is
sometimes limited by having too many
and not enough of the right sort.
When God delivers he leaves no room
for 1nh o.. a. !.
God can save as well by the few as
by the many q Samuel 14:6), and fire.
quently uses the weak and despised
things to confound the mighty q Cor.
1927, 2S), that mo flesh should glory
in his presence q Cor. 1920. These
were two tests whereby Gideon was
to select his warriors: "a go to.
proclaim whosoever is fearful
:. let him return" ". 81. 1t is
not well to criticize too severely the
$4,000 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. (2l There
is yet another sitting. God gives Gid
con the clue (v. ~, 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. An OK CLUES his eyes upon
the water and is oblivious to all else.
not so a dog. God cares more for
quality than for quantity and there
were too many towards, too many
who thought most of self-comfort, to
allow them to enter this battle. 1t
was also a strange equipment God
gave this army. All they took was
food and trumpets ". 81. The all
essential things for the followers of
Christ are the word of God for food
Il Pet 2:2) and the voice of prayer
for a trumpet (Num. 1879. 10; II
Chron. 1874; Rev. IBID.
II. Gideon's Second Assurances, W.
3-15. 1t was absurd, humanity speak.
ing, for 800 men to expect to defeat
1876 900. God strengthened" Gideon
(v. 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" {v. 14). Gideon worshiped
God and at once returned to arouse
the camp of Israel.
III. The Sword of the Lord and Of
Gideon, w. 1923. In all probability
/ these men wore their usual weapons
as soldiers and carried food for their
for this midnight attack they needed
only three weapons, lamps, pitchers
and trumpets. Each of these have a
| spiritual suggestion for the Christian.
! (See Matt. 25:4; Ps. 11s:1s5; also II
Cor AS, Z, and Eek. 1873, 6; l. Cor.
14:s) Gideon's stratagem of dividing
his men into three companies and
then as the pitchers are broken to
blow the trumpet caused lively panic
among the Midianites. That Gideon
had faith and courage in himself, and
| in the word of Jehovah, is suggested
in his words, Look on me and do
| likewise" We are to look to the cap
tain of our salvation" (Heb. 1870 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
| i, Se 90
scene-the midnight hour. the army
suddenly awakened by a deafening
| shout, the blasts of trumpets, the 300
torches flashing forth amid the crash
of earthenware, and all of this in
dense darkness. The Midianites in
the confusion turned their weapons
against each other and fled 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 OF
this day have our wars and battles
against the wrongs, the principalities
and powers of evil, which are around
us and within u.s. Such battles re
quire the same courage, and skill, and
conservation of ourselves, as did the
wars of those ancients against the
enemies that threatened the very ex
istence of the people of God tS.e
Eph 6:10-18; Tim. 6:12D The
trumpets were a call to God and g
type of prayer; the pitchers rearthen
vessels) type of our frail bodies n
which we have the treasure Of tat
gospel truth q Cor 4:G T. Niatt
5:16l. Our business is to blow ",4f
and loud the trumpet and hold fortl
the light, which is the Word Pill
2:16) and beine broken oursel, z.
(John 1924. Gal 2:20 r W ex2ec'
to see the enemies of God overthrown
AS every man stood in his appointed
place (v. 2D, God did the fighting ant
brought confusion to the enemy "
22).
Gods work in this world offer