The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-01-16

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GOLDEN TEXT-Blessed is the man
whom thou choosest.-Ps Ga
We have before US now the fourth
apostasy and servitude OF Israel, one
which seems to have affected chiefly
the four northernmost tribes ". 36l.
In preparation for the call and work
Of Gideon. the sixth Judge, the chill
dren of Israel cried unto heaven, and
God sent unto them prophet who en-
couraged their tagging faith In Jeho-
yah and turned them back to him
(6:1-1O). The now impoverished and
| oyerridden Israelites. who had enjoyed
prosperity after their former deliver
ance, had again done evil and must
| first Judge their sin and obey the voice
| Of Jehovah before they could receive
a message of hope and deliverance
through one Of Jehovah's prophets.
Gods Call to Gideon.
l. Gideon In Prayer, w. 1913. That
the angel Of Jehovah" was mani
festation OF Jehovah Is clear from
careful reading of verse 10. There the
first use OF the word lord" Is not cap
italized, whereas in the second in
stance it is capitalized. This angel
was a foreshadowing Of the incarna-
ton in Jesus of Nazareth. He is clearly
identified with Jehovah (see Judges
2:1, 2: Gen. 1910, IS, r. W. II was
thus that Abraham saw my day
John 1850. THE angel OF the Lord
at no time appears after Jesus came,
as the revised text shows. The no
madic Midianites brought ruin to Is
rael as the bitter fruit OF its sin. Then
was uttered the cry for relief FPS. 1907.
The father Of Gideon is passed by. for
he was a worshiper Of Baal ". 25).
They who bear the vessels OF the Lord.
those through whom he works, must
have clean hands. Gods call to Gid
con came to him % while he was
alone, as he was threshing wheat In
the hiding place of a winepress, for
he dare not thresh In the customary
open place Of a threshing floor. This
call came to him (2) as he was faith
fully performing his duty, that one
| ucdI cbt uib W. - La -
Luke 2:S. 81. 1t was strange word
thou mighty man Of valour," one OF
, fact and prophecy as we'll. 1t was g
!, brave thing, thus to be faithful and
to receive this call 90 in time Of
great distress and danger. The sequel
which forms next Sundays lesson, 1:
, the fulillment Of the prophecy.
u. Gideon In Doubt, w. 1915. Gid
: cons thought must have been one o
amazement as we'll as Of doubt. Hi
question, "Why then Is all this befal
len us?" was q most natural one ant
one that men even now are asking
i, when they are in great trouble. Sui
fering and misery are not all to be lai'
at Gods door, though he permit 1t, bu
chiefly at the door of sin FPS. 77:7-9
, lisa. 49:1, p. 1t Is possible that Gid
!. con had not yet recognized his heay
; emily visitor (cf. v. 2D. The nam
:. Gideon means "Hewer" or "Treefeller
something of his personal characte
or appearance. Hence the Significant
Of v. IA. The Lord in the person @
: the angel looked upon him and sale
; seeing all of his natural qualifications
, but with the emphasis upon the "I''-
? 60 in thy might have not
sent thee?"
Gideon Was the Agent.
~. Gideon Assured, w. $685.. Gil
cons first act on being assured OF thi
heavenly communication was one {
worship wv. 1920. His second on
IL was to take ten picked men and owe
u throw the altar to Baal, thereby den
: onstrating the impotence Of Baal an
" the futility of calling upon him fc
~ deliverance. The tribeemen at ono
" light upon him as having performe
+ this act and demand his death frol
:. Joash, his father, who seems to hav
~ been a sort of caretaker Of the i'd
;. ". 25). TheSe same men later becom
y. Gideon's enthusiastic followers "
" "a, 35). Gideon thus translated theoI
40 into action and gained confidence.
was one man against the communit
and to further rebuke them he erecte
an altar to Jehovah ". 2S).
an altar to Jehovah ". 2S). No bla
., from Baal struck him or any mark
- displeasure, hence the suggestivene
of the words Of Joash ". 81. b
~, now there is another raid ". 33), al
God Is about to strike a blow on b
half of Israel. Whenever men &
~ right with God Satan plans a speci
- assault, Tim. 3:12. A literal re
~ dering of verse 81 is, "the Spirit
the Lord clothed himself with Gideon
Gideon was merely the agent, the
ou strument through whom and by who
IN Jehovah is about to do a mighty wor
Ie The only satisfactory and snfficie
". equipment we can have for effecti
N service Is the enduement Of the Ho
in Spirit, Luke 24:49, Acts IA, 5, s.
tice this enduement came upon. toc
charge Of, Gideon after he had by oh
/, dent service shown his trustwortl
ness. Men recognized in his tramp
70 call a note Of the authority God h
On intrusted him with and Of which
-. previous acts were a demonstrate
,oo w. Gldeon's Caution, w. 36-4o. Sp'
- geon said that he never entered
pulpit to preach without tremblir
-. and Gideon would have been mo
"a than human, even after assembling
o. army, had he been absolutely free fro
doubts. We should never place