The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-01-13
LESSON FOR JANUARY II
H CALL OF GIDEON

LESSON TExT-Judges s:11-1s. $40,
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GOLDEN TExT-Blessed. Is the man
whom thou choosest-Ps. 65-4.
We have before us now the fourth
apostasy and servitude Of Israel, one
which seems to have affected chiefly
the four northernmost tribes ". 35).
In preparation for the cali and work
OF Gideon, the sixth Judge, "the chill;
dren OF Israel cried unto heaven" and
God sent unto them asprophet who en-
couraged their Tagging faith In Jeho-
yah and turned them back to- him
I6:1-10).t The now impoverished and
everridden Israelites, who'had eujeyed
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 deliyerance
through one of Jehovah's prophets.
Gods Call to Gideon.
1. Gideon In Prayer, w. 11-13. That
the angel OF Jehovah was q mani
hesitation of Jehovah is clear from91a
careful reading of verse 13. There the
first use Of the word "alord'' Is not cap
italized, whereas In the second In
stance 1t Is capitalized. This angel
Nas q foreshadowtng OF the: incarna-
tlon in Jesus Of Nazareth. H eisclearly
identified with Jehovah (see Judges
al, 2; Gen. 1910, "a, R. W. It was
thus that Abraham saw "my day"
(Iohn 1855. "The angel OF the Lord"
at no time appears after Jesus came,
ali the revised text shows. The mo-
madic Midianites brought ruin to Is
rsel as the bitter fruit Of its sin. Then
was uttered the cry for relief (Ps. 1901.
The father Of Gideon is passed by, for
h0 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 70 him Cd while he was
alone, as he was, threshing wheat In
the hiding place OF a awinepresss for
he dare not sthresh in the customary
open place of q threshing floor. This
call came to; hims(2li as he was faiths
fully performing his duty. that one
nearest his hand 5ty. II, Ell. 81, p
Luke 2:8, 81. It was q strange word,
thou mighty man of yalour," one Of
fact and prophecy IS well. i was q
brave thing, thus to be faithful and
to receive this call CD In a time Of
great distress and danger. The sequel.
which forms next Sundays lesson Is
tha fulfllment Of the prophecy:
li. Gideon In Doubt w. 1915. Gid.
eoll's thought must have been one OF
~amazement as well as OF doubt. His
question, why then is all this befal-
len usg was q most natural one and
ono that men even now are asking
when they are in great trouble. SUI.
fertng and misery are not all to be laid
at Gods door, though he permit II, but
chiefly at the door OF sin FPS. 77:7-9;
lisa 4s:1, ~. It Is possible that Gid
con had not yet recognized his heav-
emily visitor (cf. Y, 21): The name
Gideon means "Hewer,,' or "Tsreefeller'
and, Indicates, as all eastern names do,
something OF his personal character
or appearance. Hence the Significance
Of W Il. The Lord in the person Of
the angel looked upon him and said,
seeing all of his natural qualifications.
but with the emphasis upon the "I"
SEQ in thy might . I. have not !
sent thee?
Gideon;Was the,Agent.
iFI.$ Gideon Assured, w. 1886. Gid
cons first act on being assured Of this
heavenly communication was nj Of
worship wv. 1926. His second one
was to take ten picked men and over.
throw the altar to Baal, thereby. dem,
onstrating the impotence Of Baal and
the lfutility Of calling upon him for
d~eliverance. The tribesmen ct once
light upon him as having performed
this act and demand his death from
Joash, his father, who seems to have
been a sort of caretaker of the idol
(v.E25). These same men later become
Gideon's enthusiastic followers wv.
"a, 35). Gideon thus translated theory
into action and gained confidence. It
was one man against the community,
and to, further rebuke them he erected
an altar to Jehovah ". 28).
an altar to Jehovah ". 28). No blast
from Baal struck him or any mark OF
displeasure, hence the suggestiyeness
Of the words Of Joash ". 31). But
now there is another raid ". 33), and
God Is about to strike a blow on be-
half of Israel. Whenever men get
right with God Satan plans a special
assault, 2 Tim. 3:12. A literal rem.
dering of verse "a is, "the Spirit of
the Lord clothed himself with Gideon"
Gideon was merely the agent, the in
strIment through whom and by whom
Jehovah Is about to do a mighty work.
The only satisfactory and sufficient
equipment we can have for effective
service ie the enduement of the Holy
Spirit, Luke 24:4s, Acts IA, s, 8. No
tice this enduement came upon, took
charge of, Gideon. after he had by ODE
dent service shown his trustworthi-
ness. Men recognized in his trumpet
call a note of the authority God had
intrusted him with and Of which his
previous acts were a demonstration.
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