Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-01-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson !V.-FirSt Quarter, For
ian. "a, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Zech. iv, e. Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stcarns.
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 delivcrance and that under
Gideon the country was in quietness
forty years tchapter viii. 2Sl. In these
three chapters Gideons 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 de.ivcrance. with an onward
look to a greater deliyerance by Il
greater Deliverer. are found in Isa. TX.
A.; X. &c. 81: Ps lXxxiii. o
When the Spirit Of the Lord clothed
Himself with Gideon and he blew the
trumpet $4,000 from several of the
tribes We're gathered unto him. which
seemed Il very small number to so
against an army which WIS without
number and as grasshoppers for null
titude chapter vi, D. $3.50. According
to Deut xxi. 80. they would howev
er, be equal to 32.0G0,G00 of the enemy
or even lG0.000.000. 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 oversees 9 81
This was according to the law in Deut
Xxx. s. and reduced Gideon's army to
10000.
am interested to know what Gideon
thought when the Lord said The PEG
pie are yet too many" or if he made
any remarks when he saw the 10000
dwindle down to only 800. but shall
have to wait. The lesson Of Ii Chron.
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,
37;aII Pet iii. 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 discipleship seems
too great M.uke xiv, 33). If all the
| fearful ones and the ease loving ones
in our churches We're 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
Ola, 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
adyance-three companies of 100 each
and each man with Il trumpet in one
hand and concealed lamp in the 9th.
err. Was there ever anything SO seem
ingly ridiculous in the annals of war
fare? But lie did it who uses things
that are not to bring to naught things
that are. He filled with food thousands
of hungry people by means of few
loaves and fishes which 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 ! do SO shall We do" verse 10.
These are the Captains orders. and to
us today the word is "Follow Thou
Mer'
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
a 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. It is still true
that the weapons Of our warfare are
not csrnal. but mighty through God te
the pulling down of stronghods I'll Cor
<, AZ.
There will always be faultfnder.
like the men of Ephraim. and we ar,
apt to forget that soft answer turn
eth away wrath chapter viii. IS; Prov
XIV. H.. There are often ungratefu
scofrers who need to be taught by
! thorns and briers chapter viii. 60, 1G
: ~. and there is rarely an Abigail tt
plead for the fools who act thus fool
ishly Il Sam. XIV, 10, II. 23-3D. Thu
wisdom Of Gideon is seen in his say
ing to those who desired him to rul
over them. ~ will not rule over you
-" the Lord shall rule over you
(viii. %. 80. The folly of Gideon 1
seen in his leading Israel to worship
). an ephod instead Of the Living God
who had spoken to Israel by the URN
and Thummim IN the breastpate OF
the ephod will. 24-21; FIX. xviii
G-15. 3O).
Oh. the weakness and sinfulness o
our poor humanity, and how necessar
: the admonition. Let him that thinket
he standeth take heed lest he fall!
q Cor. X. 12.) So we learn again tina
&c nf hum ma