The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-16

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 call and work
OF Gideon, the sixth Judge, "the chill
dren of Israel cried unto heaven" and
God sent unto them a prophet who en-
couraged their tagging faith in Jeho-
yah and turned them, back to him
6:1-10). The now impoverished and
overTidden 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.
!. Gideon In Prayer, w. 11-13. That
the "angel Of Jehovah" was a mani
festation Of Jehovah is clear from o
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
81, 2; Gen. 1910, 10, R. W. 1t was
thus that Abraham saw my day"
(John 1850. 1.-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 Cps. 1900.
The father of Gideon is passed by, for
he was a w%orshiper of Baal ". 25).
They who bear the vessels of the Lord,
those through whom he works, must
con came to him (D while he was
alone, as he was threshing wheat in
the hiding place of a w~inepress, 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
nearest his hand ". IL, Elk. 81, q;
Luke 2:8, 81. 1t was a strange word,
thou mighty man of valour." one of
fact and prophecy as well. 1t was a
brave thing, thus to be faithful and
to receive this call (3) in a time of
great distress and danger. The sequel,
which forms ext Sundays lesson, is
the fulfllment OF the prophecy.
u. Gideon in Doubt, w. 1916. Gid
cons thought must have been one OF
amazement as we'll as of doubt. His
1,,oANf4- aFVITI,, ALz- l. n ~ L-EI
len u.s." was a most natural one and
n that men even now are asking
when they are in great trouble. Suf-
fering and misery are not all to be laid
at Gods door, though he permit it, but
chiefly at the door of sin Cps. 77:7-9;
lisa. 49:1, p. 1t is possible that Gid
con had not yet recognized his heav.
emily visitor (ct. V. 21). The name
Gideon ean "Hewer" or "Treefeller'
and indicates, as all eastern names do,
something of his personal character
or appearance. Hence the significance
OF v. IA. 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 q
go in thy might have not |
sent thee?"
Gideon Was the Agent.
III. Gideon Assured, w. 1885. Gid
cons first act on being assured of this
heavenly communication was one of
worship wv. 1890. 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 futility Of calling upon him for
deliverance. The tribesmen at 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
". 25). These same men later become
Gideon's enthusiastic followers wv.
"a, 35). Gideon thus translated theory
into action and gained confidence. 1t
was n man against the community,
and to further rebuke them he erected
an altar to Jehovah ". 2S).
an altar to Jehovah ". 2S). No blast
from Baal struck him or any mark OF
displeasure, hence the suggestiveness
Of the words Of Joash ". 81. 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 81 is, "the Spirit OF
the Lord clothed himself with Gideon"
Gideon was merely the agent, the In
strument 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 24:49, 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.
~. GIdeon's Caution, w. 36-4O. Spur.
geon said that he never entered his
pulpit to preach without trembling,
and Gideon would have been more
than human, ven after assembling his
army, had he been absolutely free from
doubts. We should never place an
IF" before any of Gods promises, and
Jesus ~reprimanded those OF his day
when they demanded a Sign" (won-
der), but Gideon proved his heroism
in part by his caution. Gideon was
afraid of himself but was sure of God.
| Opoa aaartrod ~ Gods lao dtnn ~