The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-01-13

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
stdsf Lights on Nest Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles 4. Meyers.
January 1.-THE Call of Gideon
Judges 6: lido.
We have for our lesson this week
and next the most Interesting story
Of the doings Of Gideon, one OF the
great characters of the Old Testament
history. Such was the striking char
acter of his career that strong band
of travelling men IN this country are
proud to have an organization with his
name at the head. This alone makes
plain that Gideon was no ordinary
person. I'D
For the sake of those, who do not
know as to the place iii the bible we
are studying and low things were at
the time, q space must be taken to ex.
plain about this matter: We are study.
ing about the history of the Jewish
people in days 1900 years before the
birth OF Christ. They were living in
the country we now call Palestine.
They were Gods chosen people and
He had shown them many favors, such
as taking them out of Egyptian captiv.
tty, preserving their Hives In a journey
in the Arabian desert for forty years,
giving them the chance to have and
hold all the land they needed in the
country just east of the Mediterranean
sea. They had been told to take pos.
session of the land and drive all peo.
pie who were idOlaters out, and then
to keep entirely separate from them.
This the. Jews did not do. They we're
told also to never depart from the.
Worship OF the true God who had
shown His kindness and goodness to
them. This these Jews did not do.
h Our lesson Of last Sunday told OF the
deliyerance from their enemies of the
Jews under tile leadership OF a great
woman, Deborah. One might Have
thought that this experience would
have taught them to Keep close to God,
hut alas, it did not. After few years
81 they went into idolatry as peo-
pie. Some remained faithful, and one
Of these was a young, man named Gid.
con. 7, would appear that the Oppres-
sors OF the Jews at, this time were a
band of Arabs known in those days as
Mdianites.. They terrorized over the
Jews, taking their crops and running
off with their herds. The Jews felt
the oppression and began to pray to
God for deliverahce. Our lesson will
tell how this came.
i It would appear. that Gideon, as the
grain became ripe. thought to save
some for his fathers family by Sc.
cretly thrashing il out in place where
the Midianites would not find him.
While thus at work a stranger came
near and began talking about the sad
condition Of the Jews at this time. Fin.
ally the stranger said. Jehovah is
with thee, though mighty man of val
or" Gideor, replied that he had
doubts whether Jehovah was with his
people now, because II He was He
would not let them be SO oppressed by
their enemies. He recalled what had
been done in the far past, but said
he saw nothing now to show God cared.
for the Jews. The stranger was in
truth q messenger for God to invite
Gideon to lead revolt against the
Midianites and again establish the true
religion in the land.
1t is not my intention to here tell
verse by verse the history Of Gideon
at this time. Suffice it to say that
when convinced that God would truly
be with him. Gideon acted with prompt
ness and vigor. He began right at
home. His father had become a wor.
slipper Of Baal and had cultivated a
fine grove about an altar at which he
offered prayers and worship to the
heather diety. Gideon with the aid of
servants OF the house cut down this
grove, overtllfew the altar OF Baal and
built in its place one Of the true God,
and then offered sacrifices on 1t as the
custom OF the children of Israel called
for. This was done at night and in
the morning the followers OF Daal
were indignant and wanted to have
him killed for his outrageous conduct.
This they could not do. The INDIAN.
ties arose at once with their armies
and began an advance on the coun.
try where Gideon lived. They saw
clearly what the act OF Gideon meant
the rebellion against them and their
religion.
Gideon was now beyond the place
Of being timid. He blew his trumpet
and aroused his fellow Jews to gather
for war. To be very sure that God
was with him and would give victory,
Gideon asked for tests as to his lead
ership. To make these a fleece OF
wool was put outdoors and one night
it was dry, and all the ground about
wet with dew, and the next, the fleece
was wet and the ground dry. Then
Gideon was ready for action. What he
did forms the subject of the lesson
next week.
We will now take a little time to-
see what this history of Gideon has for
us. First, when the Jews prayed TO-
God for help their prayers were heard
and answered. These. prayers must
have had in them confession Of sin
Ind wrong doing, or they would not,
have been heard Second, the leader
was taken from a young man of lowly
family. Gideon was humble, not an.
xious for the place He insisted on
proving the messenger sent him. Even
when at the head of troops he insisted
on further evidence that God was to
be with him. We car. learn from this
that the humble boy or girl, busy with
the ordinary things of life, can be
called to do great things for God. In
deed it will be found that the men and
OF today who are taking first
place as preachers, teachers. mis-.
sionaries came from the lowly home