The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1915-01-22

LESSON TE<T-Judges I:i.t it-23.
GOLDEN TExT-SUt b. might. nor b.
power bu, bv my Spirit. saith Jehovah OF
hosts. -Iech. &c II v.
This was the period Of, isrsels
transition from q nomadic to an az.
riculturai life The record We have
10 an alternate succession OF idolatry
and subjueation with a return to lie.
hovah and to liberty.
I. "oideon and Al the People," w.
-. Rallying about him his clansmen
Gideon chose o position al the spring
Of liarod near Jezreei, his back TO Mt.
Gilbos and the Midianites to the north
next to ut. Moreh. He thus con
trolled the fords Of the Jordan and
could prevent the enemy from return.
INK TO their homes In the desert coun.
try. Outwsrdly the great discrepancy
OF numbers made the situation look
dubious for Israel. but In reality the
danger was that the army WAS too
,arge since when the victory was
gained they might 'raunt themselves. "
individuals and churches usually
'ount their strenpih according to mum
beers. See u Cor i?aJ II We desire
Gods strength II must be- as We our
selves are weak lisa 10 2s,. God Is
sometimes limited BY having too many
ana not enough Of the right sort,
when God delivers he leaves no roon
tor boasting IEph : \ O. Rom. . 90.
;ud can say" ~ we'll 10y the few ~
-, VA, many Il samuel 1900. and IRE.
luUutlN uses the weak and d"spisod
higs to coniound the mighty II Cor
-. ~ that mo flesh should Ilor,
~ his presence" ~ Cor | 2Hl These
N"rr twu tests whereby Gideon was
"a select his warriors; 80 Go Ia.
proclaim Nhosoevcr II fearful
lct him return" ". ~. II ~
not we'll to Crliicilc too severely the
:. ma who returned even IN the Gar
I.n not oulN Peter Dut all the disCi
pl"s fotsook III. MASTER and He'd God
iu"s not choose men because they ar"
heroes hut Ia MAX" heroes ~ then,
~ ~" puw"i ~ his might. ,2i Their"
vet another siiiing God gives Gid
ON The clu. " u, W.. To decide by
heir method OF drinking. Thos. who
frank az y dog lapp.ih. we're thos'
iot to he taken oil guard even Will.
thinking
u. Gideon's Second Assurance. w
Us II vas absurd humanity speak
M Tor 'hO men to expect To defeat
~ 0oo God strengthened" Gideon
v M Gideon and phurah. NJ God
'onmaud entered N. valley aud drew
i.af the Mldianilr host Avoiding III.
guard. N any they drew near enough
- hear u man telling his dream To
his rs nothing else than the sword
N Gideon " ~, Gideon worshiped
,;od and NJ one. returned To arouse
the camp Oi israel
~, The Sword OF the Lord and OF
Gideon, w, 1923 In an probability
these men wore their usual Weapon.
as soldiers aud carried food Tor their
rs" IN pursuing the enemy. However
for this midnight attack they needed
only three weapons. lamps pitchers
aud trumpets Each Of these have u
d., Na,, o,,I ps i,o.to;. also n
Cor "a 7 nnd Ez.k aa,a Il, I Cor
II.A G,d.on's s,,,,.,.u n, dIy,d,,,
his ma, into ,hre. c,n,,,ios ami
then as rho n,,cbers mr.. broke, IN
blou tho ,rumn., c.uscd , ,iye,y manic
among the Midiani,es rbnt CiJeo,
mad faith and cour.,. =, ni,ns.,, ami
I'm the word NJ Jehovah N s,,,.s,ed
IN mis- words. Look an me and do
likewise" We are m look IN the "can.
tu,n NJ our Salvation ,Veb ,2,o, ana
by our lives ot obedience proye The
of our life ,.yohn Is.lt
lt:2lI. As already suggested, there
were probably no defenses surround,
Ing the enemy and In the darkness
Gideon and his men easily appros ched
the camp Il In easy TO imagine the
scene--the midnight hour. the army
suddenly awakened by a deafening
shout, the blasts OF trumpets, the 200
torches flashing forth amid the crash
NJ eartbenware and nil NJ this IN