The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-01-19

I,
hostS.-Zech. 40 r. V.
This was the period of Israel's
transition from nomadic to an ag-
r1cultural life. The record we have
is an alternate succession of idolatry
and subjugation with return to Je-
hovah and to liberty.
|. "Gideon and All the People," Wv.
1-8. Rallying about him his clansmen
Gideon chose a position at the spring
of Harod near Jezreel, his back to Mt.
Gilboa and the Midianites to the north
next to Mt. Moreh. He thus con-
trolled the fords of the Jordan and
could prevent the enemy from return
ing to their homes in the desert coun-
try. Outwardly the great discrepancy
of numbers made the situation look
dubious for Israel, but in reality the
danger was that the army was too
large, since when the victory was
gained they might ''vaunt themselves"
individuals and churches usually
count their strength according to num-
bers. (See II Cor. 12:9.) If we desire
Gods strength it must be as we our
selves are weak elsa. 40:29). God is
sometimes limited by having too many
and not enough of the right sort.
When God delivers he leaves nc room
for boasting (Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 3:2O.
God can save as we'll by the few as
by the many q Samuel 1870, and fre-
quently uses the weak and despised
things to confound the mighty q Cor.
1:27, 2S), that mo flesh should glory
in his presence q Cor. 1920. These
were two tests whereby Gideon was
to select his warriors: CD go to,
proclaim {. whatsoever is fearful
g.. let him return" ". 81. 1t is
not we'll to criticize too severely the
$4,000 who returned; even in the Gar
den not only Peter, but all the disci-
pies forsook the Master and fed. God
does not choose men because they are
heroes, but to make heroes of them
by the power of his might. CD There
is yet another sitting. God gives Gid
con the clue ". a., viz, to decide by
their method of drinking. Those who
drank "as a dog lappeth," were those
not to be taken off guard even while
drinking An OK Clues his eyes upon
the water and is oblivious to all else,
not so dog. God cares more for
quality than for quantity and there
were too many towards, too many
who thought, most of self-comfort, to
allow them to enter this battle. 1t
was also a strange equipment God
gave this army. All they took was
food and trumpets ". 81. The all
essential things for the followers Of
Christ are the word of God for food
q Pet. 2:2) and the voice of prayer
for a trumpet (Num. 1919, 10; II
Chron. 1874; Rev. 12:1D.
II. Gideon's Second Assurance, wv.
9-15. 1t was absurd, humanity speak
ing, for 800 men to expect to defeat
1876, 900. God strengthened" Gideon
(v ~. Gideon and Phurah, at Gods
command, entered the valley and drew
near the Midianite host. Avoiding the
guard, if any, they drew near enough
to hear man telling his dream to
Ibis fellow" The latter interprets
this as nothing else than the Sword
of Gideon" w. 14). Gideon worshiped
God and at once returned to arouse
the camp of Israel.
Ill. The Sword of the Lord and Of
Gideon, Wv. 1928. In all probability
these men wore their usual weapons
as soldiers and carried food for their
use in pursuing the enemy. However,
for this midnight attack they needed
only three weapons, lamps, pitchers
and trumpets. Each Of these have a
spiritual suggestion for the Christian.
(See Matt 25:4; Ps. 119:105; also II
Cor. 4:6, Z, and Eek. 1878, 6; l. Cor.
14:S) Gideon's stratagem of dividing
his men into three companies and
then as the pitchers are broken to
blow the trumpet caused lively panic
among the Midianites. That Gideon
had faith and courage in himself, and
in the word of Jehovah, is suggested
in his words, Look on me and do
likewise" We are to look to the cap
tain of our salvation" (Heb. 1922 and
by our lives of obedience prove the
devotion of our life John 1914,
14:21). AS already suggested, there
were probably no defenses surround
ing the enemy and in the darkness
Gideon and his men easily approached
the camp. 1t is easy to imagine the
scene-the midnight hour, the army
suddenly awakened by a deafening
shout, the blasts of trumpets, the 300
torches flashing forth amid the crash
Of earthenware, and all of this in
dense darkness. The Midianites in
the confusion. turned their weapons
against each other and fed toward
the Jordan and into the regions be-
yond toward the desert Others fol-
lowed by the ten thousand, fleeing to-
ward Succoth and Penuel. We of
this day have our wars and battles
against the wrongs, the principalities
and powers Of evil, which are around
us and within us. Such battles re-
quire the same courage, and skill, and
conservation of ourselves, as did the
wars of those ancients against the
enemies that threatened the very ex-
istence of the people of God. (Sae
Eph 6:10-18; I Tim. 6:12) The
trumpets were call to God and
type of prayer; the pitchers (eartten
vessels) type of our frail bodies in
wh-ch we have the treasure of the
gospel truth G Cor. 4:6, Z, Matt
$50. Our business is to blow long