Americus times-recorder., 1920-04-13
IMPROVED UNIFORn INTERNATIONAL
SUNlYSQ1OOL
LESSON
tBy REV. p. B. FITzWATER u. D.,
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of ChicagoD
Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Unionl
LESSON FOR APRIL 18
THE VICTORY OF elDEoN's BAND.

/ LESSON TEXT-Judges Z.
GOLDEN TEXT-There is no restraint
TO the Lord to save by many or by few
/ Sam, 14:6.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Judges
/ 61-4O; sI-25
PRIMARY TOPIC-Gideon and His
Three Hundred.
JUNIOR TOPIC-How Gideon Won a
Victory.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Victory by Gods Help
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
One With God a Majority
So grievous was Israers afF1iction
that they hid in dens, caves and
strongholds Judges 6: %. In their
distress they cried unto the Lord, and
again he heard them and sent deliver
ance, The angel of the Lord appeared
to Gideon while at the post of duty.
God always calls men who are doing
something Gideon's heSitancy when
called was not due to unbelief, but to
modesty and cautiousness. When once
he was convinced Of duty he was
NOul dSCOuo anu SHlHuStdSllt.
!. The Opposing Army ". u.
Gideon and his army arose early on
that eventful day and encamped by
the spring of Harod. Over against
them was the host of the Midianites In
battle array. His army was insigniff-
cant in comparison with the Mi6ian-
ties.
H. The Sitting OF Gideon's Army
(vv. 2-8).
At Gideon's call $4,000 men respond
ed, ready for the struggle. This
seemed small army to go against the
Midianite army, $4,000 strong, but
God said this was too many lest they
pe led to boasting and self-confidence.
Their real danger was not in their
small army, but In their pride. All
that were faint-hearted were allowed
to go back, leaving only 10000 There
were $4,000 towards In that group of
men. and. worst of all, they were not
ashamed to confess it. Still this was
too many. When God was through with
his sitting process only 300 remained.
The 10000 were brave men, but not of
proper quality and fitness. Those who
Tapped the water showed alertness
and watchfulness This test revealed
the quality and fitness of the men
whom God would use to win victory.
III. God Gives Encouragement to
Gideon (vv. 9-15.)
God bade Gideon go down to the
Midiante camp, where he would hear
something which would cheer his
heart and strengthen his hands When
he came near he heard a man tell a
dream, which was that of barley cake
tumbling into the camp and shifting 1t.
He also heard the Interpretation given
to that dream, which made Gideon to
be that cake. This greatly cheered
his heart and strengthened him for his
work, and caused his heart to burst
forth In praise to God. A barley cake
is q very insignificant thing, very
cheap affair In itself, but with the
hand Of God upon it, it would be suffi-
cient to spread CONSERVATION upon the
Midianites and bring destruction upon
their armies.
~. God Gives Victory to Gideon
wv. 1929.
His army was very Insignificant and
his weapons most worthless. His at
tack was unique. The whole matter
was of faith (Heb. II :32). The ground
Of his faith was Gods word and the
token which he had given him. God
does not ask us to go forward without
good ground upon which to rest our
faith. Gideon with his 300 men formed
into three companies, each man being
provided with a trumpet and with a
lamp concealed within pitcher. Thus
armed, they surrounded the camps Of
the Midianites. They were all instruct
ed to keep their eyes upon their leader
and initiate him. We, too, are to keep
our eyes on our leader, Christ, and to
ever do as he does. At the proper mo-
ment they blew their trumpets and
broke their pitchers, giving oppOrtun-
ity for their lights to shine out. This
awful crash of breaking pitchers, fol-
lowing the sound of trumpets, accom-
panied by the shout 1.-THE sword Of
the Lord and of Gideon" threw the
Midianites into a panic, causing them
to fight among themselves. One hun
dred and twenty thousand were thus
slain, leaving but 5000 of that mighty
army Judges S:10).
In making the application to our
selves in this age, we can think of the
sounding of the trumpets as represent
ing prayer, or calling to Cod; the
torches, as the light of the gospel; the
pitchers, our human nature; and the
whole, as this treasure in earthen yes
sells. Only as the pitchers were broken
to allow the light to shine forth, and as
we sound loud and long the trumpet Of
prayer can we expect victory.
Doinu the Will of God.