Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-04-16
IMPROVED UNIHoRM INTERNATIONAL
SUYl4YS0[100L
LESSON
tBy REV. p b. FITzWATER, u. D..
Teacher OF English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR APRIL 10
THE VICTORY OF GIpEoN's BAND.

LESSON TEXT--Judges 7.
GOLDEN TEXT-There ID no restraint
to the Lord to save by many or by few
! Sam. 1856
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Judges
b1-4O; S:l-S5
PRIMARY TOPlC-Gideon and His
Three Hundred.
JUNIOR TOPlC-How Gideon Won a
Victory
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Victory by Gods Help.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-one With God a Majority.
so griev0us was Israel's afIllctiOn
thnt they hid In dens, caves and
strongholds Judges 6. y. 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 Gldeon's hesitancy when
called was not due to unbelief, hui 10
modesty and cautiousness. He came
from an obscure and uninnuential fam
lily Judges 6:15). Before going for.
ward he wished to be doubly sure
tJudges 6:38-40). WHEEL once nc was
convinced Of duty he was courageous
and enthusiastic. This is characters
TIC OF all truly great men, outstanding
examples Of which are Luther, Knox
and Calvin.
L. The Opposing Army ". y.
Gideon and us army arose early on
that e,entful day and encampc1 by
the spring of Harod. Over against
them was the host of the Midianltes In
battle array. His army was lnsignlfi-
cant in comparison with the MiCian-
ties.
u. The Sitting Of G,deon's Army
(vv. 2.S)
AT Gldeon's call $4,000 men respond
ed. ready for the struggle. This
seemed small army TO go again3t the
Midianlte army. 10000 strong, but
God said this was too many les. they
he led to Boosting and self-confdcnce.
Their real danger was not In their
small army. but In their pride. All
that were faint-hearted were allowed
TO 90 back, leaving only 10000. There
were 22,00O 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 aler'ress
and watchfuness. This test revealed
the quality and fitness Of the men
whom God would use to win victory.
This sitting process. no doubt, was
trying to Gideon's faith, but h. need
ed to be taught that success In the
Lords work does not depend so much |
upon numbers as upon quality.
III. God Gives Encouragement to
Gideon wv. 9-15.)
God babe Gideon go down To the
Mldianlte camp, where he would hear
something which would cheer his
heart and strengthen his hands. When
he came near he heard man tell
dream, which was that of a barley cake |
tumbling into the camp and shifting il.
He also heard the Interpretation given
to that dream, which made Gideon to
be that cake. This greatly chcered
his heart and strengthened him TO- his
work. and caused his heart to hurst
forth In praise to God. A barley cake
Is very insignificant thing. very
cheap affair in itself, but with the
hand of God upon It, 1t would be suffi-
cient to spread CONSERVATION upon the
Midanites and bring destruction upon
their armies.
W. God Gives Victory to Gideon
wv 1929.
His army was very insignificant and
his weapons most worthless. H's 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 90 forward without
good ground upon which to rest our
faith. Gideon with his 800 men formed
into three companies, each man being
provided with 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. aud to
ever do as he does. AT the proper mo-
ment they blew their trumpets and
broke their pitchers, giving opportun-
lty for their lights to shine out. This
awful crash of breaking pitchers. fol-
lowing the sound Of trumpets. accom-
panied by the shout, "The sword of
the Lord and of Gideon" threw the
Midanites into panic, causing them
to fight among themselves. One hun
bred and twenty thousand were thus
slain, leaving but $4,000 of that mighty
army Judges $40.
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 God; the
torches rs 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, aid as
we sound loud and long the trumpet Of
prayer can we expect victory.