Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-11-25
improved Uniform international
Sil19ldaySchool
y Lesson '
tBy REV. r. h. FlTZwATER. DID. DeAu
of Day and Evening Schools. Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago.)
10 1885 Western Newspaper union.l
Lesson for November %
GIDEON AND THE THREE HUN.
DRIED


LESSON TExT--Judges f:1-15
GOLDEN TExT--Be strong In the
Lord and In the power of His might
PRIMARY TOPIC-Gideon and His
Brave Band
JUNIOR ToPIC--A Brave Leader
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
roPIC--Gideon and the Three Hundred
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC--working Together with God
Because of Israel's sin. God per
mitted them to be brought under the
cruel yoke OF bondage at the hands
Of the Mldianites. SO grievous was
this affiiction that they hid In dens,
caves and strongholds tJudg 6:2l.
In their distress they cried unto the
Lord and He sent deliverance to them
through the judgeship Of Gideon. The
angel of the Lord appeared to him
while at the post of duty. Gideon
hesitated. His hesltancy was moi due
to un1elief but to modesty and eau
tiousness, He came from an obscure
and uninfluential family (Judg. 6:15).
Before going forward In this enter
prise he wished TO be doubly sure that
The tangible evidence was furnished
by means of the fleece. Gideon began
his reformatory work at once tJudg.
8 25-2O. He not only began at once,
but began ut home. This Is Gods
ordeA.
l. The Opposing Armies ". ID.
Gideon and his army arose early on
the eventful day Of his victory and
encamped by the spring OF Herrod.
Over against them was the host Of
Midianites In battle array. Gideon's
army was quite insignificant in com
parison with the Midianites.
u. The Sitting Of oideon's Army
(vv. 2-S).
At Gideon's call. $4,000 men re-
sponded ready for the struggle. This
seemed small army to go against the
Midianlte army--135.000 strong. but
God said even this was too many. lest
they be led to Boosting and seif-con-
fidence. Their real danger was not
in their small army but In their pride.
All that were faint-hearted were al
lowed to go back, leaving only 10000.
There were 1900 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
men, but not of proper quality and
dtness. Those who Tapped the water
showed alertness and watchfulness
| ~. God Gives Encouragement to
Gideon wv. 9-15).
God commanded Gideon to 90 down
to the Midianite camp where he would
hear something that would cheer his
heart and strengthen his hands. God
| always comes to cheer us when our
hearts are faint. When he came near
he heard a man tell 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 him to break forth in
| praise to God. The barley cake Is
very insignificant thing--a very cheap
affair in itself, but with the hand Of
| God upon I; It would be sufficient to
spread CONSERVATION among the Mid
ianites and bring destruction upon
| their armies. No matter how weak
and Insignificant man may be, II
God is with him he shall not fail.
w. God Gives Victory to Gideon
| wv. 1929.
| His attack was unique. The whole
matter was Of faith (Heb. II 1927. The
| ground of his faith was Gods Word
and the token which He had given
him. Gideon with his 300 men formed
into three companies, each man being
| provided with lamp concealed with.
| In pitcher Thus armed they sur.
| rounded the camp Of the Midianites.
| They were all instructed 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 oppor-
tunity for their lights to shine out.
This awful crash OF breaking pitchers,
followed by the sound of trumpets
accompanied by the shout "the sword
of the Lord and Of Gideon" threw the
Midianites into panic. causing them
to fight amongst themselves: 10000
were thus slain, leaving but 1900 of
that mighty army (Jndg. 810).
In making the application to our.
selves In this age. we can think Of
the sound OF the trumpets as repre-
senting prayer or calling to God; the
torches as the light Of the Gospel; the
pitchers our human nature, the whole