God Prepares Gideon for Battle

Vol 2 - No 25, September 9, 2006

Gideon's witness of faith - Part 3:

Our last study left off at the point where the Lord chose only 300 men to accompany Gideon, Judges 7:3 - 73 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

, to defeat an army of 135,000, Judges 8:1010 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

. His purpose for using only 300 instead of a much larger force was to make sure Israel would have no reason to boast or glory in themselves but to impress upon them that God gave the victory to them - Judges 7:22 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

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The next few verses of the text demonstrate God's sensitivity to the doubts/fears of Gideon who faced an impossible task, humanly speaking. He had just sent 31,700 men home leaving only 300 with which to face an enormous army but the Lord did not expect him to charge in blindly with no understanding of what lay in store. Accordingly, the night after Gideon sent the majority of his army home the Lord appeared and told him to go down to where the Midianites were camped where he would be able to hear for himself what they were talking about and this would fortify and give him resolve to proceed. We know Gideon was frightened because God told him to take his servant Phurah with him if he feared, and Gideon took Phurah with him - Joshua 7:8 - 118 O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

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When Gideon and Phurah arrived at the enemy camp a Midionite soldier was overheard telling another about a dream just experienced. The two soldiers had probably been recently awakened to stand guard together on the periphery of the encampment when the watch changed. The soldier said he dreamed he saw a loaf of barley bread roll down a hill into the Midianite camp and strike a tent, turning it over - Joshua 7:1313 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

. Just as God had caused this dream in the first soldier He also gave the interpretation thereof to the second soldier who answered: "This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host." Judges 7:1414 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

. Thus God arranged not only for a foreboding of fear to prevail in the Midianite camp through the soldier's thoughts and dreams but also for Gideon to know of it, giving him the assurance needed to proceed.

Upon overhearing the soldier's conversation Gideon recognized the Lord's work and worshipped Him in thanks. He then returned to his camp and told his men to get up from their sleep because God had already given them victory over the enemy - Judges 7:1515 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

. Gideon divided his army into three (3) groups of 100 men each and instructed each group to go to a different location at points around the enemy encampment. Each man was to carry a lamp/torch within an earthen/clay pitcher in their left hand and a trumpet in their right. Once the three (3) groups were in place they waited for Gideon to give the signal. First Gideon and the 100 men with him, followed by the other two (2) groups of 100 all broke their earthen/clay pots exposing their torches. Then they blew their trumpets and shouted "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." - Joshua 7:16 - 2016 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:

17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:

18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

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The huge Midianite army, having been mentally prepared by dreams and rumors, was awakened by the sound of trumpets blaring and crashing earthen/clay pots; saw the lights around their encampment and heard the shouting. In a frenzy of confusion in the darkness they struck out with their weapons wounding and killing each other while trying to escape. The word tells us that those who were not killed ran to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath - Joshua 7:21 - 2221 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

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The 300 with Gideon had to have been men possessed with unmovable faith as we consider what they did under the circumstances, but then God chose them for their faith and not for their fighting ability. They themselves did not hear the Midianite soldiers talking but had only been told this by Gideon. So it was faith (the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, Hebrews 1:11 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

) in the Word of Gideon which motivated and animated them. We can picture them making their way in the dark to the edge of the huge enemy camp where they stood silently holding not a weapon but a torch covered by an earthen pot in one hand and a trumpet in the other. When they heard and saw their leader break his pot and blow his trumpet, they obediently followed suit. They were indeed a cool headed lot and this is a lesson for us today, for as the Apostle Paul wrote: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," 2 Timothy 3:16 & 1716 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

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The primary lesson taught by Gideon's experience for Israel at the time, as well as for us today is that the Lord provides through His working and power and not by man's. During His ministry on earth it was revealed that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, John 1:4 - 94 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

; 3:19 - 21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46, etc. Understanding this, the Apostle Paul teaches facts concerning believers living today that are analogous to Gideon's experience: 1) our bodies are but earthen vessels as referred to in 2 Corinthians 4:77 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

(God originally fashioned man from the dust of the ground, Genesis 2:77 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

, and it is to that state our bodies return upon death); and 2) it is within the earthen bodies of believers that Jesus Christ dwells - I Corinthians 3:16 & 17; 6:19: 2 Corinthians 6:1616 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

. As Gideon and his men broke their earthen vessels so their lights could shine Paul teaches: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." - Romans 12:11 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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And by inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul wrote: "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." - 2 Corinthians 4:5 - 115 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

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God's promises to us in this age of Grace have nothing to do with a miraculous victory in battle like Gideon experienced: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" - 2 Corinthians 10:3 - 53 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." - Ephesians 6:1212 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

. Following this verse Paul describes our battle armor consisting of five (5) defensive weapons; truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith and salvation; and one (1) offense weapon which is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God - Ephesians 6:13 - 1713 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

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The next verse is very important because in it Paul tells us our mission, or what we are to do being armed as just described: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" - Ephesians 6:1818 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

. The "all saints" referred to is the Body of Christ living here on earth, which is made up of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ; His called out ones. It is this body of believers that Satan and his cohorts attempt to tear apart and destroy by any means possible. And it is only by being armed with the Lord Jesus Christ and in prayer and watching for our fellow members of the Body of Christ (all saints) that the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spiritual wickedness in high places will be defeated.