Gideon Goes To War. Judges 7

 

Judges 7. Gideon Goes to War

 

God has always given a filling of the Spirit to the man that He uses. Gideon was certainly not a man prepared to lead them into battle.  So, God begins to move in this man’s life in a definite way. Gideon looks at his army.  He had thirty-two thousand men. In Gideon’s mind it is not enough.  But God said to Gideon, “You have too many men.”  In Deuteronomy it states, “if anyone was drafted into the army and was afraid, he could go home.” So, now only ten thousand remain and God says, “you still have too many men.” So, Gideon and his men went through another test. Bring them down to the water, and the ones who lap water like a dog are the ones I have chosen.

God elects, but He lets us be the one to make the choice. Each one of the ten thousand men in Gideon’s army exercised his free will.

Gideon’s band was a group of dedicated men, willing to die to deliver Israel, men who had their hearts and souls in this matter. These men lapped up water like a dog because they were after the Midianites and not after water.  They will drink water after the battle is over.

After the men are chosen, Gideon goes down to the edge of the camp and eavesdrops while two soldiers are talking. They believe that God is going to deliver the Midianites into the hands of Gideon and his army.  God permits Gideon to hear this conversation to encourage him just prior to battle. He divides his three hundred men into three groups. They are given pitchers, lamps, and trumpets.  The lamps were put inside the pitchers so that the light could not be seen. Their cry was to be “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” Gideon did not have a sword and neither did his army. The Midianites had kept the weapons for themselves.  They blew their trumpets and broke the pitchers so that the light shone out. The first thing the Midianites did after being startled awake was swinging their swords in every direction. They were going after each other. The Midianites soon fled over the hills into the tall timber and out of that area. This gave Gideon and the Israelites a tremendous victory.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.