For the Lord And Gideon
Opening Prayer
Lord, Your Word is my guide and Your promises are sure. Open my heart to today’s opportunities and possibilities.
Read Judges 7:15–24a
15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”
19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”
So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble’” (Jas. 4:6).
Think Further
It was a spectacular victory. The Midianites panicked when Gideon’s disciplined army blew their trumpets, released their lights and shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon” (20). They thought that their Israelite attackers were more numerous than they were and in their confusion turned and killed each other. Counter-intelligence and deception have always been key strategies in warfare, as stories from modern warfare still testify, and Gideon employed both to good effect.
However, in what should have been an unalloyed victory, one troubling note is sounded. Twice we are told that the army was to shout, “For the LORD and for Gideon” (18,20). We might be tempted to dismiss this as quite harmless. After all, Gideon was God’s appointed deliverer, present with and visible to his troops in a way God himself was not. Any human leader worth his or her salt would motivate the soldiers and inspire affection, as Gideon seems to have done. They were fighting for him as well as for the Lord, just as many soldiers take pride in fighting for their generals. Yet this raises a niggling doubt. Given what was said in verse 2 and, even more, what is to emerge in 8:22–27, doesn’t this shout ring an alarm bell? Was Gideon seeking to share the glory with God? Did he want to nudge God aside, just a little, to secure his own place in history? Was this pride, the deadliest of all sins? The cry should have been “for God and his glory alone.” Wasn’t it God who dictated the strategy, against Gideon’s own plans, and God who delivered the surprising victory? As Paul said to the Corinthians, “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants.” It is God who makes things grow. Any reward they deserve will come later (1 Cor. 3:5–8).
Apply
What spiritual practices (disciplines) and practical steps can you take to cultivate humility?
Closing prayer
Mighty God, I resonate with John the Baptist who said, “He (Christ) must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30, KJV). Bring forth Your fruit in my life.
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