Who is on the Lord’s Side?
March 25, 2021
Commentary
Israel gathered 32,000 troops at a spring called Hard at the foot of Mt. Gilboa (v. 1). However, the Lord objected to this number and commanded Gideon to send those who were afraid back home which amounted to two thirds of the men (vv. 2-3). Again, the Lord objected to the size of Gideon’s army and another 9,700 were sent home which only left him with 300 men (v. 4). This was accomplished by taking them to the water and watching them take a drink (vv. 5-8). That night, the LORD said to Gideon. “Attack the Midianite camp. I am going to let you defeat them (vv. 9-12).”
God then gave Gideon another special sign that he would win the battle through a strange dream by two enemy soldiers (vv. 13-14). Gideon overheard a conversation between these two soldiers about a barley cake that rolled into camp and smashed down a Midian tent. The barley cake represented none other than Gideon the leader of the Israelites who was to win a great victory. As soon as Gideon heard about the dream and what it meant, he bowed down to praise God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and shouted, “ Let’s go! The LORD is going to let us defeat the Midianites (v. 15).”
Application
Do I believe God wants me to win great battles in life? On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being great faith) how would I rate myself in faith?
Judges 7:1– 15 (NET)
1 Jerub Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’ 3 Now, announce to the men, ‘Whoever is shaking with fear may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” 22,000 men went home; 10,000 remained. 4 The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; when I say, ‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.” 5 So he brought the men down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” 6 Only 300 men lapped with their hands to their mouths; the rest of the men kneeled to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.” 8 The men who were chosen took supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; he kept only 300 men. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.
9 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up! Attack the camp, for I am handing it over to you. 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with Purah your servant 11 and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave and attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to where the sentries were guarding the camp. 12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. The man said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.” 14 The other man said, “Without a doubt this symbolizes the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.”
15 When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord is handing the Midianite army over to you!”