Small Army, Big Faith
Finally the day of battle arrives, God is with Gideon and so is his army of 30,000 men. Were God to allow Gideon to go up against the armies of the enemy with this number, then they might think it was all human endeavour and overlook the miracle of God's actions.
20,000 of the men are "trembling with fear" so are allowed to leave the battle-ground. Another 9,700 fail the "drinking test" and are dismissed from the army leaving a small force of 300 (1 out of every 100 of the original army). With 300 against the huge enemy army the odds are surely now against any "strength of numbers" argument.
Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
"Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 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.'" 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. 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!" While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
Judges 7: 16-21 [NIV]
This is a perfect illustration of our equation from Tuesday:
Weakness + God = Victory - Do you trust God enough to work miracles with a very small army?
- Is the fear and trembling of the army diminishing your faith?
- Are you confident that God is faithful and unchanging, to claim new victories today?
Pray for the faith and the army to achieve all that God wants you to do this week, this month and this year.
Dave MacLellan
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