Judges 7:1-25
Q.1. How did Israel’s army compare with that of the Midianites and the Amalekites? Why did God want Gideon to prune the size of the army? How were the numbers culled? – (Jdgs.7:1-8) c.f. Jdgs.7:12; 8:10)
The armies of the Midianites and Amalekites numbered one hundred and thirty-five thousand soldiers. Israel’s armies gathered from four tribes came to just thirty-two thousand. Israel was seriously undermanned. However, the Lord told Gideon – … The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, `My own power has delivered me.’ (Jdgs.7:2 c.f. Jdgs. 7:12; 8:10). God then advised Gideon how to prune the numbers back: (i) Twenty-two thousand men were allowed to return home because they were afraid – Jdgs.7:3. (ii) Only three hundred men remained, after the rest kneeled to drink at the brook. Soldiers needed to be on the alert at all times – Jdgs.7:4-6. The returning men gave their provisions to the remaining three hundred, and the Lord promised Gideon – … I will deliver you with the three hundred men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home (Jdgs.7:7). Later, Jonathan would reassure his armour bearer when facing the Philistines before routing them – Perhaps the Lord will work for us, for the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few (1 Sam.14:6). One with God is a majority.
Q.2. How did God bolster up Gideon’s confidence before battle? From where did the dream come? How did Gideon respond to the vision? – (Jdgs.7:9-15)
The Midianite and Amalekite armies were like a swarm of locusts in the valley below (Jdgs.7:12). God renewed His promise to Gideon, that his enemies would be defeated. However, deferring to his timidity, God gave him the option of visiting the camp with his servant and listening to what they heard (Jdgs.7:10-11). Creeping into the camp – 13 behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” 14 His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” (Jdgs.7:13-14). Here God used the enemy to reassure His chosen vessel. How gracious is the Lord. Note Gideon’s response – When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship (Jdgs.7:15). He went straight back and confidently called his troops to action – … Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands (Jdgs.7:15). It is another example of how God will meet us at our level, in order to achieve His purpose.
Q.3. How did Gideon prepare his three hundred soldiers for battle? How can we account for the victory? Why was the rest of the army engaged? What did they do with the leaders of the enemy? –(Jdgs.7:16-25)
God’s battle plans are not always the same, so it is not surprising to observe Gideon’s strategy with his small band of men – He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers (Jdgs.7:16). He called them to follow him, and at his trumpet call his men were to blow their trumpets and call out – For the Lord and for Gideon (Jdgs.7:18). Just after 10 PM, the watchmen changed, and the Midianites all settled down for the night. Gideon then led his three companies forward. With trumpet blasts, pots shattering, and lighted torches, they called out their battle cry – a sword for the Lord and for Gideon (Jdgs.7:20). Pandemonium broke lose in the enemy camp, and – … the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled … (Jdgs.7:22). God routed the enemy in the surprise attack. Gideon called for back-up from some of the other tribes. He sent soldiers from the neighbouring tribe of Ephraim to cut off access to the water supplies of Beth-barah, and the Jordan (Jdgs.7:24). These soldiers succeeded in capturing the two leaders of the Midianites. They executed them and carried back their heads to Gideon, as proof of their victory. God reminded the nation that with Him at the helm, nothing is impossible