“And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.”
Context:The book of Judges recounts a period in Israel’s history after the death of Joshua when the Israelites repeatedly fell into idolatry and faced oppression from neighboring nations. In Judges 6, we see how the Midianites were oppressing the Israelites, and Gideon was called by God to deliver them.
Gideon’s army:In Judges 7, Gideon had gathered an army of 32,000 men to fight against the Midianites. However, God told Gideon that the people were still too many. God wanted to demonstrate His power by delivering Israel through a smaller number of soldiers, so the glory would be attributed to Him.
Testing the army:God instructed Gideon to bring the people down to the water and perform a test to determine who would go into battle. The test involved observing how the soldiers drank water from the stream. Those who knelt down to drink with their mouths directly in the water were separated from those who brought the water to their mouths with their hands.
The selection process:Out of the 32,000 men, only 300 drank water by bringing it to their mouths with their hands while keeping watch. These 300 men were chosen by God to be Gideon’s army. The rest of the soldiers were sent home. The purpose of this selection was to ensure that God would receive the credit for the victory, as it would be evident that Israel’s deliverance came from His power rather than the strength of their own military.
Lessons for us:
- Trust in God’s guidance:Gideon could have relied solely on the number of soldiers and their military prowess. However, he followed God’s specific instructions and allowed Him to choose the army. This teaches us to trust in God’s guidance even when it goes against conventional wisdom.
- God’s power in weakness:God intentionally reduced the size of the army to demonstrate His power. The victory over the Midianites was not achieved through human strength or resources but through God’s intervention. This reminds us that God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- God’s desire for the glory:By selecting a small and unlikely group of soldiers, God ensured that His power and glory would be evident in the victory. He wanted Israel to understand that their deliverance was not a result of their own might but a demonstration of His faithfulness and power.
Application:In our own lives, we should remember that God is not limited by our circumstances or the resources at our disposal. He often works in unexpected ways and uses seemingly weak or insignificant individuals to accomplish His purposes. We should trust in His guidance, rely on His strength, and give Him the glory for any victories or successes we experience. It is important to study the entire chapter of Judges 7 and the surrounding passages to grasp the full context and lessons from this account.
