GOD GIVES VICTORY. Judges 7 Gideon blew the trumpet, symbolizing the Spirit of God upon him. The people gathered together to prepare for battle, and Gideon and everyone rose early. They pitched camp beside the well Harod, which means trembling. Midian was located to their north. Their position was significant. Camping by the hill of Moreh, which means instruction, reminds us that victory comes "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." When 32,000 men—mainly unarmed and untrained farmers and laborers—were called to face an army of 135,000, many of whom could ride into battle on camels, it was natural for them to feel fear and trepidation. The remarkable part of the situation was that the Lord had already promised victory before the battle even began.
The Lord was the Supreme Commander of Israel's army, and His battle plan was quite different from what we would see as the proper way to face an enemy. The location at Harod (trembling) may refer to the Israelites' timidity or the Midianites' panic when Gideon and his 300 men attacked. God reduced the army's size to highlight who would truly bring victory. There were several exemptions from military service for the Israelites. For example, a man who built a new home and hadn’t moved in yet, a vineyard that was recently planted and had not produced fruit, a man engaged to be married, or someone who was genuinely afraid and might demoralize others could avoid serving in the military.
Fear is a real emotion, but in our weakness, we can still trust God. He knows how to give us courage and strength despite fear. He understands what we need to overcome during times of uncertainty. Truly, we are only useful in proportion to our humility and faith. Practical dependence on the Lord allows us to see the bigger picture and gain the insight needed to start and complete our divinely appointed tasks.
In our fragile humanity, we often cannot look beyond our human experience and reasoning to the authority and power of our sovereign Lord. To set these aside and move confidently forward by faith is not common among men. By His choosing, we must learn from the Lord that self-sufficiency is a serious handicap in spiritual warfare. We will find ourselves on the losing side when we think we can win battles with our own strength.
Common sense practices apply when called upon to serve God in any situation. There needs to be a sense of timing. Don't wait until it is too late to address the immediate problem. Gideon and those with him rose up early. Another key point, after evaluating a situation as God sees it, is to focus first on the matters at hand that must be dealt with before tackling the larger issue. Warfare without preparation almost guarantees losing the battle. Arrogance and pride have no place in the work of the Lord. When God says there are too many men, there are too many, regardless of what we think. When testing the faith of the Lord's people, that must be done with understanding. Confidence in the outcome of a battle against temptation and challenge must come from trusting the Lord - not ourselves. When gathering the Lord's people, I ask myself, "Do I cause strife or promote unity?" Spirit-filled people will always bring God's people together.
When we are obedient to God's will, even when we're afraid, we can find assurance from Him when we ask. That strengthens us for the tasks ahead. We can feel encouraged about the outcome when God provides His word and reassurance. Even so, military intelligence, as seen with Gideon, was a common-sense step, and the Lord wanted His servant to be strong in faith. In compassion and grace, the Lord sent Gideon and his servant Purah to the Midianite camp to give them the reassurance they needed. At that great camp, at the exact place and moment, God used a dream about a barley cake to strengthen Gideon's faith.
God can use the least and lowest to bring out the best and highest. The Lord assured Gideon again of victory through one soldier telling his dream to another. The sovereign Lord controls even the "thoughts and intents" of the hearts and minds of all men. In that way, no person is exempt from their responsibility to believe in God. "God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when sleep falls upon men..." When assurance comes from the Lord about what needs to be done now, it is our responsibility to act on what He has told us. The sovereignty and greatness of God must be learned, and through that, His will must be obeyed. A radical dependence on Him leads to wholehearted confidence in Him.
When the spirit of fear is replaced by power, love, and a sound mind, perceived obstacles no longer become problems. Gideon learned that what seems of little value on its own can be of great worth when the Lord uses it. Purah, Gideon's servant, would have learned much about God by spending time with his master. It is fitting for those who are older to guide those who are younger, even when facing problems that seem overwhelming. No matter how I analyze a situation, it's important to teach others that our confidence is in God. We know He is in complete control. We might not know how God will accomplish His plans and keep His promises, but we trust that He will. Our job is to obey Him and follow His commands.
There was never a question that victory would happen. The Lord clearly promised it. However, we need to prepare for victory. This meant making arrangements for the army. The numbers started at 135,000 and were reduced to 32,000. The army had to understand that the most vital principle of warfare was the glory of God alone. There was a test of fearlessness, which caused 22,000 to go home. There was also a test of fervency, a simple test conducted openly in view of the Midianites. It appeared to be a straightforward test to see if a person drank water from the palm of their hand to stay alert and aware of their surroundings.
Bending down on hands and knees to drink meant that weapons had to be set aside, and the person's focus was on themselves rather than on the task and danger before them. Carelessness can be fatal. A person who does not keep the objective in mind is unprepared for an emergency. God's tests come when we are unaware that it is a secret test. The test's purpose was to ensure the 300 had the right perspective. We need to remember: do not take your eyes off the enemy; do not forget your purpose; do not waste time even on life's necessities. Now the numbers were 450 to 1. That simply meant: depend on God or perish. That means Israel had to learn again that God gave the victory. "It is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord."
Our role in the pursuit of victory begins with trusting the Lord. Gideon's preparation involved both him and Purah going to the Midianite camp. There, they were reminded once more that God is sovereign. They learned this from the Midianite's dream. Gideon was again led to realize that it was God who was fighting the Midianites. This illustrates key aspects of true worship. Gideon's worship was genuine because he had experienced and learned balance, recognized his needs, was available, loyal to God and His people, led God's people, maintained a peaceful spirit, knew how to rise to challenges, reached out, took action, understood the influence of others, held true convictions, valued what is worthwhile, understood what is right, timed his responses appropriately, and responded wholeheartedly to the Lord his God. He was not prepared for battle until he trusted solely in God and could worship sincerely. God instilled fear in the Midianites to prepare them for defeat. Otherwise, why would they be afraid of just 300 men?
Gideon's fear was replaced by faith and confidence. The confidence in the Midianite army of 135,000 turned to fear of "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." Three hundred faithful men, fervent in spirit so they could shout loudly and whose fears were replaced by God's promise, were exactly the ones the Lord chose. They relied not on weapons but on a horn to alarm, a jar to break simultaneously with 300 others to produce a disconcerting sound of hand-to-hand combat, a light to reveal the power of an army surrounding them on a dark night, and a shout to signal who they served.
The sounds of three hundred trumpets blaring as a battle signal, the crashing of breaking pitchers, and bright lights everywhere created panic and disorientation. The Midianites and Amalekites, who were awakened when they would normally be sleeping deeply, made everyone nearby seem like an enemy. Having three groups of soldiers surround an enemy was a strategy the Israelites used several times. Different groups with the same goal approaching from different angles are an effective way to face a challenge.
These are the same items the Lord uses today in the spiritual warfare we face. To accomplish the work our Lord assigns us, we must commit to maintaining an organized approach, keep both hands full to focus on the task, and avoid distractions. We must listen to the word of the Lord and obey it. When our Lord guides us to do what is necessary, we must act with enthusiasm.
We have the trumpet of warning to sound to those asleep in their lethargy and sin. We have the container of the light of truth to break open and let the Gospel message shine. We have the privilege and responsibility to herald the word of God to defeat the powers of darkness and bring salvation to those in bondage. To most people, fighting fire with fire, or equals against equals, is how things should be done. But how are the powers of darkness to prevail? How do you fight against those who oppose and do not use weapons?
It is impossible for strife and evil to triumph when our miracle-working Lord uses the means and people He chooses to bring about victory. Even after resolving the issue of strife, there may still be times when kind words and diplomacy can be used to calm brothers and sisters who didn't receive the recognition they believe they deserve. Gideon “called out” to the fearful, and they joined in the battle.
The Ephraimites were overconfident, proud, bragging about themselves, puffed up, and they believed they were the greatest tribe in Israel (Josh. 17:14). They were “called out” to secure the river crossings and stop the Midianites from escaping. Someone will always want to stir up trouble, often about their own self-importance. They complained that they hadn't been asked to go. Nobody prevented them from going. Someone takes action, and God blesses it, and instead of saying, "Praise the Lord," they say, "You shouldn't have done it on your own. You should've asked us." To finish defeating the enemies, the Israelites chased them to the east side of the river, captured both Orb (raven) and Zeeb (wolf), and killed them.
The unity of God's people will come when we respond with a Christ-like spirit, even though there may be weakness and fear at first. Hard words and a big stick do not unify God's people. Defeating strife happens when God's people stand together, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," and then God intervenes on our behalf. The unity of saints that is needed comes through humility, honesty, and hope that can be expressed. Ultimately, we all have to say, no matter what our role has been in some challenging situation, "To God be all the glory for the victory won," - and we will bow in humble adoration and worship to Him alone.
Real success does not come by chance or wishful thinking in the dead of night. It begins when we pray and study to understand God’s plans. Learning to trust God may take some time, but when faith in Him is genuine, God can use you beyond ordinary human strength. When we still think like the world and rely on the power of a great army, who would ever imagine that a pitcher, a light to shine in one hand, and a trumpet in the other could bring a mighty victory and thoroughly defeat the enemy?
Of course, we know it was God who granted Israel that great success, but still, He wanted some men to take part in His great work of liberation. They would learn from the victory that God intended to bless His people, not only now but for years to come, as they moved forward with faith in Him. The sword belonged to the Lord, and it was also Gideon’s sword when God caused the host of “strife” to flee and demonstrated His divine vengeance on those who had oppressed His people.
When conflict arises and we don’t know what to do, listen carefully to the One who says, “Come unto Me.” There may be some steps we need to take to handle the conflict, but the best approach is to pray with fervency and faith that God will come in and help us set things right. He will give us the right actions to take and words to say. We can sit in fear or fuss and complain, but that won’t solve anything; changes are needed. God can make His will clear when I listen to Him, and He brings success when I follow His guidance and take whatever steps I can to resolve the issue.