patriarchs and prophets-第127节

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saying；　Mine　own　hand　hath　saved　me。　Now　therefore　go　to；　proclaim　in　the
ears　of　the　people；　saying；　Whosoever　is　fearful　and　afraid；　let　him　return
and　depart　early　from　Mount　Gilead。〃　Those　who　were　unwilling　to　face　danger
and　hardships；　or　whose　worldly　interests　would　draw　their　hearts　from　the
work　of　God；　would　add　no　strength　to　the　armies　of　Israel。　Their　presence
would　prove　only　a　cause　of　weakness。

It　had　been　made　a　law　in　Israel　that　before　they　went　to　battle　the
following　proclamation　should　be　made　throughout　the　army：　〃What　man　is
there　that　hath　built　a　new　house；　and　hath　not　dedicated　it？　let　him　go　and
return　to　his　house；　lest　he　die　in　the　battle；　and　another　man　dedicate　it。
And　what　man

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is　he　that　hath　planted　a　vineyard；　and　hath　not　yet　eaten　of　it？　let　him
also　go　and　return　unto　his　house；　lest　he　die　in　the　battle；　and　another
man　eat　of　it。　And　what　man　is　there　that　hath　betrothed　a　wife；　and　hath
not　taken　her？　let　him　go　and　return　unto　his　house；　lest　he　die　in　the
battle；　and　another　man　take　her。〃　And　the　officers　were　to　speak　further　to
the　people；　saying；　〃What　man　is　there　that　is　fearful　and　fainthearted？　let
him　go　and　return　unto　his　house；　lest　his　brethren's　heart　faint　as　well　as
his　heart。〃　Deuteronomy　20：5…8。

Because　his　numbers　were　so　few　compared　with　those　of　the　enemy；　Gideon　had
refrained　from　making　the　usual　proclamation。　He　was　filled　with
astonishment　at　the　declaration　that　his　army　was　too　large。　But　the　Lord
saw　the　pride　and　unbelief　existing　in　the　hearts　of　His　people。　Aroused　by
the　stirring　appeals　of　Gideon；　they　had　readily　enlisted；　but　many　were
filled　with　fear　when　they　saw　the　multitudes　of　the　Midianites。　Yet；　had
Israel　triumphed；　those　very　ones　would　have　taken　the　glory　to　themselves
instead　of　ascribing　the　victory　to　God。

Gideon　obeyed　the　Lord's　direction；　and　with　a　heavy　heart　he　saw　twenty…two
thousand；　or　more　than　two　thirds　of　his　entire　force；　depart　for　their
homes。　Again　the　word　of　the　Lord　came　to　him：　〃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。〃　The　people　were　led　down　to　the
waterside；　expecting　to　make　an　immediate　advance　upon　the　enemy。　A　few
hastily　took　a　little　water　in　the　hand　and　sucked　it　up　as　they　went　on；
but　nearly　all　bowed　upon　their　knees；　and　leisurely　drank　from　the　surface
of　the　stream。　Those　who　took　of　the　water　in　their　hands　were　but　three
hundred　out　of　ten　thousand；　yet　these　were　selected；　all　the　rest　were
permitted　to　return　to　their　homes。

By　the　simplest　means　character　is　often　tested。　Those　who　in　time　of　peril
were　intent　upon　supplying　their　own　wants　were　not　the　men　to　be　trusted　in
an　emergency。　The　Lord　has　no　place　in　His　work　for　the　indolent　and
self…indulgent。　The　men　of　His　choice　were　the　few　who　would　not　permit
their　own　wants　to　delay　them　in　the　discharge　of　duty。　The　three　hundred
chosen　men　not　only　possessed　courage　and

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self…control；　but　they　were　men　of　faith。　They　had　not　defiled　themselves
with　idolatry。　God　could　direct　them；　and　through　them　He　could　work
deliverance　for　Israel。　Success　does　not　depend　upon　numbers。　God　can
deliver　by　few　as　well　as　by　many。　He　is　honored　not　so　much　by　the　great
numbers　as　by　the　character　of　those　who　serve　Him。

The　Israelites　were　stationed　on　the　brow　of　a　hill　overlooking　the　valley
where　the　hosts　of　the　invaders　lay　encamped。　〃And　the　Midianites　and　the
Amalekites　and　all　the　children　of　the　east　lay　along　in　the　valley　like
locusts　for　multitude；　and　their　camels　were　without　number；　as　the　sand
which　is　upon　the　seashore　for　multitude。〃　Judges　7：12；　R。V。　Gideon　trembled
as　he　thought　of　the　conflict　of　the　morrow。　But　the　Lord　spoke　to　him　in
the　night　season　and　bade　him；　with　Phurah　his　attendant；　go　down　to　the
camp　of　the　Midianites；　intimating　that　he　would　there　hear　something　for
his　encouragement。　He　went；　and；　waiting　in　the　darkness　and　silence；　he
heard　a　soldier　relating　a　dream　to　his　companion：　〃Lo；　a　cake　of　barley
bread　tumbled　into　the　host　of　Midian；　and　came　unto　a　tent；　and　smote　it
that　it　fell；　and　overturned　it；　that　the　tent　lay　along。〃　The　other
answered　in　words　that　stirred　the　heart　of　that　unseen　listener；　〃This　is
nothing　else　save　the　sword　of　Gideon　the　son　of　Joash；　a　man　of　Israel：　for
into　his　hand　hath　God　delivered　Midian；　and　all　the　host。〃　Gideon
recognized　the　voice　of　God　speaking　to　him　through　those　Midianitish
strangers。　Returning　to　the　few　men　under　his　command；　he　said；　〃Arise；　for
the　Lord　hath　delivered　into　your　hand　the　host　of　Midian。〃

By　divine　direction　a　plan　of　attack　was　suggested　to　him；　which　he
immediately　set　out　to　execute。　The　three　hundred　men　were　divided　into
three　companies。　To　every　man　were　given　a　trumpet；　and　a　torch　concealed　in
an　earthen　pitcher。　The　men　were　stationed　in　such　a　manner　as　to　approach
the　Midianite　camp　from　different　directions。　In　the　dead　of　night；　at　a
signal　from　Gideon's　war　horn；　the　three　companies　sounded　their　trumpets；
then；　breaking　their　pitchers　and　displaying　the　blazing　torches；　they
rushed　upon　the　enemy　with　the　terrible　war　cry；　〃The　sword　of　the　Lord；　and
of　Gideon！〃

The　sleeping　army　was　suddenly　aroused。　Upon　every　side　was　seen　the　light
of　the　flaming　torches。　In　every　direction　was　heard　the　sound　of　trumpets；
with　the　cry　of　the　assailants。

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Believing　themselves　at　the　mercy　of　an　overwhelming　force；　the　Midianites
were　panic…stricken。　With　wild　cries　of　alarm　they　fled　for　life；　and；
mistaking　their　own　companions　for　enemies；　they　slew　one　another。　As　news
of　the　victory　spread；　thousands　of　the　men　of　Israel　who　had　been　dismissed
to　their　homes　returned　and　joined　in　pursuit　of　their　fleeing　enemies。　The
Midianites　were　making　their　way　toward　the　Jordan；　hoping　to　reach　their
own　territory；　beyond　the　river。　Gideon　sent　messengers　to　the　tribe　of
Ephraim；　rousing　them　to　intercept　the　fugitives　at　the　southern　fords。
Meanwhile；　with　his　three　hundred；　〃faint；　yet　pursuing；〃　Gideon　crossed　the
stream　hard　after　those　who　had　already　gained　the　farther　side。　The　two
princes；　Zebah　and　Zalmunna；　who　had　been　over　the　entire　host；　and　who　had
escaped　with　an　army　of　fifteen　thousand　men；　were　overtaken　by　Gideon；
their　force　completely　scattered；　and　the　leaders　captured　and　slain。

In　this　signal　defeat　not　less　than　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　of　the
invaders　perished。　The　power　of　the　Midianites　was　broken；　so　that　they　were
never　again　able　to　make　war　upon　Israel。　The　tidings　spread　swiftly　far　and
wide；　that　Israel's　God　had　again　fought　for　His　people。　No　words　can
describe　the　terror　of　the　surrounding　nations　when　they　learned　what　simple
means　had　prevailed　against　the　power　of　a　bold；　warlike　people。

The　leader　whom　God　chose　to　overthrow　the　Midianites　occupied　no　prominent
position　in　Israel。　He　was　not　a　ruler；　a　priest；　or　a　Levite。　He　thought
himself　the　least　in　his　father's　house。　But　God　saw　in　him　a　man　of　courage
and　integrity。　He　was　distrustful　of　himself　and　willing　to　follow　the
guidance　of　the　Lord。　God　does　not　always　choose　for　His　work　men　of　the
greatest　talents；　but　He　selects　those　whom　He　can　best　use。　〃Before　honor
is　humility。〃　Proverbs　15：33。　The　Lord　can　work　most　effectually　through
those　who　are　most　sensible　of　their　own　insufficiency；　and　who　will　rely
upon　Him　as　their　leader　and　source　of　strength。　He　will　make　them　strong　by
uniting　their　weakness　to　His　might；　and　wise　by　connecting　their　ignorance
with　His　wisdom。

If　they　would　cherish　true　humility；　the　Lord　could　do　much　more　for　His
people；　but　there　are　few　who　can　be　trusted　with　any　large　measure　of
responsibility　or　success　without　becoming

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self…confident　and　forgetful　of　their　dependence　upon　God。　This　is　why；　in
choosing　the　instruments　for　His　work；　the　Lord　passes　by　those　whom　the
world　honors　as　great；　talented；　and　brilliant。　They　are　too　often　proud　and
self…sufficient。　They　feel　competent　to　act　without　counsel　from　God。

The　simple　act　of　blowing　a　blast　upon　the　trumpet　by　the　army　of　Joshua
around　Jericho；　and　by　Gideon's　little　band　about　the　hosts　of　Midian；　was
made　effectual；　through　the　power　of　God；　to　overthrow　the　might　of　His
enemies。　The　most　complete　system　that　men　have　ever　devised；　apart　from　the
power　and　wisdom　of　God；　will　prove　a　failure；　while　the　most　unpromising
methods　will　succeed　when　divinely　appointed　and　entered　upon　with　humility
and　faith。　Trust　in　God　and　obedience　to　His　will　are　as　essential　to　the
Christian　in　the　spiritual　warfare　as　to　Gideon　and　Joshua　in　their　battles
with　the　Canaanites。　By　the　repeated　manifestations　of　His　power　in　behalf
of　Israel；　God　would　lead　them　to　have　faith　in　Himwith　confidence　to　seek
His　h