Each time I read the story of Gideon I remember the first time I heard this story in Sunday School. (Teachers, you really do make a long lasting impact on young minds!) I remember my teacher acting out the narrative and explaining the events. I also remember how she missed the point. (I’m not disrespecting her at all, and teachers, do not dare get discouraged. All teachers, including me, miss the point at times!!)
My teacher explained to us that the reason why the Lord selected the 300 men from the 10,000 was because the 300 were trained and alert. The reason why they cupped the water in the their hands and brought it to their mouths was so that they could keep looking around them for the enemy. The other men who laid down and drank the water were unaware of what was happening around them. So the 300 were the men for the job. That totally misses the point of the narrative. (To be fair, my teacher was just following the curriculum. They actually missed the point!)
The point of the narrative is that God will bring about this victory for Israel in such a way that only God can do. God will be glorified in this victory! That is the reason Gideon is chosen for job because he comes from the weakest clan and is the least in his father’s house (6:15). That is the reason God gives Gideon the sign of the fleece twice to prove that He is going to win this battle (6:36-40). That is the reason why the Lord reduces the army from 32,000 to 300 so that victory must be credited to God (7:2-8). That is the reason why an entire army of warriors fled when they heard breaking jars and trumpets (7:21)! 7:22 – “When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army.” The Lord fought this battle and won; that’s the point!
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