The Scriptures show us plainly that God has be( A pleased in His infinite wisdom, at different times and in various ways, to test His people, so as to keep them in the safe path of dependence and obedience, for His glory and their blessing.
It has been in proving them, at one time by trials and difficulties, and at another by the very mercies needful for them. This was so with Israel of old, and it is so more or less with God's people today. There is a case illustrating this in Gideon's day recorded for our learning in the 7th chapter of the book of Judges. As to Gideon's army, it there tells us of those who were ready; of those who returned; of those who remained; of those retained and of the rest. It is instructive to see what God tells us of these five classes. The whole army of 32,000 were in a sense ready to go forward to fight their enemies; but when tested, 22,000 returned as fearful and afraid.
There remained 10,000 men of courage, but when further tested there were only 300 retained whom God could trust; and the rest were sent back to their tents. It is written, "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, ti, (2 same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the. LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men." Judg. 7:4-84And 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. 5So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. 8So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. (Judges 7:4‑8).
How solemn that, out of such a large number as 10,000, God could only retain for His use 300 men as trustworthy and proof against being drawn aside by partaking too bountifully of their commonest, everyday, needful mercies! Such evidently was their moral state! We see in those retained 300 men the secret of dependence and obedience. Wisdom too was shown. "He divided the three hundred men into three companies." They acted corporately—"The three hundred blew the trumpets." They acted individually too-"They stood every man in his place." They all had one object - "Look on me, and do likewise." They were all of one mind—"As I do, so shall ye do." All spake the same thing -"Say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." All had self-abnegation-They "brake the pitchers." Faith was in exercise, and the victory was the Lord's, who had already given assurance of certain victory, which was as real to faith before the battle as it was after it. More knowledge of God's Word, great human intelligence in the truth, long years of honored service, much experience and the like, good as they may be in themselves, are utterly powerless to sustain and preserve God's people for Himself in this day—a day surely of ease and abounding mercies.
Nothing short of dependence upon Himself and obedience to His Word will suffice. Our blessed Lord was the only perfect exemplification of this, and it is very remarkable to see how successfully He met every temptation of Satan with quotations from the book of Deuteronomy, which as we know contains special instruction for the saints' walk; and He left us an example that we should walk in His steps. Moreover, we have many examples in God's Word showing how blessed it is to be characterized by dependence and obedience, and how solemnly disastrous it is to be found in an opposite path. The foe, knowing our tendencies, and well acquainted with our weakest points, directs his attacks accordingly. What would answer his purpose with one saint would probably have no power whatever with another. May the Lord in His rich grace keep us in this respect like Gideon's three hundred lappers, for His glory!