Judges 7:16-2416And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 19So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 21And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. 23And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. (Judges 7:16‑24)
Gideon and the three hundred men of Israel were ready to go against the thousands of fierce men of Midian, camping in the valley of Jezreel.
God had given wisdom how they should do: Gideon divided the men into three companies; each man had a trumpet in one hand and a lighted lamp, or torch, hidden in a pitcher, in the other hand. They were told to go down to the edge of the enemy’s camp and stand around it, and when. Gideon blew his trumpet and showed his light, every man was to do the same.
They went quietly down the hills. It was night, and we can imagine that great crowd of men asleep, close together in their blankets on the ground, some, or perhaps all, in tents. New guards had just taken their places, at what is called, the “middle watch”, thought to have been near midnight. They did not see or hear the men of Israel.
Suddenly, Gideon and the men with him blew their trumpets, and quickly broke their pitchers to let their lights show. So almost at once the three hundred lights shone around the dark camp, and the men of Israel shouted, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”
The noise of the trumpets awakened the men of Midian. Seeing all the lights and hearing the shouts around them, they, no doubt, supposed a big army had come. They were so frightened they fought and killed one another; while those who lived fled toward their own country.
Gideon and his men followed after; later, other men of Israel helped them, and the great enemy was driven from Israel’s land.
Surely this story was written to teach us, for as that big enemy had been robbing Israel of their food, so there are those now who would keep us from enjoying the Bible, which is the food of our souls.
If Christian boys and girls tell others the words of God, and show in their ways that they believe His Word, they will be using their “trumpets” and “lights.”
ML 07/24/1938