Where was William Farel when all these things were going on in Geneva? He was still busy going about with the blessed good news from God’s Word, preaching to the lost, and teaching and cheering those who had been saved. Many were the prayers that he offered up for Geneva, for he had not forgotten the needs of that great city.
“If my father were alive,” he said, “I know not how I should find time to write him a letter.” But he could write many letters when it was needful to do so to instruct others in the Word of God. Some of these letters are preserved for us today and I hope you will someday read a longer story of his life so that you may enjoy these letters.
And Geneva? There is not time to tell you of all that happened. God’s people in Geneva were sometimes shut up in prison and sometimes forced to listen to men who spoke against God’s Word and against the gospel preachers. At times the believers in Geneva rode all the way to Berne to ask for help. The city of Berne often sent officers to command that the gospel preachers be allowed to speak freely in their city.
About this time several of the believers were captured by the priests and shut up in prison. One brave Huguenot, as the believers were now called, had just returned from seeking help in Berne. This man, Baudichon, learned that the bishop was going to carry off the prisoners, and it was feared that they would be killed. Suddenly Baudichon remembered the story of Gideon and the lamps that had been in the pitchers. Surely the God of Gideon was still the God of His people!
/
Baudichon called together about fifty of his friends. He told them each to take an iron-tipped staff with five unlighted torches at the end. They then went to a house near the palace of the bishop and hid until midnight. At that time, Baudichon ordered his men to light their torches and hold their staves in their left hands and their swords in their right hands. With no one daring to resist the sight of so many lights and swords, they walked right into the palace and up to the bishop’s chamber. The bishop stared in amazement and fear.
“We demand the prisoners,” said Baudichon. “Surrender them at once to their lawful judges.”
The bishop was completely terrified by the sight of 250 lights and men with drawn swords. He gave up all the prisoners immediately, and Baudichon and his friends carried them off without a single blow. The bishop was so frightened by his midnight encounter that he could not sleep, and soon he packed his bags and ran away from the city.
“But there are no battles to fight for the Lord today,” you may say.
No? How about the battle against anger? How about fighting against pride and selfishness? These battles must be fought still, and you will find that the Lord can help those who trust in Him.
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:12-1312For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12‑13)).