Chapter 89. Judges 7:16-2516And 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. 25And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. (Judges 7:16‑25). Gideon’s Victory.
GIDEON divided his little army into three bands of one hundred each to set them on three sides of the camp. He gave each man a trumpet, an empty pitcher. and a lamp in every pitcher. They had no swords, no spears, nor bows, nor arrows. They had God to fight for them, and needed no other arms. Gideon said to the men: Look at me and do as I do. When I blow my trumpet, you blow yours, and cry: “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”
Gideon and the hundred men with him, soon came to the outside of the camp of the Midianites. It was still night, the beginning of the middle watch when Gideon blew his trumpet, and all his men likewise, and broke their pitchers, and the lamps which had been hidden, began to shine as they took them in their left hands, and all cried “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” They all stood in their places around the camp, but the Midianites hearing the noise, and the shouting, were very much frightened, for God had brought this fear upon them. They did not know what to do; they were like wild mad men, and fell upon one another, killing their own friends and neighbors. The whole camp was demoralized, and the Midianites who remained, fled away.
Then the men of Israel from the tribes of Naphtali and Asher and Manasseh pursued after them, and Gideon sent messengers throughout Mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites and take the waters of Jordan before them. The men of Ephraim took them and there killed two Midianite princes Oreb and Zeeb, and brought their heads to Gideon.
However strange this means of obtaining a victory might seem to some, it was God’s way and proved the right way. The trumpets had been blown before Jericho fell, we remember. Before that time, in the wilderness, God had commanded Moses to make silver trumpets, and said to him: “If you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpet; and you shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.” Numbers 10:99And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9). It represented God’s word, the only weapon the Christian can use against his enemy, the world. It is sharper than a two-edged sword, God tells us; and if we boldly answer, when tempted, with a “God says so” the enemy will flee from us. Let us, then, study the Holy Scriptures that we may know what God says, and that we may have it at all times for our conduct in our daily walk.
Their pitchers and lamps also have a very great meaning. The apostle Paul speaks of us as “earthen vessels,” and if we are “broken,” that is, if our own will is completely set aside for God’s, then our light will shine, and the world can see it. “Ye are the light of the world.” Jesus said to his disciples, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5:14, 1614Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14)
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16).
But the men of Ephraim were jealous of Gideon’s victory, and came to him saying: Why did you serve us in this way, and did not call us when you went to fight the Midianites? They seemed angry, but he answered them gently: What did I do in comparison of you? God delivered into your hands the princes Oreb and Zeeb, was that not more than I did? How kind of him to give them credit for all he could, instead of showing pride as some of us do very often. Their anger was turned away when they heard his answer; their pride was satisfied, but how much more beautiful, Gideon’s conduct! We may well imitate him, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “I am meek and lowly in heart.”
ML 03/31/1912