36
THE KING’S BUSINESS
“Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hands of the Midianites. Have not I sent thee?’’ Jehovah did not ex plain to Gideon at this time why all this had befallen them. Indeed, in his heart of knew why. Instead of trying to solve his doubts, Jehovah bids him simply to go ahead and do the work he is bidden to do, and to sustain him in the work, gave him the wonderful word of promise, “Thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.” There was but one »thing that Gideon needed to know, and that was that Jehovah had sent him. That is all any one ever needs to know. If we know we are going in the path God sent us, we can leave all results to Him. v. 33. “Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the East were gathered together.” When men get right with God their enemies do not de crease, but multiply. It is when one for sakes sin and accepts Christ that he has on hand a battle fierce and appalling. It is then the forces of the enemy gather to gether to overwhelm him (Eph. 6:12), but he need not fear. And Gideon did not fear though all “the Midianites and the Amale kites and the children of the East were gathered together” against him, for Jehovah was with him (v. 12). It is always when we get right with God .that we may expect an especial assault of the enemy (2 Tim. 3 :12). The place where the enemy pitched their camp in the “valley of Jezreel” was right in the very heart of the tribe of Manasseh, to which Gideon belonged, and not far from Gideon’s own city (cf. Joshua 17:2). There is to be another battle there some day, for which many think the present war is a very immediate preparation. In that battle, Is rael, as in this, will have overwhelming victory over their enemies through the com ing of the true Gideon, our Lord and Sav iour Jesus Christ, to their deliverance (see Ezek. 38:3-7; 14:23; 39:1-7; Rev. 19:11-21). v. 34. “But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.” Literally translated, this would be “the Spirit of the LORD clothed Himself with Gideon” : that is, Gideon was
simply the instrument through whom the Spirit of the LORD worked. Jehovah not only called Gideon, but He equipped him for the work he had to do. The only satis factory equipment for thè service of God is the enduement with the Spirit (cf. Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 5, 8; eh. 3:18; 13:25; 14:19; 15:14; 1 Sam. 11:6; 2 Chron. 24:20). “He blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.” Now that Gideon had prepared himself for the battle by cutting down his father’s idols, building an altar to Jehovah, doing exactly as God had com manded him (vs. 25, 27), and was himself fitted for the work by the enduement with the Holy Spirit, he found a ready response from those to whom he sent for help against the enemies of God (v. 35). When we get right" with God Himself, we will soon win the confidence of others. The trouble with most of us is that we desire the confidence and help of others without paying the price. v. 36. “And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand.” Gid eon’s faith is still weak. He puts an “if” before God’s explicit promise. God had promised definitely that He would save Is rael by Gideon’s hand (v, 14), and Gideon had no right to put any “if” before the plain word of God. This was an act of unbelief (cf. Exod. 4:1-9; 2 Kings 20:9, 10), but how many of us are guilty of the same unbelief! We find some explicit prom ise in God’s Word and then go and put an “if” before it, not realizing 'that all the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). God dealt very pa tiently with Gideon, knowing the times in which he was brought up and the atmos phere which he had breathed (Ps. 103:13, 14), but we have no such excuse for our ifs as Gideon had for his, and, therefore, the fact that God dealt so gently with Gid eon is no reason for assuming that He will be equally gentle with us. v. 37. Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor,” etc. Gideon did wrong in asking a sign (Matt. 16:4). God’s word should have been enough, .and we do wrong when we ask God to give us signs, or feel-
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