T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S and home, and surrender their own wills, and their own pleasure, and stand— if need be— alone with God; those that God can depend upon to ring true in every emergency, on every oc casion. This seems to be the lesson for us. It is a hard matter to set aside 22,000, and then 9 , 7 0 0 , yet God has a way of doing it. Three hundred soul winners can do mighty things for God. How wonderful are God’s sifting agencies! In how many ways we can see the plan of God worked out! The tendency to magnify numbers and hu man agencies is always with us. It is sad, but true. (4) CONFLICT AND CONQUEST OF MIDIAN. Gideon with three hundred men! But he is not to rush out upon the enemy. He must wait God’s command. Picture to yourself that night in the camp; how God filled the heart of the enemy with fear as He troubled Pha raoh’s camp! And the mode of warfare; the division into three groups; the im plements of war— trumpets, pitchers and torches; the unity in action. They were to follow their leader (7:17): “ And 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.” Trumpets to be blown; pitchers to be broken; light to stream out! The trumpets— God’s Word; the pitchers— men of God; the light— the Holy Spirit. These are the essentials for the rout of the enemy. (2 Cor. 10:4.) “ The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” Notice the instruments God uses: A ram’s horn, a sling and stone, a shep herd’s crook, the jawbone of an ass! Here there was no spear, no sword, no armour, only the “ sword of the Lord and of Gideon” (v. 20).
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They were willing to fight hut not wholly separate unto the service. They were those who got down upon their knees to drink, perhaps dropping their weapons. Third, - 7 - the chosen, cour ageous, consistent ones, who would not bow; who were on the alert; who lapped with one hand and held the weapon with the other,^three hun dred out of 32,000. This is a solemn lesson,— God’s process of elimination. God does not want any to vaunt themselves, to say “ Mine own hand hath saved me.” He wants the glory of sal vation to Himself. He is a jealous God. One of the most difficult lessons to teach and believe is that “ salvation is of the Lord.” Every false cult is based upon the theory of salvation by works. We would all like to add just a little to God’s plan, and to work out in a measure, our own salvation, without de pending upon that which God hath worked in. There are too many of the cowardly in the church. And then there are the conventional people. Those who are willing to rally at some great evange listic meeting, and have the evangelist do the work. Those who would like to see souls saved, but are not willing to separate themselves from the world in order that the work may be done. They are handicapped by the conventional ities of society and private life, and are of very little use to the Lord. Then, there are the three hundred! Like the little band that gathered to pray before the day of Pentecost in the upper room,— the little flock. God’s chosen ones, who have no fear of man. Who never hesitate to face their foes, no matter who they are, nor how many there are. The people that believe God, believe in His power; who are untram melled by home, or social, or political ties; who believe that one with God is a majority; the “ little band” that are willing to. forsake father and mother
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