Great Battles of the Bible:

The 300!

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

While Israel is God’s chosen people and they are usually a very faithful group of individuals unfortunately they have been known to do evil in the eyes of the Lord at times. We can’t be overly judgmental of them for they actually reflect our own personal lives many times. Just as Israel was not always faithful, we aren’t consistently steadfast in our faith either. In Judges 6 we see a situation where they have fallen from God’s favor and so He has delivered them into the hands of the Midianites. This bondage they were under was very oppressive. The Jews had to live in caves and hide their food and resources lest the Midianites confiscate them. The Midianites invaded the land in such numbers that they were impossible to even count. They are compared to a swarm of locusts that absolutely ravaged the land of Israel.

 

Israel was so tired of the domination and oppression that they cried to the Lord to deliver them from the horrible invasion. God in His mercy decided to intervene and sent an angel to direct a young man to deliver them. This angel found Gideon threshing wheat and said to him, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” From this conversation it becomes apparent that God had chosen Gideon to deliver His people from the Midianites. Gideon is skeptical that God would pick him to save Israel, but is willing to be used by God to do what is necessary to save Israel and glorify God.

 

In Judges 7 we see an amazing example of how God orchestrates victories in battle so as to keep men from claiming the glory for themselves.

 

One day Gideon and all his men are camped at the spring of Harod. At this point Gideon had about 32,000 men in his army. North of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh were the Midianites. Their forces were huge and were described as uncountable. Scripture states, “Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.” Gideon was vastly outnumbered.

 

As Gideon prepares for battle God speaks to him and says, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’”

 

So obedient Gideon goes to his 32,000 men and announces that anyone who is afraid to go into battle against this huge force of Midianites may leave and go home. Now if you’re like me you might start thinking about that moment in the movie, “The Alamo” when Colonel William Barret Travis draws a line in the sand and asks any man who wants to fight against Santa Anna with him to step across the line. If you remember the moment, your heart surges with emotion as all the men step across the line. Your witness of courage and bravery almost causes a tear to come to your eye as you witness such a scene. But in Gideon’s case we have no such response. Over 69% of his men leave! That’s 22,000 men who want to go home and help their wives with the laundry rather than fight the Midianites. Gideon could very easily have said to God, “Thanks a lot!” But He didn’t.

 

God speaks to Gideon again as he stands with the 10,000 men that remain. The Lord says, “There are still too many men.” Gideon has to have been a very patient and God-trusting man of faith for he does not complain, but continues to listen as the Lord tells him how to whittle down his forces even more. God tells Gideon to, “Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

 

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” Now I really commend Gideon for not complaining or even possibly laughing at God’s design for picking battle soldiers. If you or I were choosing men that we were about to go on a suicide mission with we would be looking for battle skills, the hearts of a warrior, bravery, strength and such. But God is deciding who would best be fit for the task by how they drink water. God really does have a sense of humor. Anyway, obedient Gideon does as he is instructed. As he watches the men go to drink he counts three hundred men drinking water by lapping it with their hands to their mouths. This means that of the 10,000 men, 97% would be eliminated so that only 300 men are left to do battle with the Midianites.

 

The LORD now says to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.” Again, Gideon says nothing and accepts the direction that God has given. I really would like to have known what was going on in the mind of Gideon. Was he as faithful and trusting as he appeared or were doubts flashing through his mind? Was his heart palpitating as he considered his meager force that would attack the countless forces of the Midianites? What a man of faith. What a great man who could hold his tongue.

 

God is so good. He knew what Gideon’s was thinking. Because of His love and concern for Gideon and His desire to give him peace of mind, God helps build his courage to obey. He says, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”

 

God doesn’t say. “Because you are afraid.” He says, “If you are afraid.” He gives Gideon an out. He says if you are afraid, do this to gain confidence in my instruction. He tells Him to go and listen to what the Midianites are talking about. God knew something that Gideon didn’t know. Our Heavenly Father is so loving and sensitive.

 

So Gideon and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Gideon arrived just as a Midianite soldier was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

 

When Gideon heard the dream being shared and its interpretation, he worshiped God. God is so good. Possibly God had given this enemy soldier this dream? Possibly he gave the other soldier the interpretation? Whatever the case, the dream frightened the Midianites and gave strength to Gideon’s resolve to serve God. So much so, he worshipped his Heavenly Father.

 

Gideon returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” He divided the 300 men into 3 companies; he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. He then instructed them to do just as he was going to do. He told them that when they got to the edge of the Midianite camp to follow his lead and do exactly as he would do. The men 300 men agreed.

 

Gideon led his meager force to the edge of the Midianite camp. They distributed themselves around the camp and waited for Gideon’s signal. Gideon blows his trumpet and the 300 blow theirs. Gideon breaks the jar he had been carrying that covered his torch. The 300 break their jars and expose their torches. Gideon shouts loudly, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” The 300 men shout at the top of their lungs the same thing.

 

The response from the Midianites is amazing. All the Midianites begin to run crying in fright like madmen. When Gideon and his 300 men blow their trumpets the Lord caused even more panic among the Midianites and they began to turn on each other with their swords.

 

The Midianite army fled for miles and Israelites from numerous tribes came out of the hills to swarm down upon their fleeing enemy. They pursued them for a long time seizing much land and water from them.

 

There are several things we can learn from this battle that was won through God’s will.

 

First, God does not like men and women who are prideful. God desires for us to be dependent upon Him not independent and rebellious. He loves to demonstrate His glory by choosing the weak and helpless to overcome those who are strong and full of pride.

 

Secondly, no matter how weak we think we are or how low are abilities or skills, God can give us victory in the issues of life. If we trust in His guidance and live by His Word we can overcome even overwhelming obstacles in our lives as long as we do as He says.

 

Thirdly, we honor God by giving Him all the glory in the victories we acquire. If He truly is our Heavenly Father and truly is who we live for, we will give Him the credit for who we are and how we live.

 

Lastly we see that God knows when we need encouragement and courage. He is very sensitive to our thoughts, fears and emotions and will always be there to help us keep on, keeping on.

 

May God give you the heart and soul of Gideon as you tackle the Midianites of your life.