Judges 7:1-8
1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him got up early, and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to hand Midian over to them, otherwise Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has saved me.’
3 Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and worried, is to return and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand from the people returned, but ten thousand remained.
4 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. So it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5 So he brought the people down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall put everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps in one group, and everyone who kneels down to drink in another.”
6 Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people kneeled down to drink water.
7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “I will save you with the three hundred men who lapped, and will hand the Midianites over to you; so have all the other people go, each man to his home.”
8 So the three hundred men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And Gideon dismissed all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
Gideon’s Army Reduced
Fearful shall return
The pitfall for those who participate in the Lord’s battle is to think that they achieved victory as if it were their own strength. The Lord detests when we become boastful and forget His grace. In today’s passage, the Lord gives Gideon unconventional commands to prevent him from falling into arrogance. (1) Gideon’s army initially consisted of 32,000 soldiers. They set up camp near the spring of Harod, while the enemy (the Midianites) camped in the valley of Jezreel, north of them. (2) By the command to send home those who were trembling with fear, 22,000 soldiers from Gideon’s army returned. Since the enemy had 135,000 soldiers (8:10), it is understandable that there were many fearful individuals. After this, only 10,000 remained. (3) But the Lord said that was still too many. Therefore, a selection was made based on the method commanded by the Lord.
Selection by the Lord
The method commanded by the Lord was to select based on how they drank water. Gideon took the soldiers to the spring of Harod and let them drink water. (1) Most of them drank by bringing their faces close to the water and lapping it up with their tongues, just like a dog. (2) However, 300 men knelt down and used their hands to scoop the water. The way they drank the water revealed how prepared they were for the battle. 9,700 men were too mindful of quenching their thirst and were not adequately prepared for the fight. However, the 300 men who used their hands to drink the water were prepared for battle in any situation. Gideon sent the former group back to their tents and decided to fight with only the remaining 300 men. Let us remember that the Christian life is a battle of the Lord. Our journey becomes certain, supported by the Lord’s hand. He will manifest His glory through a dedicated few. Just like the 300 men with Gideon, let us not neglect our daily spiritual and physical preparation.
Today's prayer
Almighty God, You are the One who manifests glory through a few. Please include me in the army of the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.