January 9, 2025

Judges 7:1-14  (HCSB)
God Selects Gideon’s Army
7 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and everyone who was with him, got up early and camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: ‘I did it myself.’ 3 Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 of the people turned back, but 10,000 remained. 4 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels to drink.
6 The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was 300 men, and all the rest of the people knelt to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.” 8 So Gideon sent all the Israelites to their tents but kept the 300, who took the people’s provisions and their trumpets. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley. Gideon Spies on the Midianite Camp 9 That night the Lord said to him, “Get up and go into the camp, for I have given it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go to the camp, go with Purah your servant. 11 Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened to go to the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant to the outpost of the troops who were in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the Qedemites had settled down in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling his friend about a dream. He said, “Listen, I had a dream: a loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp, struck a tent, and it fell. The loaf turned the tent upside down so that it collapsed.” 14 His friend answered: “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.”

Christine Mullins
Jerubbaal (that is Gideon)-> I love that it starts out using his other name. From the previous chapter, Gideon tore down the altar and poles of idol worship. He was given the name Jerubbaal which means “contender with Baal”. Gideon, who initially was hiding in a winepress, is now standing against idol worship and following the direction of the one true God. It shows his heart as he will need to have full trust/faith in God for this next part. Gideon’s troops numbered 32k but God had him reduce to 10k and then 300 men. Just as God did when He had the Israelites out of Egypt, He once again performed a miracle to prevent Israel from boasting in their own strength. Israel would have to rely on God for victory.
God does the same for us. Whatever He has called you to, He wants you to fully rely on Him. Stepping out of our comfort zone in faith and relying on God is where God will do “immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine”. Through this, our faith grows stronger and the faith of those around us grows stronger. Where do you need to fully rely on God for victory today?