The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.” Judges 7:2 NLT
Israel was in trouble again. Once more, they had forgotten God, and God was allowing the Midianites to control them in order to make them remember how much they needed God. When God looked for a leader for an unlikely revolution, He looked for an unlikely leader. God has always loved situations when the odds are stacked. He found Gideon crippled by doubt, hiding out, and threshing wheat in secret to conceal it from the marauding Midianites. God appeared to him, calling him a mighty warrior.
Gideon certainly didn’t see himself that way, but he stepped up in faith. He went on a recruitment mission for soldiers, even though the Midianites had taken all their weapons, as well as material to make them. He spoke truth, that God was faithful and able. As he spoke boldly (and remember, there could be no big public campaign), he recruited an army of 32,000 men. God told him that he had too many soldiers. TOO MANY? The Midianite army was well-armed, 135,000 strong. But once again, Gideon stood with God and spoke boldly against the odds. He told them that any man who was afraid could go home. A staggering 22,000 men left and returned to their families.
But that was still too many for God. He gave Gideon a test with water to give the remaining 10,000. All but 300 men failed the test and were sent home. Gideon was left with only 300 men without weapons. Even for a God who loves when the odds are stacked against Him, this seemed extreme. But Gideon’s faith rose up and he continued to speak boldly. God had told him he was stripping away every advantage, every reason Israel might have to think they had done this because they were impressive. He armed his swordless men with trumpets, torches, and clay jars. The odds went from a massive challenge to a mathematical impossibility. If they weren’t slaughtered, the victory would belong to God alone.
Under cover of darkness, they encircled the heart of the Midianite camp and on Gideon’s signal, they smashed the jars, raised their torches, blew their trumpets, then shouted, “The sword of the Lord and Gideon!” The Midianites were so taken by surprise and terrified that they began to kill each other! Isarel won a great victory because Gideon stood firm and spoke boldly for God, even against tremendous odds.
God uses people who speak boldly, with clarity and conviction, with their faith firmly rooted in God’s character, word, and faithfulness. God doesn’t care about the odds. We shouldn’t either.
- God, help me speak at Your call. My weakness is a stage for Your strength.