So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
Judges 7:19-22 (ESV)
What Makes a Champion?
The really interesting thing about Judges 7:22 is that Gideon did not start with 300 men. If this was a movie today, he probably would have started with just a couple good friends.
Through charisma and successes, more and more men would be drawn to fight with him, until the climactic scene when 300 warriors defeat huge armies with a bizarre and creative war strategy.
32,000 Volunteers
The reality is that Gideon started with 32,000 volunteers willing to fight with him for Israel. Wow! What church wouldn’t love to have 32,000 volunteers show up for duty one Sunday? Imagine what Gideon could have done with that many people.
What did God say?
The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Judges 7:2 (ESV)
With God Alone
With plenty of people and smart strategies comes an inherent danger that we might think we have accomplished mighty things all on our own. We can forget that our help comes from God alone.
So, how did the Israelites go from 32,000 down to 300 men?
The first step: God measures the bravery of the men.
Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. Judges 7:3 (ESV)
12,000 gone. Just like that. Just because of fear.
How many God-breathed opportunities have I missed because I was too scared of failure to even take the first step?
The second step: God assesses the attentiveness of the men.
And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” Judges 7:4-7 (ESV)
The men who leaned down to drink directly from the water were focused only on quenching their thirst. In contrast, those who lifted the water to their mouths stayed vigilant about their surroundings.
Am I vigilant?
What have I let pass me by because I was focused solely on meeting my immediate needs and keeping myself comfortable instead of noticing what God was doing around me?
Another 9,700 down. And we have our select 300. Warriors, and potential champions.
Our Select 300 Men
So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.”
Judges 7:8-14 (ESV)
What does Gideon do when he hears the God-given dream?
As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.”
Judges 7:15 (ESV)
Gideon worshiped. He recognized the Source of his power and encouragement. Then he took action. He obeyed what God had told him to do.
Obedience
And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”
Judges 7:16-18 (ESV)
This brings us right back to the scripture we started with. With only 300 God-chosen champions, Gideon routs the entire enemy and wins the war. “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon too!”
The focus is on the Lord. He is deserving of praise. God uses Gideon for great purposes in His Kingdom.
The Lord is the Solution
In our lives, victory can come when we get our own ideas out of the way and commit wholeheartedly to God’s plan and timing. More people, skills, contacts, connections, strategies, or staff is not the answer. Our miraculous Lord is the solution!
Action Step:
Let’s not let fear or carelessness keep us from the great things God has planned for us.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ESV)
Think about your life. What is God doing around you? Look at what God has been saying to you. What have you been turning a blind eye to because it is not comfortable? What have you been hesitating on because you are scared to take the first step? Get started today taking action. Let’s be champions!
Prayer:
God, You have incredible plans for us. You see in us so much more than we see in ourselves. Open our eyes to see Your plans for us. Help us to have courage to step out in faith and take action to accomplish His missions for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.