Judges, Deliverers of Israel
343
stricken. With wild cries of alarm they fled for life, and mistaking their
own companions for enemies, they slew one another.
As news of the victory spread, thousands of the men of Israel who
had been dismissed to their homes returned and joined in pursuit of
their fleeing enemies. Gideon sent messengers to the tribe of Ephraim,
rousing them to intercept the fugitives at the southern fords. Mean-
while, with his three hundred, “faint, yet pursuing,” Gideon crossed the
stream hard after those who had already gained the farther side. The
two princes, Zebah and Zalmunna, who escaped with fifteen thousand
men, were overtaken by Gideon, their force completely scattered, and
the leaders captured and slain.
One hundred and twenty thousand of the invaders perished. The
power of the Midianites was broken. They were never again able to
make war upon Israel. No words can describe the terror of the sur-
rounding nations when they learned what simple means had prevailed
against the power of a bold, warlike people.
The leader whom God chose to overthrow the Midianites was
not a ruler, a priest, or a Levite. He thought himself the least in his
father’s house. But he was distrustful of himself and willing to follow
the guidance of the Lord. God selects those whom He can best use.
“Before honor is humility.”
Proverbs 15:33
. He will make them strong
by uniting their weakness to His might, and wise by connecting their
ignorance with His wisdom.
Few can be trusted with any large measure of responsibility or
success without becoming forgetful of their dependence upon God.
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This is why, in choosing instruments for His work, the Lord passes by
those whom the world honors as great, talented, and brilliant. They
are proud and feel competent to act without counsel from God.
Trust in God and obedience to His will are as essential in spiritual
warfare as to Gideon and Joshua in their battles with the Canaanites.
God is just as willing to work with the efforts of His people now, and to
accomplish great things through weak instrumentalities. God is “able
to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”
Ephesians
3:20
.
When at Gideon’s call the men of Israel had rallied against the
Midianites, the tribe of Ephraim had remained behind. As Gideon
sent them no special summons, they availed themselves of this excuse