490
Patriarchs and Prophets
Jordan, but the whole land suffered from their ravages. The wild,
fierce inhabitants of the desert, “as locusts for multitude” (
Judges 6:5
,
R.V.), came swarming into the land, with their flocks and herds. Like
a devouring plague they spread over the country, from the river Jordan
to the Philistine plain. They came as soon as the harvests began to
ripen, and remained until the last fruits of the earth had been gathered.
They stripped the fields of their increase and robbed and maltreated
the inhabitants and then returned to the deserts. Thus the Israelites
dwelling in the open country were forced to abandon their homes, and
to congregate in walled towns, to seek refuge in fortresses, or even to
find shelter in caves and rocky fastnesses among the mountains. For
seven years this oppression continued, and then, as the people in their
distress gave heed to the Lord’s reproof, and confessed their sins, God
again raised up a helper for them.
Gideon was the son of Joash, of the tribe of Manasseh. The divi-
sion to which this family belonged held no leading position, but the
household of Joash was distinguished for courage and integrity. Of
his brave sons it is said, “Each one resembled the children of a king.”
All but one had fallen in the struggles against the Midianites, and he
had caused his name to be feared by the invaders. To Gideon came
the divine call to deliver his people. He was engaged at the time in
threshing wheat. A small quantity of grain had been concealed, and
not daring to beat it out on the ordinary threshing floor, he had resorted
to a spot near the winepress; for the season of ripe grapes being still far
off, little notice was now taken of the vineyards. As Gideon labored
in secrecy and silence, he sadly pondered upon the condition of Israel
and considered how the oppressor’s yoke might be broken from off his
people.
Suddenly the “Angel of the Lord” appeared and addressed him
with the words, “Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.”
“O my Lord,” was his answer, “if the Lord be with us, why then is
all this befallen us? and where be all His miracles which our fathers
told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but
[547]
now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the
Midianites.”
The Messenger of heaven replied, “Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”