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Patriarchs and Prophets
ever devised, apart from the power and wisdom of God, will prove
a failure, while the most unpromising methods will succeed when
divinely appointed and entered upon with humility and faith. Trust
in God and obedience to His will are as essential to the Christian in
the spiritual warfare as to Gideon and Joshua in their battles with the
Canaanites. By the repeated manifestations of His power in behalf of
Israel, God would lead them to have faith in Him—with confidence
to seek His help in every emergency. He is just as willing to work
with the efforts of His people now and to accomplish great things
through weak instrumentalities. All heaven awaits our demand upon
its wisdom and strength. God is “able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think.”
Ephesians 3:20
.
Gideon returned from pursuing the enemies of the nation, to meet
censure and accusation from his own countrymen. When at his call the
men of Israel had rallied against the Midianites, the tribe of Ephraim
had remained behind. They looked upon the effort as a perilous un-
dertaking; and as Gideon sent them no special summons, they availed
themselves of this excuse not to join their brethren. But when the
news of Israel’s triumph reached them, the Ephraimites were envious
because they had not shared it. After the rout of the Midianites, the
men of Ephraim had, by Gideon’s direction, seized the fords of the
Jordan, thus preventing the escape of the fugitives. By this means a
large number of the enemy were slain, among whom were two princes,
Oreb and Zeeb. Thus the men of Ephraim followed up the battle,
and helped complete the victory. Nevertheless, they were jealous and
angry, as though Gideon had been led by his own will and judgment.
They did not discern God’s hand in the triumph of Israel, they did not
appreciate His power and mercy in their deliverance; and this very fact
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showed them unworthy to be chosen as His special instruments.
Returning with the trophies of victory, they angrily reproached
Gideon: “Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when
thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?”
“What have I done now, in comparison of you?” said Gideon. “Is
not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of
Abiezer? God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian,
Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you?”
The spirit of jealousy might easily have been fanned into a quarrel
that would have caused strife and bloodshed; but Gideon’s modest