Morning By Morning #264

A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!

Judges 7:20

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Gideon ordered his men to do two things: At his signal they were to break jars with torches inside, allowing the light to shine. He also ordered, “When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon’” (Judg. 7:18).

This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine, breaking the jar that hides your light, removing the bowl that has been hiding it. “Let your light shine before men” (Matt. 5:16). Let your good deeds be such that others will take “note that [you have] been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Then you must blow the trumpet. There must be intentional efforts to bring sinners into the kingdom by proclaiming “Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23). Take the gospel to them, carrying it to their door, placing it in their way, not allowing them to escape it, blowing the trumpet in their ears.

Yet remember that the true war cry of the church is Gideon’s watchword: “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” God must do it. It is His work. But we are not to be idle; we are to be a vessel to be used. It is “A sword for the LORD”—and—”for Gideon!” If we only shout, “A sword for the LORD,” we will be guilty of idle presumption; and if we shout, “A sword for Gideon!” alone, we will reveal an idolatrous reliance on “only the arm of flesh” (2 Chron. 32:8). We must balance the two in effective harmony: “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”

We can do nothing by ourselves, but we can do everything through the help of our God. May we be determined, therefore, to go out in His name, personally serving with the flaming torch of a holy example and with trumpet notes of earnest proclamation and testimony. God will be with us, Midian will be thrown into confusion (see Judg. 7:22), and the Lord of hosts “will reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

The story of Gideon is another example of how the Lord uses the “nobodies” of the world to His glory. Before Gideon became the commander of the Lord’s army, he was a coward, “threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites” (Judg. 6:11) because he was afraid. Yet “the angel of the LORD appeared to him” and said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior. Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand” (Judg. 6:12, 14).

Gideon did not feel like a “mighty warrior,” however, for he responded, “But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judg. 6:15). The tribe of Manasseh was considered by many to be somewhat of a laughingstock in Israel and, of course, Israel had been told: “The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (Deut. 7:7).

Thus, in effect, Gideon was the least in his family, his family was the least in his tribe, Manasseh was the least tribe of Israel, and Israel was the least of all nations. He was indeed “the least of the least of the least of the least”!

Now that is someone the Lord can use—someone who can bring Him great glory!