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Gideon and the Midianites

Judges 7:19

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.

Full bible text

Judges 7 verses 16 to 22
16 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. 17 And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 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’. 19 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. 20 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!” 21 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. 22 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. 

About this painting

During the time in which Gideon lives, Israel is doing “what is evil in the sight of the Lord.” Judges 6:1. Therefore the LORD delivers them into the hand of the Midianites, who plunder and destroy the land every year for 7 years.
"Then the children of Israel cried out to the LORD." Judges 6 verse 6.
He then sends a prophet to remind the Israelites that the Lord has delivered them out of Egypt and given them the land of Canaan, and that they must not despise the covenant relationship with Him through idolatry. See Deuteronomy 28 verse 15.
Yet Gideon is called by the LORD to deliver Israel out of the hand of Midian. He says to Gideon, "Because I will be with you, you will slay Midian as if it were only one man."

First Gideon is ordered to tear down the altar that his father dedicated to the idol of Baal, and to build an altar to the LORD.
Then the battle against the Midianites is prepared. The army of 32,000 that Gideon gathers is too numerous in the sight of the LORD. Israel should not be able to say, 'My own hand has delivered me!' Judges 7:2.
After selection ultimately remains an army of only 300 men.
In the valley between Mount Gilboa and Mount Moreh lies the great army of Midianites and Amalekites, with their camels, “as many as the grains of sand that are on the seashore.” Judges 7:12.
When the men of Gideon, divided into three groups of a hundred, at midnight, surround the Midianites, and terrify them with their trumpets, torches, battle cries, and the sound of breaking pottery, the LORD so terrifies the Midianites that they fight among themselves and flee.
“So Midian was humbled before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest in the days of Gideon for forty years.” Judges 8:28.

Despite this victory, Gideon's judgeship has a certain ambivalence. After he is called to be judge, he doubts whether the Lord will do what He promises.
Still, Gideon eventually obeys.
After the victory over Midian, Gideon leads the people astray again by making an "ephod" of his own accord. Unlike the ephod worn by the high priest Aaron (Exodus 28), this ephod was not commissioned by God, and in time becomes an object of worship that “becomes a snare to Gideon and his house.” Judges 8 verses 27.

The church of Christ in our time has a spiritual battle against all spiritual enemies of God. Also in this battle victory is won by God's help.
Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 8:37 "But in all this we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

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