Operation Midian

Operation Midian

Judges 7:1-2

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

   Gideon is there with the troops of Israel and ready to begin Operation Overthrow Midian.  He looks out over his meager troops and wonders if there are enough to carry out this operation when the Lord speaks to him and tells him he has too many men.  Too many?  The forces of Midian are like a rolling tide sweeping across the land of Israel.  They have better weapons and ride attack camels.  From Judges 8:10 we read that Midian had one hundred and thirty five thousand men.  Against this, Gideon was able to persuade thirty-two thousand men to volunteer to fight.  Each Israelite soldier would have to take out roughly four Midianites each for there to be victory.  That’s pretty long odds.  With that few men it would take a miracle to even slow down the Midianites. 

   But first God tells Gideon he has too many men.  At four to one odds against them, it was too close.  So Gideon is told to let the men who were fearful return home.  Twenty two thousand left leaving him with ten thousand troops.  That was a little better, now the odds are thirteen and a half to one.  Much better, but still not good enough, because God knew the wickedness of human hearts and if there was any way to take the glory from a victory the people would do it and God would get only a token acknowledgment. 

   So God led Gideon to test the men remaining and of the ten thousand men only three hundred were chosen to fight.  A mere handful of men against the hoard of Midian.  Then Gideon gave them their weapons.  You’d think with the crazy odds now that he’d arm them with some type of new swords: some kind of Star Wars – type light sabre.  But no, they didn’t get fancy new swords; they got trumpets and clay pitchers and torches. 

   So now imagine you’re in the huge camp of the Midianites and you’re sleeping in your tent and suddenly there is the light from hundreds of torches all around you and trumpets are blowing and people are shouting.  The confusion must have been terrible.  The Midianites rush about killing each other in the dark and the survivors flee into the night.  The three hundred with Gideon are left with the enemy’s camp and all the spoils. 

   This story is one I’ve read hundreds of times and it never really meant much to me.  But since the first of the year, I’ve come to appreciate Gideon more and more.  We began attending a small church here in North Baltimore in January.  The church had had a rough time in the past but God had sent away those who had been there and when our pastor and his family arrived they came to an empty building.  We are few in numbers but we have been given our assignment:  bring the Gospel to our Village. 

This year we’ve worked to spread the message around town that the church is open and God’s Word is being preached there. 

   And there has been opposition.  The enemy has tried to distract and discourage the pastor and his family with many obstacles.  He has tried to discourage my wife and myself.  This week the enemy has tried once again to place damaging thoughts in my mind about death and failure.  One example:  my wife was working at a small store nearby and did not answer the phone when I tried to call her.  I suddenly had an image of her lying dead on the floor of the store flash through my mind.  It hit me hard but I was able to pray and clear my mind.  I got in touch with her a few minutes later. 

   These attacks are hurtful and I resent the enemy using thoughts of those close to me as a way to try to harm me.  But I know that God is ever near me and will not leave me and is there to strengthen me when I call on Him. 

   This week our church even suffered a physical attack.  A man with a history of problems tried to burn the church building only to fail and is now in police custody.  The enemy may want to harm the ministry, but the church is not the building.  The building is a convenience to the ministry to allow us to meet in comfort, but it is only a building.   The ministry will go on and the Gospel will be preached in this Village, building or no building, for as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12: 9&10 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

   To be honest I can’t say that I “delight” in weaknesses and in hardships, but I am learning that it does not take an army to oppose the devil, just a handful of willing people armed with the light of the Gospel.    

 Stephen Cram                                                          September 1, 2013                     

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.