Gideon's 300
Recently
on TV a lot has been, one of my fav’s, the Spartan movie, 300
Daxos: I see I was wrong to expect
Sparta's commitment to at least match our own.
King Leonidas: Doesn't it?
[points to Arcadian soldier behind
Daxos]
King Leonidas: You there, what is your
profession?
Free Greek Potter: I am a
potter... sir. King Leonidas: [points to another soldier] And you, Arcadian, what is your profession?
Free Greek Sculptor: Sculptor, sir.
King Leonidas: Sculptor.
[turns to a third soldier]
King Leonidas: You?
Free Greek Blacksmith:
Blacksmith.
King Leonidas: [turns back
shouting] SPARTANS! What is YOUR profession?
Spartans: HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!
King Leonidas: [turning to Daxos]
You see, old friend? I brought more soldiers than you did!
Gideon in
the Bible has his own version of 300
God told Gideon to cut his army so everyone would know that God defeated the Mideanites and not Gideon. Gideon kept reducing army finally down to 300. Check out the full story in Judges 6-8
WHAT WE LEARN
·
God
math is not the same as ours 300 is > 32,000
·
Gideon’s
obedience required him to take a stand even against his own father and
tribe.
·
We
can also see how God uses ordinary people to accomplish His plans,
although with Gideon, the key factor was his willingness to obey God. Gideon
had gone from being “a warrior in hiding, threshing wheat at the foot of a
hill out of sight of the enemy, to vanquishing the same enemy in battle.”
·
Sometimes,
the most difficult people to witness to, are our families.
·
When
you cry out, God answers, God encourages, God strengthens, promises and
provides and says I will be with you and bring victory – “a sword for the
Lord and for Gideon”
·
NOT always…
(that God will always use us and that we will always honor God) Later in life,
Gideon took many wives and fathered 70 unnamed sons. His son
Abimelech, born to a concubine, rebelled and murdered all 70 of his
half-brothers. Abimelech died in battle, ending a short, wicked reign.