God Doesn't Save with Great Numbers - Gideon's Little Army: Judges 3:1-8

Introduction

The biggest and greatest don’t always end up on top. God works wonders in giving victories and saving people that would seem the least likely. 1 Corinthians 1:27–28 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:”

Well, here in our passage tonight we have Gideon’s army of 32k brought down to a band of 300.

Judges 7:1–8 KJV 1900

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

D. God doesn’t need us to win the battle.

P. We ought to realize the battle’s outcome is in God’s hand.

1. Be ready for Action with anticipation.

Judges 7:1 “Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.”

Explain

Gideon and his men rise up to get ready for battle Action.

Gideon has just been assured by the fleece being dry one morning and being soaking wet the next.

Now Gideon is getting ready to go with his 32,000 men which are far outnumbered by the host of Midian, the Amalekites, and the children of the East scattered in the Jezreel valley near Mount Moreh, known today as Jabel ed-Dehi. NE of Afula, a city in Modern Israel with a population of over 61,000.

Gideon positions he and his men in an advantageous location up on a hill near the Harod Spring.

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary 1

The spring where Gideon and his army camped before routing the Midianites (

However, this battle wasn’t going to one of the best strategies, but one of implicit trust and obedience to God.

Argue

Here Gideon can see the hosts of Midian below in the valley in the distance. Judges 7:12 “And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.”

Gideon no doubt is thinking. I need more men. We are really outnumbered.

When he saw his army against the multitudes in the valley their was a bit of fear that went through the host. Some were thinking I have better chances of survival hiding out in that cave I hid last year. What’s gonna happen to my wife and kids if I die? No doubt a number began to look at their strength against the enemies strength instead of looking at God’s strength. I bet, even Gideon was thinking, I need to blow that trumpet again and gather troops from Ephraim and Judah too. We are in a pickle. These four tribes of Manasseh, Naphtali, Asher, and Zebulon. Judges 6:35 “And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.”

David said, 1 Samuel 17:47 “And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”

Illustrate: In a battle you always want to position yourself to the greatest advantage.

Explain

We are to be obedient to the Lord.

Gideon rose early and went to the place of battle.

He was ready to confront the enemy.

We cannot be passive in the battle against sin. Just like the enemies of Israel scattered in the valley were about to be looted and destroyed whether they confronted or hid in the caves. We too must face the enemy and confront it otherwise sin will destroy us.

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

They could continue in their unbelief and be beaten by the enemy.

They could yield themselves to God and in faith confront the enemy that invaded the land God gave them.

This was the promised land.

This was the people of the LORD.

Obedient Israel: The Promise was that one should chases a thousand. Joshua 23:10 “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.”

Disobedient Israel: The promise was one thousand of them would be chased by one.

Deuteronomy 32:30 “How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had shut them up?”

Judges 2:14 “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.”

Isaiah 30:17–18 “One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; At the rebuke of five shall ye flee: Till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, And as an ensign on an hill. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, And therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: For the Lord is a God of judgment: Blessed are all they that wait for him.”

Christian in Christ your are the people of God.

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

2 Corinthians 6:18 “And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

THEREFORE WE TOO, can face unnumbered foes in Christ’s name and he will defeat them before us.

Colossians 2:14–15 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Psalm 118:9–12 “It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes. All nations compassed me about: But in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; They are quenched as the fire of thorns: For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.”

We are to be strong in the Lord, not in numbers.

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:10–11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

2. Be not Afraid of the enemies’ army.

Judges 7:2–3 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.”

Explain

God makes a startling announcement: you have too many men. Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

The people saw all the camels.

The people saw all the enemy armies.

God makes a startling assessment: if you win the people will think they did it in their own strength. Joshua 23:3 “And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.”

God makes a Scriptural allowance. Deuteronomy 20:8 “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.”

22,000 men leave Gideon’s army of 32,000 leaving him with under a third of what he had to begin with. If Gideon thought he was in a pickle before. Now he really is. He may have pondered going home himself, but wait God had commissioned him to lead the Israelite army to victory and had not he promised the victory.

On this Gideon continues courageously.

Had not God promised his presence with him.

Called him a mighty man of valour in his unlikely call. Judges 6:12 “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.”

Been promised God would use him to save Israel from the hand of Midian.

Judges 6:14 “And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”

Judges 6:16 “And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

Argue

Sin will keep you from trusting God. A large number still did not trust the Lord.

When you don’t walk with God, you are not bold. Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: But the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Illustrate

Apply

Don’t be afraid when God’s orders don’t seem to make sense:

Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Find comfort in God’s promises

Go back to your salvation and when God called you.

Go back to the promise of his continual presence with you in the battles you face.

Go back to what he has called you in Christ.

Go FORWARD in obedience to what he tells you without looking back. Romans 14:23 “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

T. As many turned their back before even the start of the battle don’t be afraid. Move forward boldly with the promises of God.

3. Be Assured of God’s Ability.

Judges 7:4–8 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the…”

Explain

Gideon gets the startling news again: Gideon you still have too many men. Do the drink test.

A test that is not waged on braveness, but on a happen circumstance of how one gets a drink.

One gets down on hands and knees and drinks from the stream.

This group was trying to get all the drink they could before they moved forward into battle it appears. MH

The other stoops and cups water and laps it out of his hand.

It seems these were more vigilant. MH

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Only 300 remain, but they are ready for action. The rest are sent home.

God promises there victory through these men.

God doesn’t have them take weapons, but food and trumpets.

Where were the swords.

Gideon is given instructions

Argue

Zechariah 4:6 “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the Lord of hosts.”

God is the one with whom victory lies. Jesus himself will destroy all the enemies with the sword of his mouth at his second coming. Revelation 19:21 “And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

Illustrate: God doesn’t need you. Count it a privilege to be used of him. Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Apply

Rest assured God can do what he promised. 2 Peter 1:3–4 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Rest assured that God doesn’t need a lot of Christians or any Christians to wage war successfully, but he is pleased to have us fight for him in his name.

Conclusion

Anticipate the fight

Don’t be afraid.

Rest assured of his Victory in your life.