Today’s devotion comes from Judges 7:9-18.
“Now the same night it came about that the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands. But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, and you will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the outposts of the army that was in the camp. Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.”
When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’” Judges 7:9-18.
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The LORD could very well have thought that His Word to Gideon was sufficient. But the LORD further said to Gideon: “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” Judges 6:16.
And then, the LORD granted the request of Gideon for a sign and gave Gideon a miraculous sign using the fleece.
And then, the LORD granted the request of Gideon for a second sign regarding the fleece. See Judges 6:36-40 for both signs using the fleece.
And then, the LORD spoke to Gideon at length in Judges 7:2-8 about reducing the number of men that Gideon should use to fight Midian.
Wasn’t all of this enough?!
No. In today’s Scripture, the LORD strengthened the hands of Gideon by giving Gideon the additional sign of the dream which was in addition to all that the LORD gave to Gideon previously.
“A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,
AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT,
UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.” Matthew 12:20.
“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3.
“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10.
There is a lesson for us. If the LORD was so patient in strengthening the hands of Gideon, then we should also be patient in strengthening the hands of others.
“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,” Hebrews 12:12.
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-21.
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.
“3 Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.
4 Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.
For waters will break forth in the wilderness
And streams in the Arabah.” Isaiah 35:3-6.
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