According to The Book of Judges (6-8), a pre-monarchical leader was celebrated for ridding Israel of Midianite invaders. His name was Jerubbaal (Gideon). He was also remembered for divinatory activity.
This leader lived in a very turbulent time of Israel's history. Because of their unfaithfulness to God, they were not enjoying the fruits of their labor. For a number of years neighboring nations, especially the Medianites, had invaded the Land at harvest time with hordes as numerous as the locust. The hand of Midian proved to be heavy upon the Israelites for 7 years, so much so that they had to make underground storage places for themselves in order to conceal their food supplies from the invaders.
This leader was threshing grain in a wine-press, when an angel appeared to him, saying:"God is with you, you valiant, mighty one."Then the angel told him that he would be the one to deliver Israel. The leader modestly spoke of his own insignificance. But he was assured that God would prove to be with him. The leader was put to a test by God, commanding him to tear down his father's altar to the god Baal, to cut down the sacred pole alongside it, to build an altar to God and then to offer his father's young bull of 7 years, upon it, using as firewood the sacred pole. The leader did so at midnight with the aid of 10 servants.
Then the Medianites, together with the Amalekites and the Easterners encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. God's Spirit enveloped the leader. Calling together the Abiezrites of the tribe of Manasseh from where he belonged, for battle, he sent messengers throughout Manasseh and to Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, urging to join him.
32,000 Fighting men rallied around him in response to the leader's call. They encamped at The Well of Harod, South of the Midianite camp at the Hill of Moreh in the Low Plain. They were outnumbered about 4 to 1 by the invaders, with a force of about 135,000. But God indicated to the leader that there were too many men.
At God's direction, the leader told those who were afraid and trembling to retire. 22,000 departed, but still there were too many men. Next God instructed the leader to lead the remaining 10,000 men down to the water to be tested. Only 300 men scooped water to the mouth by hand and were separated to one side. The others, who bent down upon their knees to drink, were not to be used.
The powerful 300 warriors were chosen because of their method of drinking, manifesting alertness and a deep concerning for the fight for true worship in God's name. By means of this true warriors God promised to save Israel.
The leader organized the 300 into 3 bands in order to enable him to approach the camp of Midian from 3 sides, and gave each man a Horn, and a large Jar, inside of which was placed a Torch. His men did exactly what he commanded to do. The stillness of the night was shattered by the exact blowing of 300 horns, the smashing of 300 large water jars and the resounding of 300 war cries; at the same time the sky was lit up with 300 torches. Confusion seized the enemy camp. The invaders began shouting and fleeing, and god proceeded to set the sword of each one against the other in all the camp.
Grateful Israelites asked the leader to establish his family as a ruling dynasty. However, the leader appreciated that God was Israel's rightful King and therefore did not go along with their request.
No comments:
Post a Comment