Judges 8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. I. THE ARMY. Merely three hundred devoted warriors, under command of a trusted leader. But no unreliable material in their midst. Each true as steel. 1. The leader was a man thoroughly equipped for his work. Many good causes have languished or been lost for want of an efficient chief. Gideon had boldness to strike, and enthusiasm to follow up. Also a heart thoroughly loyal to God. 2. The men composing this army were specially chosen. They were men who knew no fear in the hour of danger nor alarm at the force of the foe. 3. The men composing this army were devoted to their work. Not to be caught unawares: ever on the alert for the foe. II. THE VICTORY. 1. Divine help. The history of battlefields tells us that the victorious armies have not always been the best equipped; that Providence is not always on the side of the strongest artillery. There is a moral influence at work in all struggles for the right which will make itself felt, whatever be the opposing odds. The greatest exploits are sometimes achieved by the feeblest instrumentality. It is not so much mechanical organisation we want — it is life. 2. Human instrumentality. To those who go out at God's command the way is wonderfully opened up, the insurmountable barriers vanish. In every Christian enterprise the work is virtually done when the first advance is made in God's name. III. THE PURSUIT: "Faint, yet pursuing." We cannot read this without feeling rebuked for half-heartedness in our Christian work. Many a time we seem to have made inroads on Satan's dominion, souls seem to have been rescued from the oppressor, but the advantage thus gained was not followed up; the old foe, driven out only for a time, returned, and the last state became worse than the first. And what is the reason? Why do we stop short of full success? Because we give way to weariness. We are like Gideon's men in being faint; but we fail to imitate them in pursuing. (D. Merson, B. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. |
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