Expect A Blessing. Part [13] 03/19/2025 (Morning thought)

Judges 7: 2 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.

If you expect a blessing you have to behave as if you believe, and thus, the mind has to be dead focused on what God has promised to do. Any, and all other distractions and attractions must fade into oblivion, and an earnest expectation must envelop the entire mission. Therefore, God who reads the heart, announces to Gideon that his army is still too large; not that there were too many men, but that there were too many of the wrong type of men, persons who had other items at the top of their agenda.

Thus, God tests their sincerity and readiness by the attitude that would be displayed in times of a real emergency. As the remaining 10,000 were brought down to the water for the final test it is discovered that some were drinking while they were on their cell phones. Others were found surfing the internet for deals, while others were busy taking Tik Tok videos, and selfies. These, in particular, would tend to take the glory of the victory to themselves, hence the reason why God inserted these words into the narrative.

Others were consumed with all of the bad news of the day, and thus, by their attitude, it was shown that they weren’t really expecting a blessing. But there were others who were dead focused on the mission and the promise, who believed with all their hearts that God would do something great for them, and therefore, their expectation of a blessing found expression in their attitudes, for even though they needed water, they would never lay down their swords.

Judges 7:6 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.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

Expect A Blessing. Part [12] 03/19/2025 (Evening thought)

Judges 7:3 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.

In the experience of Gideon, we read of a promised blessing that God made to him of deliverance from the Midianites. With the promise in hand, Gideon’s expectation grows but the way in which the blessing will become reality does not conform to logic. Gideon blows the trumpet to call for volunteers and 32,000 soldiers respond, but there were mixed up moods and attitudes to be found in most of them.

Some of them responded, just because they saw others responding and, others stepped up to the plate, simply because it was the “Right” thing to do. Again, others were motivated by the impulse of the moment, yet they were not prepared to exercise an intelligent faith in times of a real emergency. Thus, when The Lord gave them the golden opportunity to turn back, if they chose to do so, 22,000 returned to their tents.

Gideon’s heart sinks, as he watches the majority of his already small army, dwindling to almost nothing when compared with possibly over a million men of war on the enemy’s side. And yet, the 10,000 who remain were still not ready to exercise an intelligent faith because they had other priorities preoccupying their minds.

Judges 7:4 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.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!