GIDEON AND MIDIAN

The Israelites were oppressed externally by the nation of Midian, and internally by their own idolatry. Joash the Abiezrite, father of Gideon, had built an altar to an idol (Jgs 6:25), as well as a sacred pole used in idol worship. God called the fearful Gideon to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Jgs 6:14).

When Gideon assembled a large army, God told him, "You have too many soldiers with you for Me to deliver Midian into [your] power" (Jgs 7:2). So God told Gideon to send the fearful men home, which reduced the army to 32% of its original force. God said: "There are still too many soldiers" (Jgs 7:4). Then God devised a test to show which of those who were not afraid would be alert, ready, and prepared for battle (Jgs 7:5; cp Mt 25:1-13). After this test, less than 1% of the original soldiers remained. It was through these three-hundred lowly, obedient Israelites that God received glory when He delivered Israel through Gideon. God chooses the weak, "insignificant" (Jgs 6:15), and lowly so that He will receive glory (see Ex 14:18). The last come first (Mt 19:30).

The victorious Gideon refused to grab the glory from the Lord. He instead told the people to subject themselves to the Lord instead of their former idols, saying: "The Lord must rule over you" (Jgs 8:23). God doesn't need multitudes to be victorious. What He wants is spirit-filled servants who abandon themselves to Him (Jgs 6:34) and leaders who put His will above all else (Jgs 6:25ff; Mt 19:29).