This week I’ll like to touch on the story of Gideon. It’s a story of how our Lord uses our weaknesses to bring glory to Him- such that no one can boast of himself. And there are so many nuggets to take from this story again including the 300 chosen soldiers.
You see, Gideon was the least in his father’s house, among the weakest clan in Manasseh.
But the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in Judges 6
Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
Now, during this period, the children of Israel were facing oppression from the Midianites. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, Hence, God sent them to constantly destroy the Israel’s crops and produce.
For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were [a]without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. 6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
The meaning of Midianites means a place of “judgement”.
So when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon at that time. He was found threshing wheat in the winepress for fear of the Midianites. A deeper symbolic meaning can be seen here as Israel being literally judged.
The winepress is often depicted as a symbol of judgement- which Jesus went true to spill blood for our redemption. In order to have wine, the wine grapes will be crushed by foot until grape juice has flown out.
Threshing the wheat means to separate the grain from the chaff. And that is a picture of being separated in holiness between God’s children and unbelievers. This is to be done at the threshing floor.
But in this case Gideon did it at the winepress. And that’s the symbolic meaning of Israel falling into judgement.
The Sign of the Fleece
At this point, Gideon wanted a sign from God to know he has been called to lead Israel out of their misery.
36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
This time, Gideon placed the fleece of wool on the threshing floor! The threshing floor is a very significant place. It’s symbolism has various meanings from being a place of separation, God’s protection, God’s temple, and harsh testing. In order to separate the grains from the chaff, the whole stalk gets beaten repeatedly.
One prominent verse is in Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire
In Gideon’s case, he ‘tested’ God on 2 occasion.
1st: If there is dew only on the fleece, while the ground is dry
2nd: This time, the ground is wet, but the fleece is dry.
So what do all these mean?
In order to get a fleece of wool, it needs to be taken from a sheep. That represents Christ- the Lamb of God. Dew is a picture of God’s provision and blessings. The ground speaks of the people.
But why are there 2 contrasting scenes?
It is the difference between the 2 covenants. The first one represents the covenant under the Law. For under this covenant, men can hardly receive God’s blessing due to their wickedness. So something needed to be done. When Gideon wrung the wet fleece until there is a bowl full of water- it speaks of Jesus being squeezed until he is dry. That’s why on the cross he cried out “I’m thirsty“. The full fiery wrath of God fell upon Him so that we will not have to face this judgement.
As you can see, in the second scenario, the fleece remained dry while dew appeared on the ground. Now, God’s blessing is on all ground. An exchange has taken place!
Choosing of the 300
Here is where it gets even more interesting.
When Gideon arose to make preparation to attack the Midianites. The Lord spoke to him again:
The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’
And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
But that wasn’t enough. God wanted to reduce the numbers even further and let’s see why.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his [a]place.” 8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men.
What is the Lord trying to show us here?
Some interpret that the Lord chose the 300 because their eyes were watching their environment- being alert and ready at all times.
But the clue has already been shown, that God did not men to obtain glory in this war.
So, do you notice that in order to drink with their face on the water, it requires more effort in their position? Compared to those who knelt, scooped up the water, and lapped.
Obviously, God has chosen the weaker forces of men to bring down the mighty Midianites.
Furthermore, when you continue to read on the story, they did not have to fight any physical battle at all! They just carried their trumpets and pitches.
Every time the ram’s horn is blown, aka the trumpet, the death of the Lord is proclaimed!
When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to [d]Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.
That’s why we can always boast in our weaknesses, for that’s the area where God will be our strength and do wonders!