Too many soldiers

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 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. – Judges 7.1-2

Gideon was preparing for his battle against the Midianites. God had commissioned him to deliver Israel from their captivity. Gideon had 22,000 men in his army. I don’t think we know how many men were in the Midianites army, but their camels were ‘like the sand on the seashore’ so it must have been a huge army. Gideon was surely greatly out numbered, but 22,000 men is still a good number. It might be hard, but defeating Midian was surely possible.

But God said ‘wait, you have too many men.’

Wait, too many men? How is that even possible?

But God said it was too many. Then through a series of tests God winnows the number down to 300 soldiers.

Why does God do that? We can’t know the mind of God, but I think God wants us to know that He is more than able what needs done. God gave Gideon an impossible situation so He could prove that he was the God of the impossible.

We all face situations where it seems like things are tough – and then God allows it to get a little tougher so that He can show who is in control. Sometimes it seems our resources are limited and God allows them to get even more limited.

But whenever He does He proves Himself faithful. I remember about 30 years ago when Mary and I were teaching in a small Christian school. As it was our income was not really enough to meet our needs.

Then things got tighter. Like Gideon our resources got even more limited. For nearly a year Mary taught for nothing.

And guess what? God got us though it. I have no idea how. It makes no sense. But God did it.

And that is God. That's how He works. He excels in meeting needs and giving the victory especially when we seem powerless.

He did it for Gideon. He did it for us 30 years ago. He does it today. And He will do it tomorrow.