Boasting in Big Numbers or the Big God
[1] Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
[2] The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ [3] Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.
[4] And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” [5] So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” [6] And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. [7] And the LORD said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”
How awesome would it be to get too many people together?
“Alright church, we are at capacity so y’all are going to have to go stand out in the parking lot and listen over the PA.”
That wasn’t what the Lord was after. The people of Israel would boast in themselves if they had too many people and beat the Midianites. God wanted Israel to boast in God.
“Look at what great things God has done with so few people!”
The event doesn’t shun big numbers or small ones, but it shows off how much God can do with a small group of people. It was to God’s glory that He could gather so many people together, and it will be to His glory that He defeats the oppressors with so few.
As we take on new things and continue to carry the banner for old things, let’s not be discouraged by or proud of the number of people involved, but look to the God who works in so many people. May we also pray that God would raise up many more small groups of people to reach out and have more victories.
The goal in Gideon’s day was to bring glory to God by breaking free from Midianite oppression. Today it is to bring Glory to God by breaking free from the oppression of sin. We free the current and next-generation from that slavery by telling them the Gospel and what great love the Father has for us, that we’d be called the sons and daughters of God.
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