Judges 7:1-25

7:2-8 | God seldom undertakes a battle with excess human strength. Thus, God reduced Israel’s army to a point where defeating the Midianites on their own would be impossible. Gideon was about to discover that 300 with God is far more than 32,000 without Him. Human limitations always point to His unlimited power (1 Sam. 14:6).

7:2-3 | God would not use Gideon as a leader until Gideon recognized that he was insufficient for the task. God wants His leaders to depend completely on Him. And He wants the glory. If victories make God’s people self-reliant, those victories are more disastrous than defeat would be. People can never be too small for God to use, but they can be too big in their own minds (John 3:30).

7:4-7 | it could be said that the men who lapped water from their hands were more vigilant, while the men who bowed to drink made refreshment their object and placed themselves in a vulnerable position. Those who got down on their knees would have been unaware of enemy movement while they drank and would have been more susceptible to leeches. Once the kneelers were dismissed, Gideon had a group of men who were different in their discipline: they were devoted to God and to him, and diligent to keep their eyes on the ultimate goal (Heb. 12:2).

7:8 | Those who do only what they can to do in their strength get human-sized results. God wants men and women who, like Gideon, are willing to be used to subdue kingdoms through faith (Heb. 11:33). Every Christian should be working toward some godly goal that is so outrageous, it can only be accomplished through God’s strength.

7:10-11 | God understood Gideon’s fear (if you are afraid) and compassionately offered an opportunity to build up his courage. He did not, however, dismiss Gideon from his task.

7:12-15 | In Gideon’s day, barley was animal fodder, and barley bread was a staple of the poor. Gideon, like the bread, was rather unimpressive; nevertheless, he would win an impressive victory against the Midianites. By instilling a fear of Gideon and his God, Yahweh laid the foundation for Israel’s triumph and Gideon’s confidence.

7:19-25 | The middle watch began at midnight. With all the noise and light created by the Israelites, the Midian solders thought they were surrounded by a vast army, and in the confusion, they began killing each other (Ps. 83:9). The cry, The sword of the LORD and of Gideon, uses sword metaphorically to represent the battle. It was a reminder that the victory was God’s, especially since the Israelite soldiers carried no swords!