No country would boast of a three hundred man army. Especially when there are countries capable of raising up a three hundred million man army. But, in the divine scheme of things, three hundred easily outweighs three hundred million.
Judges seven records a historic battle between the army of Israel, under the leadership of Gideon, and a vast army of Midianites. Three hundred men defeated a large army (verses 22-25). End of story. Except, there was a great reason why a three hundred man army marched into battle instead of a thirty-two thousand-man army:
"The LORD said to Gideon, 'The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'" (Judges 7.2)
The key lesson is succinctly summarized in this verse, written many years after the Gideon story: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong" (1 Corinthians 1.27). God specializes in the absurd.
The tiny nation of Israel is the world's great enigma. There is every reason why this minuscule nation and people should no longer exist, and yet it does. Their heritage is that they have been chosen as a covenant people by God. "How odd of God to choose the Jews", the saying goes.
But, we - the people of faith through Jesus and Abraham (Galatians 3.29) - are chosen as well. We are the rag-tag band of misfits destined to one day rule the world with Christ. How absurd! The nothings and nobodies of the present world are members of THE royal family.
The odds are stacked against us as we face life today. The world's system is a large, well-equipped army in the spiritual battle we face. We are David standing against a giant Goliath. All bets are on our opponent. But, God desires to bring victory that can only be attributed to Him. So, we face the battle with faith and humility.
Relish the absurdity of your situation today. Your Father stands ready to bring overwhelming victory in the face of incredible odds. Behold His mighty hand as you live for Him today.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
Judges seven records a historic battle between the army of Israel, under the leadership of Gideon, and a vast army of Midianites. Three hundred men defeated a large army (verses 22-25). End of story. Except, there was a great reason why a three hundred man army marched into battle instead of a thirty-two thousand-man army:
"The LORD said to Gideon, 'The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'" (Judges 7.2)
The key lesson is succinctly summarized in this verse, written many years after the Gideon story: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong" (1 Corinthians 1.27). God specializes in the absurd.
The tiny nation of Israel is the world's great enigma. There is every reason why this minuscule nation and people should no longer exist, and yet it does. Their heritage is that they have been chosen as a covenant people by God. "How odd of God to choose the Jews", the saying goes.
But, we - the people of faith through Jesus and Abraham (Galatians 3.29) - are chosen as well. We are the rag-tag band of misfits destined to one day rule the world with Christ. How absurd! The nothings and nobodies of the present world are members of THE royal family.
The odds are stacked against us as we face life today. The world's system is a large, well-equipped army in the spiritual battle we face. We are David standing against a giant Goliath. All bets are on our opponent. But, God desires to bring victory that can only be attributed to Him. So, we face the battle with faith and humility.
Relish the absurdity of your situation today. Your Father stands ready to bring overwhelming victory in the face of incredible odds. Behold His mighty hand as you live for Him today.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
posted by steve @ 9:21 AM
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