Gideon: God who obeys Chapter 4

 This is not about Leonidas and Sparta!!! It's about God, Gideon, and the mighty 300

Gideon could never be happier when God told him that the 32 thousand soldiers were still too many to go to battle and secure the win from the Midianites. The headcount number determines the outcome of any battle and here is Gideon staring blankly at them. Hence, Gideon is overmatched by 135k enemies battlefront, outnumbered still and his army will taste an overkill.

Reduce the number

So from 32,000 soldiers to 22,000 who left and went home, 10,000 stayed drinking in the river. And God is still somewhat implying, that this is still a fat cow, we still need to trim it down. 

Strange test

Then God told Gideon to observe how these men drinks from the river may pass God's standard as His mighty men.

God's style of selection revealed

1. Those who bended their knees and cupped water from the river to drink were disqualified. Reason: They are strong, well trained, and mannered but what God is looking was the few, not the majority. 

2. Those who went straight with their mouth to drink from the river in a dog-like position passed this strange test. Reason: God was looking for the lowly and weak, the unguarded so He could give His strength to fight a hundred thousand to a handful of three hundred.

The learning is about God's might and not about mighty men.

So again Gideon wanted to resign for this job.First God complains there are too many men so send others home.

Done. 

Second, pick the few, the unqualified and unguarded. 

Done. 

Anything else? 

Gideon already looked for the meaning of defeat. 

He did not realize the big chunk of his army was God himself. 

God himself will rally with Gideon and his 300 unqualified men. God lets go of the strong faithfuls and chooses to teach hard lessons to the faithless weaklings. This is how God works.

AC

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