Friday after Septuagesima Sunday
Posted on February 10, 2023 by under
Scripture: Judges 7:1-8 (NKJV)
7:1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.” 8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
Devotion
Only a few verses later, in Judges 8:10, we hear that the Midianites had an army of 135,000 men. It is understandable that Israel, having an army of only 22,000 men, would want to “claim glory for itself ” by saying, “My own hand saved me.” Likewise, whenever something good happens in the world it is easy for man’s pride to take over, claiming for himself the glory that truly belongs to God. However, with an army of only 300 men, there would be no question as to how Israel defeated the Midianites. It would be obvious that God alone was the reason for the victory.
We, too, like to take credit for any good that comes into our lives. “I worked hard…, I studied hard…, I sacrificed…, I (fill in the blank)…” “I” can quickly become the focus also when it comes to salvation. There are many Christians who wish to add something about themselves as to why they are saved. “I have tried to be good… I have decided to follow Jesus… I gave up so much to be a Christian…” “I” again becomes the focal point. However, when we are brought to our knees by the Law, our “army” is reduced to ZERO. The only one who stands in holiness before the Father is Jesus. Only Christ can save us through His death on the Cross. His is the victory, and His victory over sin and death is His gift to us.
Prayer: O Lord, we beseech Thee favorably to hear the prayers of Thy people: that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
