-- Tuesday, 8/3/10 -- WHO'S IN CONTROL HERE? -- Judges 7:19-22

[J.R. & Bonnie Ricks]

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WHO'S IN CONTROL HERE? -- Judges 7:19-22 NIV

 

Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.  The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"  While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

 

Don't you love it when a plan comes together?  Here Gideon was with his three hundred men (reduced by God, remember, from 33,000).  This tiny (by comparison) band of men had been told that they were going to defeat the Midianites – a more than formidable foe.  And how did the defeat come?  Through God's power – not man's.  God told them to sound their trumpets, break a bunch of jars and shout.  And the Midianites turned on each other!  Gideon's army had won – but not by their own hand.  They had won by the power of God.  Before the battle began, Gideon's army probably thought the whole idea was ridiculous... or at any rate, far-fetched.  The situation had to look impossible.

 

Even to Gideon, the situation had to seem impossible.  Even though God had proved Himself to Gideon over and over again, the situation had to look very grim.  After all, there were only three hundred men in Gideon's army standing against 15,000 Midianites!  When the situation looked totally impossible, God stepped in and won their battle.  Obviously, He wanted them to know who was in control.  He wanted them to be absolutely sure who had won the battle for them.

 

Speaking of impossible situations, think about how the apostles felt during Passover weekend about two thousand years ago.  All of them had given up their lives for Jesus.  Some of them had been with Him night and day for three years.  Now He had been crucified and was dead and buried in a tomb.  These eleven men were shattered.  Their leader, the source of their hope, was gone.  They, too, were possibly being hunted.  They, too, might be in danger of crucifixion.  Their total focus for their lives had been shattered.  This Jesus, this teacher who was supposed to be the Son of God, was dead.  For the apostles, there seemed to be no future.  For these men, the situation they faced was impossible.  And then Jesus returned!  He had conquered death for them and for all who would believe – for all eternity!  He had solved their impossible situation.  And He had done it in a way that no man could ever have done.

 

Are you facing an impossible situation?  Remember who is in control.  Remember how many miracles He has done in your life up until now. Although it shouldn’t be, your next step is the most difficult one for you to take… your next step is to believe that He will do more.

 

 

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