Gary discusses the recent ousting of Speaker McCarthy and what political writer Jason Whitlock calls the “Gaetzful 8.” Whitlock compares the 8 to Gideon’s 300 and the idea of the remnant.
Gideon is called Jerubbaal, the Baal-Fighter. He is going to war against Baal, in the confidence God had given him the night before. They rose early, with the sun. The rising of the sun is a picture in Judges of the strength of God’s righteous people.
Deuteronomy 20:8 commands that when the army is summoned, those who are fearful should be sent home. The Lord reminds Gideon to implement this law now. Holy war cannot be fought except by men of faith, who have confidence in the Lord and are consequently basically unafraid. Moreover, the Lord is showing Israel that ultimately He alone is the Deliverer; they have no active part except to mop up after the battle has definitively been won. Twenty-two thousand men departed, and thus the place came to be called the Spring of Harod (“Fearful, Trembling”).
In the second test, it was those who were single-minded who were chosen. Lapping as a dog laps is explained in verse 6 as taking water in the palm and bringing it to the mouth. They used their hands the way a dog uses its tongue to scoop up water. These men were so conscious of the holy war that they did not kneel down to drink, but remained standing and alert. They were wholly consecrated to their task, single-minded. God’s wars can only be fought by such men.
Gideon’s band numbered 300; the enemy 135,000. This is a ratio of 450:1, in favor of the enemy. Not good odds, humanly speaking. God’s plan, as revealed in verse 18 and following, required each of the 300 men to have his own torch, trumpet, and jar, so that these had to be collected from the provisions of the larger camp. The rest of the men returned to their tents. They would be summoned for the mopping up operation, after the first blow had been struck.
Judges: God's War Against Humanism
Judges, like all so-called "history books" of the Old Testament, is really a prophecy. Judges is numbered among what are called the "Former Prophets." These books were called prophecies because the histories they recorded were regarded as exemplary. The histories showed God's principles in action, and thus formed prophetic warning to the people. If we read Judges merely as a set of exciting stories, we miss this.
Buy NowGary discusses the recent ousting of Speaker McCarthy and what political writer Jason Whitlock calls the “Gaetzful 8.” Whitlock compares the 8 to Gideon’s 300 and the idea of the remnant. Pastors are also (slowly) beginning to wake up and get vocal. All good things, but we must always be mindful of history, as Gary is quick to point out.
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