Gideon's 300 Men

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.” Judges 7:7

Gideon was given the task of delivering the Israelites from the Midianites, desert nomads who repeatedly raided Israel. Gideon the judge portrayed our Lord Jesus Christ in two interesting ways. First of all, when Gideon was choosing men to fight against the enemies, he had 32,000 volunteers who joined his army. God instructed him to reduce the number of men lest Israel should claim glory for herself when He grants them victory. The fearful and afraid were sent home and Gideon was left with 10,000 men (Judg. 7:2-3). However, God was still not satisfied with the number of people and He put them through another test. This time, He tested their alertness and readiness. Those who knelt down to drink with their mouths in the stream were sent home. Only 300 passed (7:6-7)! In a similar way, Jesus chooses only those worthy to be in His army. He never appealed to the crowd, He went after serious disciples. The Bible says many are called but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14). Among the called and chosen, you find another category of people: those that are found faithful (Rev. 17:14).

Secondly, both Gideon and Jesus shared the same strategy in their missions. Gideon and his men all had pitchers in their left hand and trumpets in their right. When they launched their attack, they blew the trumpet, broke the pitchers, each concealing a torch within, to allow the light of the torches to shine forth as they charged forward (Judg. 7:19-21). On the cross of Calvary, Jesus died in His mortal human body-an earthen vessel of clay. His body was broken so that the light of God can shine forth and dispel the darkness of sin in our lives.

Your trumpet is the gospel you need to proclaim to the whole world. As you crucify your old man with Christ, you are breaking your pitcher. And the glory of the new man, which bears the life of Christ, can then shine forth. Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).