I Finally Get It!
Granted, some Bible stories are just bizarre and difficult to understand. While we visited Gideon Springs, I finally understood God’s unique request for choosing Gideon’s army.
Yoram, our tour guide in Israel, was an ex-military officer in the Israeli army. In Israel, all young people, at the age of eighteen, are required to serve their country for two years. Most go to the military. Occasionally, exceptions are made to work in a service industry, such as a hospital. This mandatory national service promotes camaraderie, pride, and devotion to their native land.
I found Yoram’s military background invaluable in understanding the history and political culture of Israel. Yoram also gave me fresh insight into the story of Gideon, which had always baffled me.
In Judges, chapter 7, God is teaching Gideon to depend upon him. Consequently, he keeps telling Gideon to reduce his army. First, he had 22,000 men. Then 10,000. Judges 7:4-7 explains how Gideon’s army was whittled down to 300 men.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
The language of the text is very confusing. But the issue seems to be vulnerability. Kneeling to drink caused the soldiers to be vulnerable. Scooping up a handful of water and lapping it like a dog was the preferred posture. Yoram gave a military viewpoint.
- If you lap with one hand, you could hold your weapon with the other hand. A soldier always needs to be ready, alert, aware of his surroundings, and prepared to receive orders.
- Kneeling could be considered a sign of worship or veneration to the water.
- A soldier should always make room for his brother. Scooping a handful of water at a time would allow this.
I finally understand God’s unique test in reducing Gideon’s army! The 300 men proved to be superior in their preparedness for battle.
Thank you, Jesus, for providing Yoram as our tour guide. His knowledge of Israel and loyalty to his country was evident. Thank you for opening my eyes to many new insights about Israel and about your Holy Scriptures. Amen.
Questions to Consider:
- God didn’t want Gideon to depend upon numbers, but upon Him. When have you been lured into defining success by numbers instead God’s power?
- Give an example of when you finally understood a scripture passage which you’ve been struggling with.