Title: God's Test/Judges 7:1-8
Contents God's Test/Judges 7:1-8
Im Young-soo
These days are often referred to as the card age. It is an era when it is considered that you do not meet the qualifications of a modern person unless you possess a number of cards, including driver's licenses, certificates, debit cards, BC cards, and even phone cards. Of course, depending on the type of card, some cards are purchased with money, and some are given only through document screening. In addition, some cards are obtained only after passing a set process. The use of all these cards is given to meet human needs. These things that are useful to us have to pay a certain price to give us the benefits we need.
Today's text is the scene where Gideon selects his three hundred warriors and shows what kind of tests God uses for people to pass.
Even with the numbers gathered now, Gideon must have been stunned when he said that it was not enough to defeat the great army of Midian. But saints! God had a reason for doing this. In verse 2, we read, "The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many, so I will not give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel wrestle against me, saying that my hand has saved me." This is because if the Israelites had led a large army and waged a battle with Midian, they would have boasted that they had accomplished it with their own strength, without considering God's help. Therefore, God said to reduce the number of troops to teach that victory comes entirely from dependence on God. This was to make Israel realize that victory is not due to human strength but God's strength. Verse 3 goes on to say, “Now, speak in the ears of the people, saying, “Whoever trembles with fear, let him depart from Mount Gilead and return.”
God commanded Gideon to send those who tremble in fear first. Why did you tell me to let the person who is afraid go back? Those who are afraid or fearful do not end up with their own problems, but can affect the entire army and demoralize them. In Kadesh-barnea, when ten spies were afraid of the Anakites and gave a negative report, it affected all the Israelites. Eventually, Israel could not enter Canaan and wandered in the wilderness. In the end, the soldiers who were soldiers of the cross who work for the gospel should not be afraid of suffering. We just do what we are given. 2 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “I will suffer as a good soldier in Christ Jesus, for no one who goes as a soldier gets entangled in his life, so that he may please those who have enlisted him as a soldier.” We are called to be soldiers. All we have to do is please those who recruited us into the military. You can fulfill your mission as a soldier of the cross when you come forward with the determination to die boldly.
When Gideon obeyed God's word and cried out, out of the 32,000 people, 22,000 left. Think about it, everyone. He obeyed Hanani's command, but Gideon must have had his own expectations because he was a human being. How far will the afraid go even if they are told to go ? But today's text verse 3 says, "Twenty-two thousand have passed away, and there are ten thousand remaining." I would never have dreamed that so many soldiers would withdraw. But what was even more surprising in this situation was that God was telling us to send back more because this number is large. This time, bring them to the water and separate them from those who lick their mouths like dogs and those who kneel and eat, and send them to their respective dwellings. There were only three hundred who grabbed their hands and licked them in their mouths. God tells Gideon that he will defeat the Midianite army with these three hundred men.
Then why did God send back those who knelt and drank water as ineligible? It means the fact that only those who are ready to fight against the enemy while guarding themselves without being vigilant as a soldier who engages in battle at any time are worthy as God's soldiers. It also tells us that it is not suitable for those who are blind or indulge in self-interest. When I showed water to those who were thirsty, hot, and thirsty, all but three hundred people stopped forgetting everything and fell in love with it.
God's workers should never forget why God called them and what their identity and mission are, but they completely forgot that. Therefore, God's commandment told them to send them back. When God uses a person, he tests whether he has the ability to do the job, and when he passes that test, he entrusts him with his ministry.
So, what tests should you go through?
The first is the test of interest. It tests how much that person cares about God's work. In other words, He wants people who are completely interested in God's things, not people who have the same interest in the things of God and the things of the world. When Gideon called his army, thirty-two thousand people responded. Those who did not make it to the end, but still did, were able to participate because they were interested in God's work. The rest were not interested at all. God does not use those who are not interested in the things of the Lord.
The third test of dedication. God's workers must be devoted to the Lord's work. We need to keep our eyes open without disturbing our attitude, so that we do not fall into Satan's temptations, and we must not fall into the temptations of the world. How many people are gifted, but are left abandoned because of a lack of discipline and devotion to self-discipline? God values the few trained and dedicated people more than the many untrained ones. Remembering that one dedicated person can do more for the Lord than ninety-nine uncommitted people, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will be fulfilling your mission.