Beginning of the End

Only Three Hundred Left

Gideon obeyed the Lord’s direction, and with a heavy heart he saw more than two thirds of his soldiers leave for their homes. Again the word of the Lord came to him: “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” BOE 276.5

The people were led down to the waterside, expecting to make an immediate advance against the enemy. A few quickly took a little water in the hand and sucked it up as they went on, but almost all bowed on their knees and slowly drank from the surface of the stream—just three hundred out of ten thousand took the water in their hands. These three hundred were selected, and all the rest were permitted to return to their homes. BOE 276.6

Those who were determined to care for their own wants in a time of danger were not to be trusted in an emergency. The three hundred chosen men not only possessed courage and self-control, they were also men of faith. They had not defiled themselves with idolatry. God could direct them, and through them He could bring about deliverance for Israel. God is not honored as much by great numbers as He is by the character of those who serve Him. BOE 277.1

The Israelites were stationed on the edge of a hill overlooking the valley where the invaders’ camp was spread out “as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.” Gideon trembled as he thought of the battle that was coming in the morning, but the Lord told him to go down to the camp of the Midianites—he would hear something there for his encouragement. BOE 277.2

Waiting in the darkness and silence, he heard a soldier telling a dream to his companion: “To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.” The other soldier answered in words that stirred the heart of that unseen listener: “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.” BOE 277.3

Gideon recognized the voice of God speaking through those Midianite strangers. Returning to the few men under his command, he said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.” BOE 277.4