patriarchs and prophets-第126节

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had　prepared　the　way　for　the　apostasy　of　their　children。　The　disregard　of
the　Lord's　restrictions　on　the　part　of　those　who　came　in　possession　of
Canaan　sowed　seed　of　evil　that　continued　to　bring　forth　bitter　fruit　for
many　generations。　The　simple　habits　of　the　Hebrews　had　secured　them　physical
health；　but　association　with　the　heathen　led　to　the　indulgence　of　appetite
and　passion；　which　gradually　lessened　physical　strength　and　enfeebled　the
mental　and　moral　powers。　By　their　sins　the　Israelites　were　separated　from
God；　His　strength　was　removed　from　them；　and　they　could　no　longer　prevail
against　their　enemies。　Thus　they　were　brought　into　subjection　to　the　very
nations　that　through　God　they　might　have　subdued。

〃They　forsook　the　Lord　God　of　their　fathers；　which　brought　them　out　of　the
land　of　Egypt；〃　〃and　guided　them　in　the　wilderness　like　a　flock。〃　〃They
provoked　Him　to　anger　with　their　high　places；　and　moved　Him　to　jealousy　with
their　graven　images。〃　Therefore　the　Lord　〃forsook　the　tabernacle　of　Shiloh；
the　tent　which　He　placed　among　them；　and　delivered　His　strength　into
captivity；　and　His　glory　into　the　enemy's　hand。〃　Judges　2：12；　Psalm　78：52；
58；　60；　61。　Yet　He　did　not　utterly　forsake　His　people。　There　was　ever　a
remnant　who　were　true　to　Jehovah；　and　from　time　to　time　the　Lord　raised　up
faithful　and　valiant　men　to　put　down　idolatry　and　to　deliver　the　Israelites
from　their　enemies。　But　when　the　deliverer　was　dead；　and　the　people　were
released　from　his　authority；　they　would　gradually　return　to　their　idols。　And
thus　the　story　of　backsliding　and　chastisement；　of　confession　and
deliverance；　was　repeated　again　and　again。

The　king　of　Mesopotamia；　the　king　of　Moab；　and　after　them　the　Philistines；
and　the　Canaanites　of　Hazor；　led　by　Sisera；　in　turn　became　the　oppressors　of
Israel。　Othniel；　Shamgar；　and　Ehud；　Deborah　and　Barak；　were　raised　up　as
deliverers　of　their　people。　But　again　〃the　children　of　Israel　did　evil　in
the　sight　of　the　Lord；　and　the　Lord　delivered　them　into　the　hand　of　Midian。〃
Heretofore　the　hand　of　the　oppressor　had　fallen　but　lightly　on　the　tribes
dwelling　east　of　the　Jordan；　but　in　the　present　calamities　they　were　the
first　sufferers。

The　Amalekites　on　the　south　of　Canaan；　as　well　as　the　Midianites　on　its
eastern　border；　and　in　the　deserts　beyond；　were　still　the　unrelenting
enemies　of　Israel。　The　latter　nation　had　been　nearly　destroyed　by　the
Israelites　in　the　days　of　Moses；　but

546

they　had　since　increased　greatly；　and　had　become　numerous　and　powerful。　They
had　thirsted　for　revenge；　and　now　that　the　protecting　hand　of　God　was
withdrawn　from　Israel；　the　opportunity　had　come。　Not　alone　the　tribes　east
of　Jordan；　but　the　whole　land　suffered　from　their　ravages。　The　wild；　fierce
inhabitants　of　the　desert；　〃as　locusts　for　multitude〃　（Judges　6：5；　R。V。）；
came　swarming　into　the　land；　with　their　flocks　and　herds。　Like　a　devouring
plague　they　spread　over　the　country；　from　the　river　Jordan　to　the　Philistine
plain。　They　came　as　soon　as　the　harvests　began　to　ripen；　and　remained　until
the　last　fruits　of　the　earth　had　been　gathered。　They　stripped　the　fields　of
their　increase　and　robbed　and　maltreated　the　inhabitants　and　then　returned
to　the　deserts。　Thus　the　Israelites　dwelling　in　the　open　country　were　forced
to　abandon　their　homes；　and　to　congregate　in　walled　towns；　to　seek　refuge　in
fortresses；　or　even　to　find　shelter　in　caves　and　rocky　fastnesses　among　the
mountains。　For　seven　years　this　oppression　continued；　and　then；　as　the
people　in　their　distress　gave　heed　to　the　Lord's　reproof；　and　confessed
their　sins；　God　again　raised　up　a　helper　for　them。

Gideon　was　the　son　of　Joash；　of　the　tribe　of　Manasseh。　The　division　to　which
this　family　belonged　held　no　leading　position；　but　the　household　of　Joash
was　distinguished　for　courage　and　integrity。　Of　his　brave　sons　it　is　said；
〃Each　one　resembled　the　children　of　a　king。〃　All　but　one　had　fallen　in　the
struggles　against　the　Midianites；　and　he　had　caused　his　name　to　be　feared　by
the　invaders。　To　Gideon　came　the　divine　call　to　deliver　his　people。　He　was
engaged　at　the　time　in　threshing　wheat。　A　small　quantity　of　grain　had　been
concealed；　and　not　daring　to　beat　it　out　on　the　ordinary　threshing　floor；　he
had　resorted　to　a　spot　near　the　winepress；　for　the　season　of　ripe　grapes
being　still　far　off；　little　notice　was　now　taken　of　the　vineyards。　As　Gideon
labored　in　secrecy　and　silence；　he　sadly　pondered　upon　the　condition　of
Israel　and　considered　how　the　oppressor's　yoke　might　be　broken　from　off　his
people。

Suddenly　the　〃Angel　of　the　Lord〃　appeared　and　addressed　him　with　the　words；
〃Jehovah　is　with　thee；　thou　mighty　man　of　valor。〃

〃O　my　Lord；〃　was　his　answer；　〃if　the　Lord　be　with　us；　why　then　is　all　this
befallen　us？　and　where　be　all　His　miracles　which　our　fathers　told　us　of；
saying；　Did　not　the　Lord　bring　us　up　from

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Egypt？　but　now　the　Lord　hath　forsaken　us；　and　delivered　us　into　the　hands　of
the　Midianites。〃

The　Messenger　of　heaven　replied；　〃Go　in　this　thy　might；　and　thou　shalt　save
Israel　from　the　hand　of　the　Midianites：　have　not　I　sent　thee？〃

Gideon　desired　some　token　that　the　one　now　addressing　him　was　the　Covenant
Angel；　who　in　time　past　had　wrought　for　Israel。　Angels　of　God；　who　communed
with　Abraham；　had　once　tarried　to　share　his　hospitality；　and　Gideon　now
entreated　the　divine　Messenger　to　remain　as　his　guest。　Hastening　to　his
tent；　he　prepared　from　his　scanty　store　a　kid　and　unleavened　cakes；　which　he
brought　forth　and　set　before　Him。　But　the　Angel　bade　him；　〃Take　the　flesh
and　the　unleavened　cakes；　and　lay　them　upon　this　rock；　and　pour　out　the
broth。〃　Gideon　did　so；　and　then　the　sign　which　he　had　desired　was　given：
with　the　staff　in　His　hand；　the　Angel　touched　the　flesh　and　the　unleavened
cakes；　and　a　flame　bursting　from　the　rock　consumed　the　sacrifice。　Then　the
Angel　vanished　from　his　sight。

Gideon's　father；　Joash；　who　shared　in　the　apostasy　of　his　countrymen；　had
erected　at　Ophrah；　where　he　dwelt；　a　large　altar　to　Baal；　at　which　the
people　of　the　town　worshiped。　Gideon　was　commanded　to　destroy　this　altar　and
to　erect　an　altar　to　Jehovah　over　the　rock　on　which　the　offering　had　been
consumed；　and　there　to　present　a　sacrifice　to　the　Lord。　The　offering　of
sacrifice　to　God　had　been　committed　to　the　priests；　and　had　been　restricted
to　the　altar　at　Shiloh；　but　He　who　had　established　the　ritual　service；　and
to　whom　all　its　offerings　pointed；　had　power　to　change　its　requirements。　The
deliverance　of　Israel　was　to　be　preceded　by　a　solemn　protest　against　the
worship　of　Baal。　Gideon　must　declare　war　upon　idolatry　before　going　out　to
battle　with　the　enemies　of　his　people。

The　divine　direction　was　faithfully　carried　out。　Knowing　that　he　would　be
opposed　if　it　were　attempted　openly；　Gideon　performed　the　work　in　secret；
with　the　aid　of　his　servants；　accomplishing　the　whole　in　one　night。　Great
was　the　rage　of　the　men　of　Ophrah　when　they　came　next　morning　to　pay　their
devotions　to　Baal。　They　would　have　taken　Gideon's　life　had　not　Joashwho
had　been　told　of　the　Angel's　visitstood　in　defense　of　his　son。　〃Will　ye
plead　for　Baal？〃　said　Joash。　〃Will　ye　save　him？　he　that　will　plead　for　him；
let　him　be　put　to　death　whilst　it　is　yet

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morning：　if　he　be　a　god；　let　him　plead　for　himself；　because　one　hath　cast
down　his　altar。〃　If　Baal　could　not　defend　his　own　altar；　how　could　he　be
trusted　to　protect　his　worshipers？

All　thoughts　of　violence　toward　Gideon　were　dismissed；　and　when　he　sounded
the　trumpet　of　war；　the　men　of　Ophrah　were　among　the　first　to　gather　to　his
standard。　Heralds　were　dispatched　to　his　own　tribe　of　Manasseh；　and　also　to
Asher；　Zebulum；　and　Naphthali；　and　all　answered　to　the　call。

Gideon　dared　not　place　himself　at　the　head　of　the　army　without　still　further
evidence　that　God　had　called　him　to　his　work；　and　that　He　would　be　with　him。
He　prayed；　〃If　Thou　wilt　save　Israel　by　mine　hand；　as　Thou　hast　said；
behold；　I　will　put　a　fleece　of　wool　in　the　floor；　and　if　the　dew　be　on　the
fleece　only；　and　it　be　dry　upon　all　the　earth　besides；　then　shall　I　know
that　Thou　wilt　save　Israel　by　mine　hand；　as　Thou　hast　said。〃　In　the　morning
the　fleece　was　wet；　while　the　ground　was　dry。　But　now　a　doubt　arose；　since
wool　naturally　absorbs　moisture　when　there　is　any　in　the　air；　the　test　might
not　be　decisive。　Hence　he　asked　that　the　sign　be　reversed；　pleading　that　his
extreme　caution　might　not　displease　the　Lord。　His　request　was　granted。

Thus　encouraged；　Gideon　led　out　his　forces　to　give　battle　to　the　invaders。
〃All　the　Midianites　and　the　Amalekites　and　the　children　of　the　east　were
gathered　together；　and　went　over；　and　pitched　in　the　valley　of　Jezreel。〃　The
entire　force　under　Gideon's　command　numbered　only　thirty…two　thousand　men；
but　with　the　vast　host　of　the　enemy　spread　out　before　him；　the　word　of　the
Lord　came　to　him：　〃The　people　that　are　with　thee　are　too　many　for　Me　to　give
the　Midianites　into　their　hands；　lest　Israel　vaunt　themselves　against　Me；
saying；　Mine　own　hand　hath　saved　me。　Now　therefore　go　to；　procla