Judges 7:16

Judges 7:16 says, And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.  Gideon divided the three hundred men into three groups, and gave each a trumpet and an empty pitcher.  These are not exactly the armament that we would choose to go against an overwhelming enemy, but Gideon was being led by God, and so must we be today.  Verse seventeen adds, And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.  Gideon told the three hundred to watch him as he came to the camp of the Midianites and to do as he did.  We today need to look to God by faith in Jesus Christ and do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do as we face our enemies.  Verse eighteen continues, When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.  Gideon told them that when he blew the trumpet that all that were with him would blow their trumpet, then so should all those on all sides of the Midianites, and then they were to shout, "The sword of the LORD and of Gideon."  We today as Christians need to look to God first and always for deliverance from bad situations, and make sure that we give Him credit when He delivers us.  Verse nineteen states, So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.  Verse twenty concludes, And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.  After breaking their pitchers, all three hundred held their lamps in their left hand and blew the trumpet with their right while shouting the sword of the LORD and of Gideon, as Gideon had directed them to do.  We today need to always do what God directs us to do if we want to be successful.  Verse twenty-one states, And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.  The army of the Midianites fled.  As long as we follow what God tells us to do, all our enemies will one day flee from us, if not in this lifetime, then in the everlasting one to come.  Verse twenty-two adds, And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. It is stated once again that the whole army of Midianites fled from the area.  Verse twenty-three continues, And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.  The men from other tribes of Israel began to gather together and pursue the Midianites.  God had limited the army of Gideon at the start, but He did not keep others from joining in once the battle was under way.  We have many other Christians joining us the battle against sin and evil today, even if we sometimes feel that we are small in numbers.  Verse twenty-four says, And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.  Gideon sent messengers to the other Israelites near by calling on them to join the battle, and they did.  God still calls on all His people to join the battle against sin and evil in the world today, and we are to do so by sharing the gospel..  Verse twenty-five adds, And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.  They took the heads Oreb and Zeeb, and brought them to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.  We don't need to bring the heads of anyone to any Christian leader today, but we do need to never let physical barriers keep us apart.  We as followers of Christ are all a part of the same army of God.