We have to be careful because human nature being as it is, is prone to magnify its accomplishments, in a boastful manner. The human ego seems to have no bounds. God has always been compelled to work with this human tendency and thinking. The Bible abounds with examples showing where God could not put the execution and responsibility of certain tasks into the hands of some men. Why ? Because they would take unto themselves all the glory of accomplishment, even though they were given the talent by God to accomplish a given job or task.

In the book whose theme is "Man's reasoning," it is written, " Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (Eccl 1:2). King Solomon means that life is transitory, having no value, and is fleeting, useless, empty, vain and worthless. Yet with these odds God uses man to preach and teach His Truth. It is interesting to study and take note of the type of men God has selected to carry out assigned responsibilities. With hardly an exception, they were men who considered themselves not equal to the job God called them to perform. As example: Jeremiah, Jonah, Elijah, etc, etc. Yet, as witnessed by most who have a long standing record in God's Church have seen vanity set in when someone is given a little authority or some responsibility . That is an ever present danger of human nature, because men pride themselves upon their own achievements. It is because of this type of attitude God permits many to have deep trials and tests to the point becoming sick. It's through trials and hardship we learn to be humble and tremble at God's Word. God wants us to have a contrite spirit, "For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word." The Amplified Bible reads: "For all these things My hand has made and so all these things have come into being for Me, says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard, he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands" (Isa 66:2).

The study of man's organizational work shows clearly that it tends to the glorification of human accomplishments, forgetting God's admonition that says: "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wake but in vain" (Psa. 127:1). Most Churches of God today appear to be highly self-sufficient institutions. It seems the Holy Spirit given by God is no longer the guiding force in their teaching. It seems they are failing to heed Paul's instructions to Timothy to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine [healthy doctrine]; but after their own lusts [desires] shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears [these are those that want to attend Sabbath services where their teachers will tell them what they want to hear!!]; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim 4:2-4). When making use of the Bible, these unfaithful people construct their own doctrinal theories, which agree with their personal desires. Biblical words may cloth their thoughts, but the ideas expressed are fraught with error. Paul's up-to- date message condemns the present false teachings of Judaism, Moslamism, Hinduism and Catholicism.

Could Paul have been inspired to say these things if he himself had not been humbled by God's Truth? "For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Cor. 12:6-10). Naturally speaking it is quite impossible for us to take pleasure in the type of experiences listed here in verse 10, but the key to understanding verse 10 is found in the expression, "for Christ's sake." It is when we are conscious of our own weakness and nothingness, that we most depend on the Power of God. We have probably all experienced these feelings. William Wilberforce, who lead the fight to abolish slavery in the British Empire, was a physically weak and frail person, but he had a deep faith in God. A friend of his said "I say, what seemed to me a shrimp, became a whale!" These should be nine encouraging words for God's Church, the elect. The Christian paradox is: occasions of weakness can be transformed into occasions of strength, and defeat into victory! Real strength of character grows out of weakness. A man strong in his own strength tends to be self-reliant rather than relying on God, and often does not realize his need for God's divine grace. The Apostle Paul understood the basis upon which God calls men to enter His service, passing by the haughty, boastful and arrogant know-it-all's. God selects men and women whom the world may consider weak and lacking in proper qualifications but, God knows those who are strong in the spirit for His service. In order that God's selected few remain humble, God allows trials and afflictions lest we forget and become boastful and proud and find vanity setting in.

The Bible records many lives of individuals who have served God in humility. Listed among these men of great faith is Noah, who obeyed God and constructed the ark to save his household. There is Abraham who believed God and answered the call to go from the land of his fathers, willingly living in tents along with Isaac and Jacob. Abraham also manifested his faith, when tested, by offering up his son Isaac. Joseph showed complete trust in God through all his afflictions when raised to power in Egypt. Moses was called the meekest of men, yet was strong in the service of God, bringing Israel out of bondage from Egypt; he preferred to be obedient to God rather than live in pleasure and wealth as a son of Pharaoh. In studying the history of the Exodus we do not find an elaborately organized departure, but rather the Spirit of God working through one humble, meek man. Moses was zealous to do God's bidding, was unmindful of personal gain.

Today we are approaching the climax of the end of this age when the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. Many called today are not being used, even though the need for assistance is great. Speaking for the Church of God, in Truth, the Church has prospered in a faithful way, but this has not been due to the abundance supplied by people of substantial means, nor has it gone forward because of eloquent, articulating, silver-tongued orators. It has prospered, because of conscientious workers and humble believers who want to obey God's Truth. God is literally raising up a Gideon band of men and women to serve Him, in faith, with their eligible substance. It has been a demonstration of God's Divine Power!! As one declines the honor of giving tithes and offerings, others, who possess little of this world's goods, has given generously out of their meager earnings.

Why was Israel delivered into the hands of the Midianites? Because-- "The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: [History teaches us of the strong influences Israel's heathen neighbor were, invading and weakening Israel's religious convictions. Israel soon forgot what God had done for them], and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years" ( Judges 6:1). The Midianites and Amalekites along with the men of the East were raiding the land of Israel. "And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it." Because of all this the people cried out to God for deliverance. "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed My voice" (Judges 6:3-5, 7-10).

Now in verse 13 we find Gideon entering the picture while threshing grain in a wine press (to hide his harvest from the enemy) when an angel appears and tells him the Lord is with him. "And Gideon said unto Him, Oh my LORD, 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 Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my LORD, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man" (Judges 6:13-16).

Gideon was informed he was to prepare to rescue Israel from the Midianites. God told him, He would be with him, and he would smite the Midianites, "as one man." Gideon was not a strong, prominent, influential man in Israel. Gideon was the youngest in his family and not known as a man of any special attainments, but God wanted a man He could trust and who would obey Him. One who would give God the glory for whatever job and task He was to give him. Too often men rely on their own strength and power to accomplish some things rather than on God. Verse 16 sounds as if God literally selected one man to defeat and drive out the Midianites. It should read "Because I will be with you! You shall defeat the Midianites like a single man." Equate that statement to the Church of God, in Truth as we continue to follow the story of Gideon's army.

Before Gideon was to go against the enemy he needed to know definitely if God was going to use him, so he asked for a sign. "And he said unto Him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that Thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray Thee, until I come unto Thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before Thee. And He said, I will tarry until thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto Him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that He was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee, fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD,...." (Judges 6:17-24).

Gideon was not yet satisfied. "And Gideon said unto God, 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 beside, then shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as Thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not Thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray Thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground"(Judges 6:36-40). Why was it necessary for Gideon to ask for these tests? Because he knew the law requires two or three witnesses for God's Word to be established.

We find next an army of 32,000 men that had rallied to Gideon's aid to fight 135,000 Midianites. Yet "The LORD said unto Gideon, 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, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand" (Judges 7:2-3). Gideon's faith was now being severely tested. Two thirds of Gideon's army left the camp because they would have been the first to forget God and probably boast with vanity that they themselves had won the war!! Keeping the Church of God in mind, look at what Moses was instructed to tell Israel, " When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deu. 20:1-4). 22,000 men of Gideon's army disbelieved this promise and went home.

We find God telling Gideon, "The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with you, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto you, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go." [Gideon followed these instructions and separated those who lapped the water from those who knelt to drink]. "And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley" (Judges 7:4,7-8).

The significance of the water test was to prove the more alert men, that is, those who would not take a risk being caught off guard by being down on their knees. Now we find out of the original army of 32,000 men only 300 were left to fight 135,000 men. The odd's were now about 45 Midianites to 1 of Gideon's men. Humanly speaking it seemed to be an impossibility for such a small handful of men to defeat an army of 135,000 fully prepared for battle. "And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude" (Judges 7:12). The defeat of such an army of 135,000 with 300 men is proof of God's direct intervention on behalf of his people!

The story of Gideon's 300 man army should be an encouraging example of strength to us to go forward, without fear of Satan's overwhelming odds against us. God assures us (the Church of God) victory. The direction of God's Church in this generation is to seek first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness! We are to warn of coming events and teach God's Truth. It is not a road lined with roses, but a pathway strewn with thorns. The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian Church of God and us, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the LORD." ( 1 Cor.1:26-31)