A mixed marriage, it has been most truly said, begins by a spiritual divorce; for, from the beginning, those who are married are separated on the most important point, namely religion.
God governs the world. God gave the Israelites into the hands of the Madianites, for these could never have overcome them except by His permission; and when in their misery they turned to Him, He delivered them through Gedeon and gave them peace for many years. But that Israel might know that it was to God it owed the victory, He told them that if 32,000 men went out to fight, they would not conquer the enemy, but that if only three hundred fought, then the victory would be theirs. God directs the lives of nations, as of individuals, with power, wisdom, and mercy. He is Lord also over nature, and turns its powers which way soever He will, as He showed by the twofold miracle of the fleece.
Prayer obtains help in time of need. When neither life nor property was safe, and the Israelites were hunted from their homes, they turned to God and cried for help. And God heard their prayer and raised up Gedeon to be the saviour of his people.
Humility. Gedeon was humble of heart. He considered himself to be the lowest of the low, and did not trust to his own skill or strength, but only in God’s help. As soon as the twofold miracle of the fleece had convinced him that God was favourable to the Israelites, and had chosen him to save them, he confidently attacked the overwhelming host of the enemy with a mere handful of fighting men, and put it to flight. God exalteth the humble. “He that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”, says our Lord. Gedeon considered himself to be small and weak, but he did great things by the help of God. “The weak things of the world hath God chosen that He may confound the strong, that no flesh should glory in His sight” (1 Cor. 1, 27).
The confidence in God shown by the three hundred. They might easily have felt disheartened, and might have said: “How can we conquer an enemy who outnumbers us by four hundred and fifty to one!” But they trusted in God’s help, followed the example of their valiant leader, and thus gained a glorious victory, in spite of overwhelming odds against them. We too, in our fight against the enemies of our salvation, ought not to lose courage, but should trust in God and say with the holy apostle: “I can do all things in Him, who strengthened me” (Phil. 4, 13).
Temperance. Gedeon was to know those whom God had chosen for the battle by their self-control and temperance. For the service of God temperance and self-denial are absolutely necessary, since without these there can be no true virtue. He who does not govern himself is a slave to his evil inclinations and passions: “Better is he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities.”
