Question: Why did God choose those 300 who lapped like a dog putting their hand to mouth, but rejecting all the rest of those who got down on their knees to drink in Judges 7? Is there any specific reason why God did like that at that specific point of time and especially the posture of those who were accepted or rejected?
Answer: Greetings to you in Jesus wonderful name!
Yes I understand, let us first delve in to the reading of the Word of God from Judges 7:1-8, "1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2 And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained. 4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “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 one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.” 8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley."
Let us list the reasons for the Gideon's chosen 300 army below one by one:
1) God was concerned about the glory of His name, because when there is a big army of Israelites fighting against the enemies of God, it is natural for fallen humans to take the glory which ought to be given to God and only God (v 1-2). Many many time we see in the lives of people and in our own lives, that they will surrender and pray to God before they face the do or die battle in their lives, but once God intervenes and gives them and us victory, soon the sinful fallen heart of us humans tend to boast about our own strength instead of the God who has given the victory. This is the reason God downsized and filtered the 32000 army to just 300 men.
2) Two third of all armies are always fearful of their own lives and still others are fearful of losing their lives for the sake of their families to face the dangerous battles of their lives that is ahead of them. The moment Gideon said, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained." One of the reason God wants people to meditate constantly upon His words is to make them fearless and be full of faith (Joshua 1:8-9) (v 3).
3) When God instructs Gideon to screen the ten thousand and further reduce them to a few hundreds, Gideon explicitly obeys God and he goes on to be on the spot of water where God told him to bring the people, so that God further speaks how he wants to screen them for Gideon the leader (VV 4-5). Only humble people can be leaders under God, Gideon was one among them. God's instruction to Gideon was, "Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”
4) Among the 10000 left, God set a standard to separate the few hundred people from among the many thousands. When Gideon took the people to water in the river, every one must have been thirsty. But God filtered the many who got down on their knees to drink from those few hundred who lapped water with their tongue, as a dog laps. And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men only (v 6), which shows that they were ready for war at any time to face their enemies. Even though it was undignified and humiliating to drink like a dog, these 300 men were always focused on God by faith and were ready to face their enemies. Even if the enemies were to appear in a moment of time, they would be ready to defend and also attack the enemy in a short few fraction of seconds. But those nine thousand and seven hundred people, relaxed and "got down on their knees to drink water", which showed that they were not ready to face their enemies if they were to appear in the next few moments of time. They all held their dignity and were more concerned about their own bodily needs to be met than to face the enemy who wants to completely destroy them and annihilate them. To get down on one's knees is an act of surrender to the enemies tactics.
5) Thus those fleshly men who were proud and dignified to feed themselves than to be vigilant for war were sent home, and the three hundred who were undignified, humble, loyal and vigilant for war were chosen for the battle, so that God might be glorified through the victory that He was going to give to the army of Israelites (v 7).
6) Those who thought that by their abundant provisions they have brought could make them withstand the enemy for a long time to defeat them and the trumpet sound that is going to blare through their horn will make their enemy fearful enough to be defeated, must have been soulishly disappointed as they returned to their own tent useless for God. The 300 men who were retained were proven men of character and humility and faith in God were the only left behind who were useful for God to fulfill His purpose (1 Peter 5:5), so that now as they re-positioned themselves by the grace of God "the camp of Midian was below him [i.e. Gideon their leader] in the valley" was the exact place where God could do a miracle for them and fight their enemies to defeat them completely, so that they could give Him all the glory that He deserves for their mighty victory. Amen! Hallelujah.
Much Blessings....
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