Pruning is Painful

Lest Israel claim glory…Judges 7:2

Gideon was about to attack the Midianites. The Midianites were camped in a valley below Gideon and his army. In Gideon’s mind, the time was right for an attack. God said wait. Judges 7:2: 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.’ 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.

Verse 4: The Lord said to Gideon, “the people are still too many…lest Israel claim glory…” Sometimes God tests our faith by reducing our numbers. The next test, how the remaining men drank water from the stream reduced the 10,000 men to 300. Verse22:  When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. 

The LORD turned the Midianites against each other. God gave the Midianites into the hands of Israel.

Sometimes the group has to learn to rely less upon each other and more upon God. This is a hard lesson to learn. Because sometimes God has to make the group smaller so they will rely upon Him. In Gideon’s situation, most of the warriors had to go. Perhaps God still works this way today. Maybe the team has to be reduced. 

Maybe the group has to rethink priorities. Is this God’s plan, or is it our plan? Are we planning something God wants; or what we want? Are we willing to trust God’s leadership; His plans; His timing and His purpose, or trust in our own strength?