基甸是以色列人的第五位士師；正值他躲在酒醡打麥子時，上帝呼召他出來帶領以色列人脫離米甸人的壓迫。這可不是基甸樂於擔當的職責。不過，當上帝藉著兩次神蹟方式的證據確認祂的選召後，基甸就當仁不讓的率領區區三百人前去攻打米甸大軍。他們以簡陋的武器－－火把、空瓶、號角－－和不尋常的戰術，竟將米甸人打得落花流水。毫無疑問，這場勝利完全出於上帝！

        「兵不在多，能戰為算」。
        想想舊約聖經中許多以小勝大、以寡擊眾的例子：大衛對歌利亞……摩西對法老……約書亞對耶利哥……基甸對米甸。對以色列人而言，「兵不在多，有上帝為算。」是千真萬確的！
        雖然從人的標準看來，基甸和他的軍隊人數少得可憐，配備也嚴重不良；但他們因著完全的順服而大獲全勝。上帝明確的指引戰術，如此，大家都知道這場空前的勝利該歸功於誰。
        你生命中的「米甸大軍」－－那些張牙舞爪、看來難以克服的問題一一在哪裡？將你想到的問題寫下來，並再花一點時間研讀今天的經文，尋求上帝所指引的退敵之術。當你成功的解決問題後，別忘了將勝利歸與上帝！

        米旬人是誰？(創25：1－6)
        米甸族是米甸(亞伯拉罕與繼室基土拉之子)和他五個兒子的後代。亞伯拉罕「打發他們離開他的兒子以撒往東方去」，他們就在那裡繁衍，自成一國。

確認你的敵人是致勝的第一步。

English

        Gideon, Israel's fifth judge, receives God's call while hiding in a winepress secretly threshing wheat. Midian's oppression is indeed severe, and Gideon is God's man to lead the people in throwing off that yoke of bondage—an assignment Gideon is not anxious to accept! But once convinced of his calling through two miraculous signs, Gideon leads a humble army of 300 men, equipped only with pitchers, torches, and trumpets, in a stunning victory against the mighty Midianite forces. Israel's unconventional weapons and unusual battle plan leave no room for doubt: The victory is the Lord's!

        "It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog that counts."
        Think about the many Old Testament accounts where the size of the army or individual did not determine the outcome of the battle: David vs. Goliath .,. Moses vs. Pharaoh ... Joshua vs. Jericho ,,. Gideon vs. Midian. Truly, in Israel's case it can be said, "It's not the size of the army in the fight, but the size of the God in the army!"
        Though Gideon and his army were woefully undermanned and ill-equipped by human standards, their victory was total because their obedience was total, God specifically commanded them to use unconventional military tactics so that it would be clear to all who was responsible for their smashing triumph!
        Where are "Midianites" gathering in your life—those intimidating, seemingly unconquerable problems you face? Pick one and write it down. Then spend some extra moments in today's passage seeking God's strategy for confronting and conquering it. Remember to give Him credit when the victory is won!

        Wherefore the Midianites (Genesis 25:1-6)? —
        The Midianites descended from Midian (Abraham's son by his concubine Keturah) and Midian's five children. Abraham "sent them away from Isaac his son,.,. eastward, unto the east country" (Genesis 25:6), where they multiplied into a nation.

The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.