由於基甸曾經英勇的向巴力挑戰（6：32），所以他有個別名叫「耶路巴力」，意思是「讓巴力為自己爭吧」。基甸的作為一定在以色列人中（甚至在米甸人中；13~14節）傳開了。當他起來號召從軍時，從他同族的人，以及亞設、西布倫、拿弗他利支派中，總共湧來三萬二千名支持者，但上帝清楚的指出，這些人並非都有資格上戰場。

        上帝要祂的百姓學習單單信靠、倚賴祂，而且不要他們以為是憑自己的能力得勝，於是對這批自願者作了一場篩選。第一步是讓所有懼怕、膽怯的人回去。摩西也允許這項免役條例，因為膽怯的人在軍隊中會造成士氣低落（申20：8；參提後1：7）。上帝不要使用那些會羞辱祂名的人，祂只要精兵（提後2：2~3）。

        雖然有兩萬二千人回去，但對耶和華的軍隊來說，人數還是太多了。上帝的工作需要精挑細選的工人，且質比量更重要。篩選的第二步是測驗他們喝水的方式。只有那些站著，將水捧在手上喝的人入選為耶和華的軍隊，這三百位勇士有備戰的心理，曉得預防敵人的突襲，而不像其他大部分的人跪下來，採舒服的姿勢喝水。

        九千七百人被淘汰後，如今跟隨基甸的人不到原先的百分之一。不過，剩餘的三百人將是最專一、最有紀律的士兵，也是上帝要用來榮耀祂的人。基甸率領這麼一小群沒有經驗又未受過訓練的軍隊，他自己本身也從未領導，甚至沒有參與過征戰之事，基甸的心情想必有點憂慮。難怪上帝要再給他第三個憑據，以鼓勵他、驅逐他一切的恐懼。基甸在刺探敵軍時，偷聽到一個米甸人替另一個米甸同伴解夢的話，他於是曉得米甸人懼怕！這使他信心大增，也讓他俯首敬拜上帝。

        當基甸回到他自己的小軍隊中，他已經構思好一個極不尋常的突擊計畫，那是一種心理戰，並且毫無疑問的，是出於上帝的啟示。當時以色列人的武器奇缺，但有上帝為他們爭戰，他們甚至不需要武器。上帝用號角、火炬、和他們自己的聲音做為配備。那一夜，基甸的三百勇士兵分三路，駐候在難以計數、熟睡中的米甸人、亞瑪力人和東方來的沙漠民族組成的龐大軍團周圍。當基甸一聲令下，他們都吹響號角、打破瓶子（假裝是武器交鋒的聲音），露出熊熊的火炬，並且一起同聲吶喊！熟睡中的敵軍被這場石破天驚的突襲嚇壞了，他們以為一場大規模的戰爭已經爆發，在混亂中，他們自相殘殺，並且在節節逼近的以色列人面前逃跑。

        這場大勝帶給以色列其他支派無比的勇氣，他們遵照基甸的指示去追趕敵人，切斷敵人逃亡的途徑。以色列全國上下都一起投入驅逐壓迫者的戰役。他們取了敵軍首領的首級，象徵完全擊敗了他們的敵人。很明顯的，是上帝賜給他們這場超自然的勝利，因為只靠少數雀屏中選的人，就將以色列全國從極大的壓迫和奴役中釋放出來。在我們這個時代，我們也需要上帝興起一支精選的軍隊，勇敢的向撒但的勢力挑戰，使在牠奴役下的人得自由。

        主啊，今天許多您的百姓已經遠離了您，他們的父母親和祖父母都是敬畏上帝的人。求您使我們像那基甸的三百勇士，藉著十架打破代表我們肉體慾望的瓶子，使光顯出來，並用我們的嘴為號角，吹響您的真理。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Because Gideon bravely challenged Baal (6:32), he was nicknamed Jerubbaal, meaning, “Let Baal strives”. Word of what he had done must have spread (even to the Midianites, v.13-14), and those who supported him from his tribe, as well as men from Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtaly, came when they heard the call for battle. There were 32,000 men, but as God made clear, not all were eligible for battle.

        God desired that His people learn to trust and rely on Him only and not to think the victory was gained because of their own strength. God refined the army by a process of elimination. The first step was to let anyone who had any fear or doubts leave and return to his home. Moses had allowed for this exemption as well, because fearful men in an army can be demoralizing (Deut.20:8; cf. 2 Thim.1:7). The Lord did not use people who would bring shame to His name, but desired only those who would be good soldiers (2 Tim.2:2-3).

        Even though 22,000 men had left, there were still too many for God’s army. Only a select few were required for God’s task, for the quality of the men was to be of greater advantage than the quantity. The next step of elimination was the test in the way the men drank water. Only those who remained on their feet, scooping the water up to their mouths with their hands, were to remain in God’s army. These 300 stood ready and prepared in case of an ambush, unlike the majority who knelt and drank in a more comfortable way.

        With 9,700 men gone, Gideon was left with less than one percent of the original number of men. However, the 300 that remained would be the most dedicated and disciplined, and those are the type that God will use for His Gory. With such a small number of inexperienced, untrained men, and having never before led or even been a part of a military campaign, Gideon was perhaps apprehensive. It is no wonder God offered him yet a third sign to encourage him and dispel any fear. By one Midianite’s interpretation of another’s dream, which Gideon overheard while spying in their camp, he realized they feared him! This boosted his confidence and led him to worship God.

        When Gideon returned to his own small army, he was ready to prepare the unusual surprise assault plan, which was actually a type of psychological warfare – no doubt revealed to him by God. Weapons were probably scarce in Israel, but with God fighting for them, there was not even the need for weapons. God armed them with trumpets, a clay jar, a torch and their own vocal cords. That night, each company of one hundred men was strategically placed around the huge encampment of innumerable sleeping Midianites, Amelekites, and many other desert people from the East. When Gideon signaled, they all blew their horns, broke the jars (simulating the clash of arms), thus revealing the bright lights of the torches, and all shouted together! This so startled their sleeping enemies that, when they awoke, each thought the battle had already begun against a great army and, in great confusion, began to fight each other and flee from the advancing Israelites.

        The great victory brought courage to the other tribes who responded to Gideon’s instructions to pursue the enemies and cut off any escape routes. This led to a national campaign to rid the land of the oppressors. The heads of the enemy princes were trophies of victory and signified the complete defeat of their adversaries. Clearly, the Lord gave them a supernatural victory, for with only a few select men need, in our generation, a select army raised up by the Lord to courageously confront the power of the enemy, Satan, and bring freedom to thousands now in his bondage.

        Lord, many of Your people today have turned away from You, people whose parents and grandparents were godly. Make us like Gideon’s 300, braking the jars of our fleshly desires through the cross so that the light will shine and putting the trumpet of God’s Word to our lips and sounding out Your Truth.