The Midianites have invaded Israel because the people turned their back on God and started worshiping other Gods. Gideon is finally convinced that God wants him to rescue his people from the Midianites and raises an army. Just when things are going well God gives Gideon some unexpected feedback. “You have too many men”.
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Chris,
The story of Gideon defeating the Midianites has the same theme as Abraham and Sarah having a child at a very old age. God pared down Gideon’s forces to a very small number – 300 fighting men – so that people would say that this is the work of God. Logically, this doesn’t make any sense. There is NO WAY 300 men could defeat a whole army for the same reason that parents in their 90’s couldn’t give birth to a son. The only explanation is that God is at work. I like that.
Also, you made a comment that God chose Gideon (probably for the same reason that he chose Abraham and Moses) for the reason that if God can choose these men who have no self-confidence, when God met them, to do His work, then there is no reason why He can’t choose us to do His work as well.
Amen.