The Judgment of Gideon

Today, Gideon is most associated with an international Christian association that provides free Bibles and Biblical teaching on every continent. Their symbol is an urn or pitcher with two handles, assumed to be filled with lampoil, feeding a flame. The symbol is a reminder of an implement used by Gideon to execute his successful plan todeceive his enemy.Gideon was an Old Testament Biblical figure who was a Judge, or Chief (in times of threat) of a tribe of the Jewish people, during a time when Jews were loosely connected (no central government). Thus, one can find Gideon's story in the book of the Bible called Judges. His principle fame was to defeat an enemy army while he commanded only three hundred men. Does thatsound familiar? A similar tale comes from Greek Mythology. Three Hundred Spartans (a Greek tribe) held off tens of thousands of Persian soldiers at the Hot Gate.The difference between the two stories is that God instructed Gideon to conduct his will, whereas the Spartans set an example for the other Greek tribes, buying them time to unify against the massive attack of a spectacular foe. I find the story of Gideon's battle interesting because he devised andsuccessfully used a military art called Deception.Today, Gideon is remembered as a man who was faithful to God, a humble man who refused the titleand trappings of king offered to him by the grateful Jewish people, and perhaps most important, as a man with a low toleration for bullXXXX (my definition). He encountered instances of charismatic false leaders within the Jewish tribes who were able to turn large numbersof tribal members away from God and toward idolatry. During his time, Gideon was the one to raise a force to support God by smiting the unfaithful. It is this decisive action of Gideon, a judge, that has resulted in our use of the word judge today as one who decides right from wrong and delivers punishment to the guilty."A Voice from New Mill Creek: The Methodists,"http://www.amazon.com/Voice-New-Mill-Creek-Methodists-ebook/dp/B00988NC2STony is a writer, an author of several published novels, and an independent publisher. In September 2012, he wrote and published the first of a three-book drama series, "A Voice from New Mill Creek: The Methodists," as an e-book. Subsequently, he has released his first romance novel, "Goodnight Paige," and "The Star of India, " the second novel in the Voice series.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICK8qpv0a30Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_A_Grayson/1798235