Love Prevails!

Gideon and his 300 Warriors!

The Israelites are in a lot of trouble again. The reason is that they have not obeyed God. The people of Midʹi·an have gained power over the Israelites and are hurting them. So the Israelites cry to God for help, and God listens to their cries.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.” Judges 6:12

The Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites, and Gideon was chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites.

The Angel of the Lord called Gideon mighty man of valor.

And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Mid′ian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manas′seh, and I am the least in my family.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall smite the Mid′ianites as one man.” Judges 6:14-16

The Angel then tells him to go in this strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian.

Look at what Gideon has to say, ‘how can I deliver Israel? He further states that he comes from a weak clan and that he is the least in his family.

But God knows us even before we can understand things about ourselves. That is why the Angel of the Lord greets Gideon with “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.”

God assures Gideon through His Angel that God is with Gideon and that Gideon would win with the Midianites as a one-man army.

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Mid′ianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.’” And Gideon tested them;twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained. Judges 7:2-3

God tells Gideon to get an army, so Gideon gathers together 32,000 fighting men. God tells the Israelite Judge (Jerubba′al) Gideon to reduce his army of 32,000.

God says to Gideon: ‘Tell all the men who are afraid to go back home.’ When Gideon does this, 22,000 of his fighting men go home. That leaves him only 10,000 men to fight.

And there is an army of 100,000 men against Israel. And yet God tells Gideon: ‘You have too many men.’ Why did God say that?

It is because if Israel won the war, they might think that they won by themselves. They might think that they didn’t need God’s help to win.

4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; take them down to the water and I will test them for you there; and he of whom I say to you, ‘This man shall go with you,’ shall go with you; and any of whom I say to you, ‘This man shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one that laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself; likewise every one that kneels down to drink.” 6 And the number of those that lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Mid′ianites into your hand; and let all the others go every man to his home.” Judges 7:4-7

Gideon initially gathered 32,000 men, but God told him to send back any who were afraid, which reduced the numbers to 10,000.

God still insisted this was too many and had Gideon select 300 men based on how they drank water—those who scooped it with their hands, watching their surroundings, over those who knelt to drink.

The criteria for selecting 300 is lapping the water with the tongue as a dog laps. It would also mean to choose only the men who keep watching while they drink. The rest, God said, should be sent home.

The 300 men who lapped water like a dog, demonstrated awareness and readiness for battle.

8 So he took the jars of the people from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Mid′ian was below him in the valley. Judges 7:8-9

Gideon and his 300 men surrounded the enemy camp at night.

9 That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp; for I have given it into your hand.

God clearly promises Gideon victory. But God desires Gideon to trust Him completely, so what does God do?

Listen to verse 10

10 But if you fear to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant; 11 and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp. 12 And the Mid′ianites and the Amal′ekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the seashore for multitude. 13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream; and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Mid′ian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” 14 And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Jo′ash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Mid′ian and all the host.” Judges 7:10-14

God desired something more than trust from Gideon. God wanted Gideon to be fully convinced that God would win this battle through Gideon.

Gideon had to learn to trust God for what God says.

Gideon had to obey God in everything.

15 When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise; for the Lord has given the host of Mid′ian into your hand.”

Judges 7:15

Gideon had to march with 300 soldiers against a formidable 100,000 soldiers. What does it take?

Only when you are fully convinced will you speak the above words with conviction.

It is otherwise impossible for an army of 300 men to fight 100,000 plus people.

That is what God desired from Gideon. His whole 100% conviction that God would work the IMPOSSIBLE!

And more unlikely and impossible to believe when….

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’” Judges 7:9-18

The time comes for the fight. Gidʹe·on puts his 300 men in three groups. He gives to each man a trumpet, and an empty jar with a torch inside it.

When it is about midnight, they all gather around the camp of enemy soldiers.

Gideon’ Policy, “Do as I do”.

On Gideon's signal, his men simultaneously broke their empty jars to reveal torches. They blew trumpets, and shouted, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’

When the enemy soldiers wake up, they are confused and afraid. This unexpected noise and light display at night terrified the Midianites, causing confusion leading them to kill each other in panic. The rest fled, leading to a victory for the 300 Israelite men.

The 300 men defeated the Midianites by using a surprise tactic of surrounding the enemy camp.

CONCLUSION: This fact on Gideon is a testament to God's power, showing that victory is not about human strength or numbers, but about Divine Intervention.

These 300 men, guided by God, defeated a massive army of over 100,000 Midianites.

Moreover, the reason why God reduced 32,000 to 300 is to make the Israel army realize that God made them win, not by the power of the army but by obedience to God.

This is Divine Intervention, showing that God can achieve great things when we surrender to God with Faith-knowing that God can and will and Trust in His Ability and Timing. GOD IS PERFECTION!

God knew the 300 men and their listening skills. Their heart was set to God in obedience.

God strengthened Gideon because it was his obedience that set the way to the 300 men and the victory through Gideon.

The Glory belongs to GOD.

Please continue to read:

Samson and the 300 Foxes

Samson was a warrior Judge in the Old Testament (Book of Judges).

God granted Samson immense (Supernatural) strength. Samson was a Nazirite from birth, a status that required him to follow a special vow of dedication to God, which included not cutting his hair and abstaining from alcohol.

As a judge and deliverer, he used his strength to perform miraculous feats against the Philistines, such as tearing a lion apart with his bare hands, killing 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey, and carrying the gates of Gaza on his shoulders.

His weakness for Delilah, led to the revelation of his secret, and his hair was cut, which caused him to lose his strength. Captured and blinded by the Philistines, he was later brought to their temple to be humiliated. In a final act, he prayed to God for strength one last time and destroyed the temple, killing himself and the thousands of Philistines inside.

This is about "Samson and the 300 Foxes". Samson's is remembered for his supernatural strength, and it is seen as a demonstration of how God can use even an imperfect person to accomplish His will.

The story of "Samson and the 300 foxes" is from the biblical Book of Judges 15.

Samson sought revenge after his wife was given to another man by her father.
He ties 300 foxes together in pairs by their tails and attaches a lit torch to each pair.
He then releases them into the Philistines' fields of standing grain, setting their crops and vineyards on fire.
The Philistines retaliated by burning Samson's wife and father-in-law to death.
Enraged, Samson then slaughtered many Philistines in revenge before taking refuge in a cave.

Note: It is impossible for a man by himself to tie a lit torch to the pair of foxes and make them run through the fields. And it is not one or two foxes but 300 of them. So no matter what Samson did or failed to do, God was always with Him. God worked the impossible through Samson.

300!

Please continue to read:

300 explained

Gideon and his 300 Warriors!

Samson and the 300 Foxes

Mary annoints Jesus - 300 Denarii

Mary's Gift!

300 Prophecies

The 300+ Prophesy List

Mary annoints Jesus - 300 Denarii

The anointing at Bethany was an event in which a woman, identified as Mary in John's Gospel, poured costly ointment of pure nard-perfume on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair.

Matthew 26:6-13 The Anointing at Bethany

Mark 14:3-9 The Anointing at Bethany

John 12:1-8 Mary Anoints Jesus

I have in the grace of God, taken the comparisons of Matthew, Mark and John. I have coloured the text, underlined it for ease of following through.

Also below are the Gospel and explanation after IT, in connection to the anointing at Bethany.

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The Gospel of Matthew, Mark and John.

Matthew 26:6-13 The Anointing at Bethany

6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Mark 14:3-9 The Anointing at Bethany

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment thus wasted? 5 For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” And they reproached her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

John 12:1-8 Mary Anoints Jesus

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz′arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz′arus was one of those at table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. 8 The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

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In the Gospel of John, she is identified as Mary, sister of Lazarus and Martha. John mentions the event took place in Bethany and Jesus was there for supper with Lazarus, Martha and Mary. It happened shortly before Jesus' crucifixion, with John placing it six days before the Passover.

Matthew and Mark in the Gospels refer to the person - a woman, but no name is mentioned.

The Gospel of Matthew and Mark also mention the event took place in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper.

Matthew and Mark in the Gospel mention the woman anointed Jesus with a costly perfume, pouring it on his head.

The Gospel of John mentions Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His Feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

In the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, some disciples being indignant, argued that the perfume could have been sold to help the poor.

The Gospel of Matthew – for a large sum.

The Gospel of Mark – for three hundred denarii.

John specifically names Judas Iscariot as the one who voiced this objection mentioning the amount as three hundred denarii.

The value of Mary’s perfume was about a year’s wages for a working man.

Jesus rebuked the disciples, stating that the woman had done a "beautiful thing" and that her act was in preparation for His burial. In Matthew 26:11 Jesus says - For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

Mary’s anointing of Jesus is considered an act of selfless love, worship, and devotion towards Jesus.

Below the Words of Jesus:-

Matthew 26:13 - Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Mark 14:9 - And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Please continue to read:

Mary's Gift!

Here we take a look at the Gospel of Luke 10:38-42

Jesus visits Martha and Mary.

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called

We read this part of the Gospel to understand ONE thing from v39... Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. Sitting at the Lord's feet, is a privilege and Mary knew that from the many lessons she learned from Jesus.

SECOND thing we learn from v40...

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

V40 says Martha was distracted, but she was also attentive only not as attentive as Mary was. For listen to what Jesus says,

41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;

What is it Martha is anxious about, obviously in this passage it refers to being alone to cook and serve. But here Jesus tells her and all of us, one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken from her.

42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was distracted with cooking and serving, she missed sitting at the feet of Jssus.

When i say that Martha is attentive is based on what the Gospel of John mentions:-

25 Jesus said to her (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” John 11:25-27

The Lord asks Martha and this kind of reply from Martha, only comes from listening completely to the Lord - “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,

When Mary sits at the feet of the Lord, she is in complete worship of the Lord. There is undivided attention. It is complete reverent worship knowing she is in the presence of God-Himself.

Therefore Jesus says in V42: one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.

When Martha knows, Mary knows too that Jesus is the Son of God. Mary knows of the impending Crucifixion.

So, before the Crucifixion of Jesus, Mary comes with the costly ointment of pure nard and pours it on the head and wipes the feet of Jesus. She expresses her pain through a perfect sacrifice of sitting at the feet of Jesus and wiping His feet with her hair.

Do you feel the pain in the heart of Mary?

Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. John 12:3

Mary is the sister of both Martha and (Lazarus-he who had been raised from the dead by Jesus).

It was Jesus’ miracle of raising up Lazarus that got the religious authorities plotting against Jesus - to kill Jesus. They also planned to put Lazarus to death because so many believed in Jesus because of Lazarus.

Passover was 6 days away and orders had been given by the religious authorities to arrest Jesus.

Jesus comes to Bethany, to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Mary is expressing her great love for Jesus by anointing His feet with expensive perfume and wiping them dry with her hair.

Mary knows this would be the last time she could be at the feet of Jesus. Even though the disciples are indignant and saying things, there is no response in record from Mary.

She is in the presence of the Lord and in total reverent worship. She is in prayer. No point of distraction.

Martha was cooking and serving the people who had come to her place.

Martha heard Jesus, but she missed on sitting in the presence of the Lord in reverent worship.

When Mary, anointed the Lord, she was in complete awe as she worshipped God in totality.

Jesus says in Matthew 26:10 - For she has done a beautiful thing to me.

and in Matthew 26:13 - Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” John 12:4-5

Jesus accepts Mary’ Gift because He knew the meaning of Mary’s act. Our Lord knew what Mary was pouring upon Him wasn’t just perfume. It was a complete expression of love that was fully rooted in love.

Her pouring out the perfume was the only way to express her love to the fullest holding nothing back. It was Mary' outpouring of love.

John 12:3 -and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

The house was filled with love-with reverent worship and the fragrance was sweet.

Jesus had filled the lives (of Mary, Martha and John) with the Love and knowledge of God. Their Home was a Heaven with Jesus in it. Jesus was the fragrance. And pouring on Jesus the perfume of their lives was letting Jesus know how much and how fully Jesus had filled their lives.

We observe how deeply Mary loves Jesus; we observe that Jesus readily receives that from her.

Why did Paul put up with hardship: with three times being shipwrecked, being adrift at sea for a day and a half, with imprisonment, beatings, stoning, hunger, thirst.

Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Philippians 3:8

Mary and the Apostle Paul each witness in their own way that the value of knowing Jesus is beyond any scale we have to measure.

Judas saw Jesus as his ticket to power and prestige. His understanding was when the Messiah would use His power to takeover, he-Judas, would be a key figure in the new order of things.

Mary seems to be aware of Jesus’s prediction that He has come to Jerusalem to die. She anoints Him for Death, says Jesus in His words.

Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. John 12:7

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. Mark 14:8

Conclusion: When we come before the Lord, we too must be like Mary, in total worship and Praise of the Lord. We must know in Whose presence we are.

We fail miserably, because we let ourselves get carried away.

Most of the time you will see people come in just 2 minutes before the celebration of the mass can begin or just in time. It is another thing when people come in late. Is this perfect worship. No!

At the celebration of the mass, at the Eucharistic Adoration, Jesus is completely present. 
This is my point of view, that when we come in Holy Adoration (Eucharistic Adoration), there must be a time when we just sit in the presence of the Lord. We must allow ourselves to be in conversation with our Lord. And with time, we will be able to listen and recognize our Lords voice. 

The Lord waits for each one of us, question is how do you present yourself?

But the really sad thing is, during Eucharistic Adoration, people have made it a habit as such to have someone come up and speak. We want someone to talk to us. We do not want to take the time to sit in silence and be able to listen to Jesus. And say if a person does so, then they expect to hear Jesus immediately. Considering how one lives one's life, that will take time. 

During the Eucharistic Adoration, people mostly focus on the speaker. If the speaker is a Priest, then it is GOOD! 

But if a lay person, then it is a distraction because one's focus becomes the person. And that is no WORSHIP OF GOD!

REMEMBER-REMEMBER: Mary walks humbly into a gathering of people and begins pouring what was probably the most precious thing she owned, all over Jesus. Because from her view, she could only see Jesus and knowing the pain of not having to see Him, made every moment with Jesus even more precious.

The only way to have confidently given such a gift and in this manner without worrying about anyone meant, Mary knew the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

A Sacrifice of Love-an awe filled reverent worship, is offered to Jesus and the fragrance of which is most acceptable to God.

Thank You, Abba Father.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You, Holy Spirit.

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