2 And the Lord said to Gideon, So great is the number of your people, that if I give the Midianites into their hands they will be uplifted in pride over me and will say, I myself have been my saviour.
Say not then, in your hearts, My power and the strength of my hands have got me this wealth.
(For the arms with which we are fighting are not those of the flesh, but are strong before God for the destruction of high places); Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;
But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong; And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are: So that no flesh might have glory before God.
For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my knowledge, for I am wise: and I have taken away the limits of the peoples' lands, and the stores of their wealth have become mine; and I have made towns low in the dust, sending destruction on those living in them;
But he gives more grace. So that the Writings say, God is against the men of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low before him.
Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself.
Do not be uplifted in pride over the branches: because it is not you who are the support of the root, but it is by the root that you are supported.
What reason, then, is there for pride? It is shut out. By what sort of law? of works? No, but by a law of faith.
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by force or by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of armies.
For this reason he makes an offering to his net, burning perfume to his fishing-net; because by them he gets much food and his meat is fat.
Your heart was lifted up because you were beautiful, you made your wisdom evil through your sin: I have sent you down, even to the earth; I have made you low before kings, so that they may see you.
Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, This is what the Lord has said: Because your heart has been lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I am seated on the seat of God in the heart of the seas; but you are man and not God, though you have made your heart as the heart of God:
And the high looks of man will be put to shame, and the pride of men will be made low: and only the Lord will be lifted up in that day.
The high looks of man will be put to shame, and the pride of men will be made low, and only the Lord will be lifted up in that day.
And Asa made prayer to the Lord his God and said, Lord, you only are able to give help against the strong to him who has no strength; come to our help, O Lord our God, for our hope is in you, and in your name we have come out against this great army. O Lord, you are our God; let not man's power be greater than yours.
And Jonathan said to his young servant who had his arms, Come, let us go over to the armies of these men who have no circumcision: it may be that the Lord will give us help, for there is no limit to his power; the Lord is able to give salvation by a great army or by a small band.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 7
Commentary on Judges 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
This chapter presents us with Gideon in the field, commanding the army of Israel, and routing the army of the Midianites, for which great exploit we found in the former chapter how he was prepared by his converse with God and his conquest of Baal. We are here told,
It is a story that shines very brightly in the book of the wars of the Lord.
Jdg 7:1-8
Here,
Jdg 7:9-15
Gideon's army being diminished as we have found it was, he must either fight by faith or not at all; God therefore here provides recruits for his faith, instead of recruits for his forces.
Jdg 7:16-22
Here is,
Jdg 7:23-25
We have here the prosecution of this glorious victory.