A Barley Loaf against the Midianites
By George H. Warnock

      Consider the man Gideon. Israel had been oppressed by the Midianites for a long time. Any grain that they were able to grow was snatched away by the enemy as soon as it was harvested. God appeared to Gideon and gave him a charge to wage war against the enemy and deliver his people. And so naturally Gideon began to muster the army... not too many responded, but he had a word from God and Gideon took courage with the handful that came to the battle. He only had 32,000 men compared to the hosts of Midian which numbered about 135,000. But God looked at Gideon's little army and announced: "You have too many..." Good Christian leaders everywhere are trying to mobilize the forces of Christianity to wage warfare against the forces of evil; but God comes on the scene and begins to demobilize. Twenty-two thousand went home out of fear... they might die in battle and lose all. But once again God looked down and said, "You still have too many..." What would Gideon do now? God Himself would single out the ones that would qualify for His army, and 9,700 more were sent home. God said, "All you need are the 300 I have left with you... this way I will get all the Glory." God likened Gideon's little band to a "barley loaf" and with that flimsy, insignificant little army God would destroy all the armed might of the Midianites, 135,000 strong. How we need to learn God's Way!