The Story of Gideon and his Three Hundred Soldiers Judges 6-8
The people of Israel were driven away from their villages and their farms, and were compelled to hide in the caves of the mountains. And if any Israelite could raise any grain, he buried it in pits covered with earth, or in empty winepresses, where the Midianites could not find it.
One day, a man named Gideon was threshing out wheat in a hidden place, when he saw an angel sitting-under an oak-tree. The angel said to him: “You are a brave man, Gideon, and the Lord is with you. Go out boldly, and save your people from the power of the Midianites.” Gideon answered the angel:
“O, Lord, how can I save Israel? Mine is a poor family in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
Midianites.”
Gideon felt that it was the Lord who was talking with him, in the form of an angel. He brought an offering, and laid it on a rock before the angel. Then the angel touched the offering with his staff. At once, a fire leaped up and burned the offering; and then the angel vanished from his sight. Gideon was afraid when he saw this; but the Lord said to him: “Peace be unto you, Gideon, do not fear, for I am with you.”
On the spot where the Lord appeared to Gideon, under an oak tree, near the village of Ophrah, (Note: the TV Star Oprah was named after Ophrah by her mother, but she didn’t know the correct spelling) in the tribe-land of Manasseh, Gideon built an altar and called it by a name which means: “The Lord is peace.” This altar was standing long afterward in that place.
Then the Lord told Gideon that before setting his people free from the Midianites, he must first set them free from the service of Baal and Asherah, the two idols most worshipped among them. Near the house of Gideon’s own father stood an altar to Baal, and the image of Asherah.
On that night, Gideon went out with ten men, and threw down the image of Baal, and cut in pieces the wooden image of Asherah, and destroyed the altar before these idols. And in its place he built an altar to the God of Israel; and on it laid the broken pieces of the idols for wood, and with them offered a young ox as a burnt-offering.
On the next morning, when the people of the village went out to worship their idols, they found them cut in pieces, the altar taken away; in its place an altar of the Lord, and on it the pieces of the Asherah were burning as wood under a sacrifice to the Lord. The people looked at the broken and burning idols; and they said: “Who has done this?”
Someone said: “Gideon, the son of Joash, did this last night.”
Then they came to Joash, Gideon’s father, and said:
“We are going to kill your son because he has destroyed the image of Baal, who is our god.”
And Joash, Gideon’s father, said: “If Baal is a god, he can take care of himself, and punish the man who has destroyed his image. Why should you help Baal? Let Baal help himself.”
And when they saw that Baal could not harm the man who had broken down his altar and his image, the people turned from Baal, back to their own Lord God.
Gideon sent messengers through all Manasseh on the west of Jordan, and the tribes near on the north; and the men of the tribes gathered around him, with a few swords and spears, but very few, for the Israelites were not ready for war. They met beside a great spring on Mount Gilboa, called “the fountain of Harod.” Mount Gilboa is one of the three mountains on the east of the plain of Esdraelon, or the plain of Jezreel, where once there had been a great battle. On the plain, stretching up the side of another of these mountains, called “the Hill of Moreh,” was the camp of a vast Midianite army. For as soon as the Midianites heard that Gideon had undertaken to set his people free, they came against him with a mighty host.
Gideon was a man of faith. He wished to be sure that God was leading him, and he prayed to God and said:
“O Lord God, give me some sign that thou wilt save Israel through me. Here is a fleece of wool on this threshing floor. If to-morrow morning the fleece is wet with dew, while the grass around it is dry, then I shall know that thou art with me; and that thou wilt give me victory over the Midianites.”
Very early the next morning, Gideon came to look at the fleece. He found it wringing wet with dew, while all around the grass was dry. But Gideon was not yet satisfied. He said to the Lord:
“O Lord, be not angry with me; but give me just one more sign. To-morrow morning let the fleece be dry, and let the dew fall all around it, and then I will doubt no more.”
The next morning, Gideon found the grass, and the bushes wet with dew, while the fleece of wool was dry. And Gideon was now sure that God had called him, and that God would give him victory over the enemies of Israel.
The Lord said to Gideon: “Your army is too large. If Israel should win the victory, they would say, ‘we won it by our own might.’ Send home all those who are afraid to fight.”
For many of the people were frightened, as they looked at the host of their enemies, and the Lord knew that these men would only hinder the rest in the battle. So Gideon sent word through the camp:
“Whoever is afraid of the enemy may go home.” And twenty-two thousand people went away, leaving only ten thousand in Gideon’s army. But the army was stronger though it was smaller, for the cowards had gone, and only the brave men were left.
But the Lord said to Gideon: “The people are yet too many. You need only a few of the bravest and best men to fight in this battle. Bring the men down the mountain, past the water, and I will show you there how to find the men whom you need.”
In the morning Gideon, by God’s command called his ten thousand men out, and made them march down the hill, just as though they were going to attack the enemy. And as they were beside the water, he noticed how they drank, and set them apart in two companies, according to their way of drinking.
When they came to the water, most of the men threw aside their shields and spears, and knelt down and scooped up a draft of the water with both hands together like a cup. These men Gideon commanded to stand in one company.
There were a few men who did not stop to take a large draft of water. Holding spear and shield in the right hand, to be ready for the enemy if one should suddenly appear, they merely caught up a handful of the water in passing and marched on, lapping up the water from one hand.
God said to Gideon:
“Set by themselves these men who lapped up each a handful of water. These are the men whom I have chosen to set Israel free.”
Gideon counted these men, and found that there were only three hundred of them, while all the rest bowed down on their faces to drink. The difference between them was that the three hundred were earnest men, of one purpose; not turning aside from their aim even to drink, as the others did. Then, too, they were watchful (attentive) men, always ready to meet their enemies.
So Gideon, at God’s command, sent back to the camp on Mount Gilboa all the rest of his army, nearly ten thousand men, keeping with himself only his little band of three hundred.
Gideon’s plan did not need a large army; but it needed a few careful, bold men, who should do exactly (obedient/faithful) as their leader commanded them. He gave to each man a lamp (Jesus), a pitcher (Mary), and a TRUMPET (Luisa), and told the men just what was to be done with them. The lamp was lighted, but was placed inside the pitcher, so that it could not be seen. He divided his men into three companies (Three Missions), and very quietly led them down the mountain in the middle of the night, and arranged them all in order around the camp of the Midianites.
The men blew their TRUMPETs with a mighty noise
THE COMMAND PRAYER IS PRAYED:
Abba Father,
in the Name of Jesus,
in the Unity, Love and Power of the Holy Spirit,
Under the Mantle of Mary,
with all the Angels and Saints
through the intercession of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta,
Save Your people from the evil scourge of abortion.
We are the least of Your Heavenly House
but You will surely be Praying this our prayer,
making it Your Command in the Divine Will
to drive out the enemy and this evil scourge of abortion
that plagues our country and the world.
Destroy the altar of sacrifice of the unborn to the evil one,
and accept from us, Your small Army, the sacrifice of our human wills
to repair for this wicked abomination and to placate Your Divine Justice.
We pray You to make us watchful and ready in this battle.
You have Called us to Fight with Your Weapons of Love
and so in Obedience to You with Courage, Trust,
and Bold Faith, knowing that You shall Win the battle for us,
we put on our Divine Armor united to the Three Missions,
to march forth (March 4th) in the darkness with
the Lamp of Jesus, the Pitcher of Mary, and the TRUMPET of Luisa!
With the Lamp of Jesus, Flash the Divine Light in every direction;
Dispel the evil darkness of this and all sin.
Holding the Pitcher of Mary in our hearts may
You Break, Crash and Crush the head of the evil one
and those who are with him.
Together with Luisa, we blow the TRUMPET
for all to hear a Mighty Divine Will Noise
to throw the evil one and his minions into such confusion
that they shall “trample each other down to death.”
Hear our prayer Dear Heavenly Father!
With Your Great Victory and Triumph within us
we shall be freed forever from the evil of hell, and all will proclaim that
You Lord God are the King of Israel,
You Lord God are the King of kings,
You Lord God are the Lord of lords
and no one but You, Lord Jesus Christ, are King
of Your Holy Church and the World.
PLEASE TAKE OUR HUMBLE PRAYER AND MAKE IT YOUR COMMAND!
WE BELIEVE! WE RECEIVE!
FIAT!
AMEN!
Then at one moment a great shout rang out in the darkness, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon,” and after it came a crash of breaking pitchers, and then a flash of light in every direction. The three hundred men had given the shout, and broken their pitchers, so that on every side lights were shining. The men blew their TRUMPETs with a mighty noise; and the Midianites were roused from sleep, to see enemies all round them, lights beaming and swords flashing, while everywhere the sharp sound of the TRUMPETs (Command Prayer) was heard.
They were filled with sudden terror, and thought only of escape, not of fighting. But wherever they turned, their enemies seemed to be standing with swords drawn. They trampled each other down to death, flying from the Israelites. Their own land was in the east, across the river Jordan, and they fled in that direction, down one of the valleys between the mountains.
Gideon had thought that the Midianites would turn toward their own land, if they should be beaten in the battle, and he had already planned to cut off their flight. The ten thousand men in the camp he had placed on the sides of the valley leading to the Jordan. There they slew very many of the Midianites as they fled down the steep pass toward the river. And Gideon had also sent to the men of the tribe of Ephraim, who had thus far taken no part in the war, to hold the only place at the river where men could wade through the water. Those of the Midianites who had escaped from Gideon’s men on either side of the valley were now met by the Ephraimites at the river, and many more of them were slain. Among the slain were two of the princes of the Midianites, named Oreb and Zeeb.
A part of the Midianite army was able to get across the river, and to continue its flight toward the desert; but Gideon and his brave three hundred men followed closely after them, fought another battle with them, destroyed them utterly, and took their two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, whom he killed. After this great victory the Israelites were freed forever from the Midianites. They never again ventured to leave their home in the desert to make war on the tribes of Israel.
After this, as long as Gideon lived, he ruled as Judge in Israel. The people wished him to make himself a king.
“Rule over us as king,” they said, “and let your son be king after you, and his son king after him.”
But Gideon said:
“No, you have a king already; for the Lord God is the King of Israel. No one but God shall be king over these tribes.”
Of all the fifteen men who ruled as Judges of Israel, Gideon, the fifth Judge, was the greatest, in courage, in wisdom, and in faith in God.
Luisa the TRUMPET / Joy of the Holy Spirit
In the Temple in Jerusalem, the shofar was sometimes used together with the TRUMPET.
The Hebrew word ‘TRUMPET’ (Hebrew: חצוצרה; ḥaṣoṣrah) –
Modern Rosh Hashanah (Ezekiel 40:1) is traced back to the Feast of TRUMPETs which is the sounding of the TRUMPETs on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri) of the religious calendar year (Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1). The TRUMPET referred to here was the shofar, a ram’s horn. It was distinctive from the silver TRUMPETs blown on the other new moons. Silver TRUMPETs were sounded at the daily burnt offering and at the beginning of each new month (Numbers 10:10), but the shofar specifically was blown on the beginning of the month Tishri.
V2 – 6.23.99 – Then, all of a sudden, we found ourselves surrounded by people; they seemed to be sitting around a table, eating, and there was also my portion. Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am hungry.” And I: ‘I give You my portion, aren’t You happy?’ And Jesus: “Yes, but I do not want to be seen.” And I: ‘Well then, I will pretend that I take it for myself, and without letting others notice, I will give it to You.’ And so we did.
After a little while, standing up and drawing His lips near to my face, Jesus began to play something like the sound of a TRUMPET from His mouth. All of those people turned pale and trembled, saying among themselves: “What is this? What is this? Now we die!” I said to Him: ‘Lord, my Jesus, what are You doing? How is this? – up until now You did not want to be seen, and now You start playing. Be quiet, be quiet – don’t make people scared; don’t You see how they are all frightened?’ And Jesus: “This is nothing yet – what will happen when, all of a sudden, I will play even louder? They will be caught by such fear, that many, many will lose their lives.” And I: ‘My adorable Jesus, what are You saying? You always go there: that You want to do justice; but – no! Mercy! Mercy on your people, I pray.’ So, Jesus assumed His sweet and benign look, and I, continuing to see the confessor, began to importune Him again; and Jesus told me: “I will make your confessor like a grafted tree, in which the old tree can no longer be recognized, either in the soul or in the body; and as a pledge of this, I have placed you in his hands as victim, so that he may take advantage of it.”
V5 – 4.10.03 – Since men do not surrender, Jesus will play the TRUMPET of new and grave scourges.
As I was in my usual state, I saw our Lord with a rod in His hand with which He touched the people. As they were touched, they scattered and rebelled, and the Lord said to them: “I have touched you to reunite you around Me, but instead of reuniting, you rebel and scatter away from Me, therefore it is necessary that I blow the TRUMPET.” And while saying this, He began to blow the TRUMPET. I understood that the Lord will send some chastisement, and men, instead of humbling themselves, will take the occasion to offend Him and to move away from Him; and on seeing this, the Lord will make the TRUMPET of more grave scourges resound.
V14 – 10.27.22 – “…Now, after I have made known the goods of Redemption and how I want everyone to be saved, giving to all the means which are needed, I move on to make known that there is another generation in Me, which I must deliver: my children who will live in the Divine Will; and that in my own Heart I keep all the graces ready – all my interior acts done in the sphere of Eternal Will for them – waiting for the kiss of their acts, for their union, in order to give them the inheritance of the Supreme Will. Just as I received It, I want to give It to them, so that I may deliver the second generation of the children of Light. If my Humanity did not give this inheritance which It possessed – that is, the Divine Will, the sole and only thing I loved and which gave Me all that is good – my descent upon earth would have been incomplete, nor could I say that I have given everything; on the contrary, I would have reserved for Me the greatest thing, the most noble and divine part. See then, how necessary it is that my Will be known in all of Its relations, prodigies, effects and value, what I did in this Will for the creatures, and what they must do. This knowledge will be a powerful magnet in order to attract the creatures and make them receive the inheritance of my Will, and so as to make the generation of the children of Light enter the field – the Children of my Will. Be attentive, my daughter; you will be my spokesperson – the TRUMPET, to call them and gather this generation, so favored and longed for by Me.”
V19 – 8.4.26 – “My daughter, let us put everything aside – let us speak of the Kingdom of the Supreme Will, which interests Me so much. Don’t you see how I am always in the act of writing Its qualities, Its celestial laws, Its power, Its divine prodigies, Its enchanting beauty, Its infinite joys, the order and the perfect harmony that reigns in this Kingdom of the Divine Fiat – in the depth of your soul? First I make the preparations, I form in you all the properties of It, and then I speak to you, so that, by feeling Its properties within yourself, you may be the spokesperson of my Will, the crier of It, Its telegraph and the little TRUMPET which, with a shrill sound, may call the attention of those passing by to listen to you. The teachings I give you about the Kingdom of my Will shall be like many electric wires, which are such that, when the appropriate communications are established and the necessary preparations are made, a single wire is enough to give light to entire cities and provinces. The power of the electricity, with rapidity greater than that of the wind, gives light to public and private places. The teachings about my Will shall be the wires; the power of the electricity will be the Fiat Itself which, with enchanting rapidity, will form the light that will cast away the night of the human will, the darkness of passions. Oh, how beautiful the light of my Will shall be! In seeing it, creatures will dispose the devices in their souls in order to connect the wires of the teachings, so as to enjoy and receive the power of the light that the electricity of my Supreme Will contains. Do you want to see what will happen? Look: I take one wire of my teachings linked to your soul, and you emit your voice within the wire. Say: ‘I love You, I adore You, I bless You…’ – whatever you want to say, and be attentive on looking.”
I said ‘I love You’, and that ‘I love You’ changed into characters of light and the electric power of the Supreme Volition multiplied it, in such a way that that ‘I love You’ of light would go through the whole vault of the heavens, fix itself in the sun and in each star, penetrate into Heaven, fix itself in each Blessed, form its crown of light at the foot of the divine throne, and enter even into the bosom of the Supreme Majesty – in sum, wherever the Divine Will was, there it would form its electric light. And Jesus continued: “My daughter, have you seen what power the electricity of the Supreme Fiat has, and how it reaches everywhere? The electricity of the earth diffuses down below at the most – it does not have the power to reach even the stars; but the power of my electricity diffuses down below, up high, in the hearts – everywhere; and when the wires are disposed, with enchanting rapidity it will make its way into the midst of creatures.”
Filled with Joy of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 2:6-10 – And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them; And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come to adore him. Who having heard the king, went their way; and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
John 15:11 – These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled.
Acts of the Apostles 2:1-5, 13-15 – And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine. But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Acts of the Apostles 13:52 – And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.
V35 – 8.23.37 – “My daughter, keep listening. See what point a soul Living in My Will can reach: My Will keeps her aware of all Our Works. Our Supreme Being always maintains Its Works in continuous action. For Us, past and future do not exist.
“So, the Heavenly Father Generates continuously His Son, and between Father and Son the Holy Spirit Proceeds. This is the Life in Ourselves, which, as heartbeat and breathing, forms Our Life: Generating and Proceeding continuously. Otherwise We would be lacking Life in the same way as the creature would lack life if she didn’t palpitate and breathe continuously. In this continuous Generating and Proceeding, We form Immense Joys, Happiness and Contents so great that, being unable to contain them within Ourselves, they overflow and form the Joy and the Happiness for the whole of Heaven. From the Immense Goods produced by the continuous Generation of the Word, and by the Proceeding of the Holy Spirit, overflowed the Sumptuousness and Magnificence of the engine of the whole Creation, the Creation of Man, the Conception of the Immaculate Virgin and the descent of the Word upon earth. All this and more is always in action in Our Divine Being; in action like the Father Generating His Son, and the Proceeding of the Holy Spirit.
“Now, one who Lives in Our Will is spectator of these Divine Prodigies. She feels as if she is receiving continuously the Son Generated by the Father, and the Holy Spirit Who always Proceeds. O, how much of Joys, Love and Graces she receives!”
Fiat!