In the final miracle, we see the plan of God moving in every aspect of the battle and the outcome. He first sent Gideon down to the camp so that he would hear of a man’s dream that the Midianite army would be defeated, and the sign would be the name of Gideon himself (Judges 7:9-14).
Gideon then organized the men at night, as God had said, and they charged the city with trumpets, jars, and torches all shouting “for the Lord and Gideon” to emphasize the dream that many had received. The Midianites fled the city, but the army stayed and began killing each other with swords (Judges 7:19-22).
How astonishing must the effect be in a dark night, of the sudden glare of three hundred torches, darting their splendor, in the same instant, on the half-awakened eyes of the terrified Midianites, accompanied with the clangor of three hundred trumpets, alternately mingled with the thundering shout of cherub la-Yahweh Uwl-Gid’own, "A sword for the Lord and Gideon!"[1]
How wonderful it is when we are at peace with God and experiencing His grace to the fullest. God’s grace and accompanying peace are by-products of obedience. Romans 1:5-7 says it eloquently when Paul writes under the inspiration of the Spirit, “Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
As I completed the study for my class at church, I realized that my material was not an accident. I was trying to determine in what direction God wanted me to go. Since I didn’t have a fleece lying around the house, I prayed that God would show me a sign that would indicate what decision I should make.
The next week the head of our branch office was replaced without warning by a person who was operating one of the most successful sales teams in the company. He asked to meet with me. He then offered to be responsible for my training if I would decide to leave teaching and work full-time with him.
It was the sign I was looking for. God had intervened in the situation granting me both grace and peace. As it happened, I was able to witness to this man consistently as he trained me and had a part in his accepting Jesus as his savior. We became good friends and he continued to influence the success we experienced for years to come.
Grace and peace are available to all those who come to obedience through faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ. How beautiful are the words in this sentence? The completed work of Jesus provides the hope of eternal life. As great as the series of miracles brought God’s grace to Gideon and a repentant Israel, they a dwarfed by the miracle of salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Precious is the blood that was shed for our sins. Horrible was the wrath of God poured out on Jesus as He hung, tortured, naked, and in horrible pain, His body stretched on a cross. Wondrous was the miracle of the resurrection providing proof of His deity.
We will never know or be able to comprehend the anguish that God felt as He poured out the enormous wrath of an all-powerful God onto His only Son. We will never experience the suffering of Jesus as He willingly accepted the punishment that shook the entire creation of God; His suffering for our sins. There is no greater example of grace than the sacrifice of Jesus. Jehovah Shalom, The God of Peace. “Therefore, having been justified by grace, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1, NASB). “There is now, therefore, no condemnation unto those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, NASB).
[1] Adam Clarke, The Adam Clarke Commentary on Revelation, Volume 6, Public Domain, © 1836, Thomas Tegg and Son, 73 Cheapside, London.
A Few Clouds, 59°