HUGELY POPULAR MOVIE, BUT GOD HAD THE BETTER CONCEPT MILLENNIA AGO!!

Something very real did happen 25 centuries ago in a narrow pass on Greece's northern coast called Thermopylae - the name means "the hot gates." In August of 480 B.C., a force of about 7,000 Greek soldiers assembled there, including 300 Spartans under the leadership of their king, Leonidas. The Spartans were sick, scary fighters, brutally trained from childhood, the ancient equivalent of special forces. They were there to meet an army of more than 250,000 Persians under the command of King Xerxes.
The odds were ludicrously bad, the outcome a foregone conclusion. Most of the Greeks retreated, but the 300 Spartans, the hard core of the Greek army, chose to fight on, using the natural strategic advantage of the pass. They lasted three days - beyond all hope, beyond what should have been militarily possible - and then they died. Their refusal to surrender their freedom to the Persians inspired the rest of the Greeks, who ultimately rose up as a nation and beat back the invaders.
That was then. On March 9, a movie about the Battle of Thermopylae, called 300, will hit theaters. It was made by a young director, stars nobody in particular, and it looks like nothing you've ever seen. Very little in 300 is real except the actors. Sets, locations, armies, blood - they're all computer generated. It's beautiful, and it might well be the future of filmmaking. But should it be? Excerpt from TIME Magazine, March 12, 2007

Snyder's film opens by explaining Sparta's ingrained warrior culture. Boys are taught to fight to the death almost out of the crib. But then warrior cultures always need adversaries to make the training worthwhile. Enter Persia, the marauding ancient empire that had laid waste to much of the known world. Like his father Darius, Persian "God King" Xerxes has taken aim at Greece. King Leonidas of Sparta (played with great machismo by Gerard Butler) plans to halt the Persian advance at a set of narrow cliffs that guard the way to Sparta. Leonidas has long odds. His forces number 300 while the Persians bring more than 1 million soldiers and monsters. Excerpt from WORLD Magazine, March 24/31, 2007

"And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were THREE HUNDRED (300) men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the THREE HUNDRED (300) men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those THREE HUNDRED (300) men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley." Judges 7:2-8 (Read through verse 22.)

So in these verses in Judges 7, we encounter Gideon, who was chosen by God to deliver Israel from some of their troubles after they had sinned and entered into the truth of their sinning. Their enemies were at the gates and they suffered greatly because of their enemies. So, eventually the Lord had mercy on them even as you occasionally do when a youngster has trespassed seriously. You may allow him or her to be in the "dog house" for a little while until you figure it is time to show parental compassion. Now then, Gideon means a tree-feller, one who chops down trees (it could have some other significance, I do not know). That was probably incidental to that which he did at the word of God's messenger to him - to cut down the grove and the altar where Baal was being worshipped. You can find that in the previous chapter (Jdg. 6). So this Gideon calls some of his friends to help cut down the entire grove at night. I shall not go into that, but I believe that that was how he received the name of Gideon, the tree-feller.
Here let me bring a different thought to your mind, or, a comparative one. A tree depicts a man, usually a man of some importance - like the head of a family or the head of a tribe, or a leader of a group (Isa. 10:33). It's not just an ordinary person. Gideon was a "tree-feller," one who would knock down men. He was a mighty man of war, evidently a tremendously mighty man of war, and one that might approach perhaps unto the stature of David. Yet not necessarily physically big of stature, but in his wars and in his fighting with others, David could certainly handle the sword.
Who do you suppose Gideon might symbolize? None but the Lord Jesus Christ(!), Who was that Great Tree-feller, Who knocked over obstacles that men might arise into newness of life; even as Saul became a different man on the way to Damascus.
Now Gideon was the son of Joash, which according to my Bible dictionary means bestowed or that which God bestows. Did not God the Father bestow the Son unto Israel and unto whomsoever would receive Him? Did He not sacrifice Him, as it were, by sending Him to earth? He came down not to do His own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Him. We have here, then, a preliminary to Christ and to Christianity - and a distant view from the time of that which should eventually take place.
I shall now deal with this somewhat briefly. At the time of this episode, the Midianites were ready to attack. They were in the valley below and we are told that even their camels were as numerous as the sands on the sea shore. Of course, that's not literal, but a matter of speech in those days. Yet it does indicate an immense multitude. According to the account there were 32,000 men at his side prepared to fight the Midianites. Now who was a Midianite? According to the meaning of the word in Bible dictionaries, it means a
strife.
I suppose I shouldn't have to point out where we have seen strife. I think that most people have heard of it, read of it and experienced more or less of it in life right up to this very moment. Where can we look today where there is not strife? Did not the Lord say, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34). And so, the sword stands for division. So again, we see how Gideon, the son of Joash, prepared to fight the Midianites, strife.
Gideon is a picture of Christ our Lord Who came into this world to abolish strife. And so He promised us in the Revelation given to John on Patmos that there would be at least one thousand years of peace wherein there shall be no strife, and during which time the weapons of war shall be changed into agricultural implements. Every man shall sit under his vine and fig tree and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Gideon had been concerned in his heart that he couldn't contend with the vast multitude of the Midianites and those that had also joined them. So, he asked of the Lord for a sign. He took a bunch of sheep wool, laid it on boards, or whatever it was, out in the open. And the dew fell on the fleece, but the boards were dry. But still his heart was faint, he was still uncertain and troubled in mind. Have not you ever been troubled in mind as to what the outcome would be in a given situation? Gideon asked another sign and the Lord compassionately strengthened his heart by complying with his request.
Excerpt from THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON, by Mikkel Dahl, pages 11-13 (available from our Bookstore)

Let us again consider the time of Gideon. Israel had been in great straits, crying out to God because they were being oppressed by the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Midianites, and the other people of the land, so God again raised up a deliverer. This time, it was Gideon. The angel of the Lord appeared to him (Jdg. 6:11), and we're shown that Gideon had God wait while he killed an animal to make a fleece, etc. Then he asked for a sign:

"And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground." Judges 6:36-40

Later, we are told of the process by which 300 men were chosen to fight with Gideon against their oppressors (Jdg. 7:1-7).
It is with this background that the revelation of God's Name as Jehovah-shalom was given:

"Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites." Judges 6:24

As you can see, an altar is mentioned, as was the case when other attributes of God's Name were revealed (Gen. 22:9-14; Ex. 17:15). The altar was a reminder or a memorial of something very important.

"And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die." Judges 6:22-23

Gideon had been taught that anyone who saw God face to face was a dead man. "Then Gideon built an altar" and in this context God manifests His Name as Jehovah-shalom - peace, 'peace with God', the 'peace of God', etc.
It is a revelation we must experience and return to in the midst of our struggles. God doesn't say to us: "I'm going to let you see all the things that you have, or great amounts of money, or friends that will stand with you," etc. Instead of that, what does God do? He shows that we cannot rely on fleshly strength or power to achieve victory. We are fighting a supernatural war. It's not going to be won by our own efforts.
Excerpt from THE WONDERFUL NAMES OF GOD, by Jon R. Welker, pages 254-255 (available from our Bookstore)

Now, let us consider an important part of the revelation concerning the declaration of the Name, Jehovah-shalom. Through the story regarding "Gideon's army," we are shown that the `Peace of God' does not come about by our trusting in large numbers of people who support us or stand with us. Consider the details concerning the choosing of Gideon's 300 men (Jdg. 7:2-7). Again, I repeat: the victory was not to be accomplished through great numbers. Peace with God comes in trusting "His Power to accomplish all things." Often, all too often, church leaders and their people hire marketing firms to try and determine what will entice people into their churches. The prevailing mentality is that the numbers of people attending a church indicates success before God. Yet, it has also been shown that few of such "evangelistic" and marketing efforts produce committed, long-term
Christian converts and warriors for Christ. Even the much publicized "Promise Keepers" effort of the last decade has had little long-lasting impact within the lives of churchgoing believers. During the same period of time, it was reported that the divorce rate among "evangelical Christians" was slightly higher than the general population!
Again I state, the real work of God cannot be judged by the number of people involved. King David numbered Israel, and that displeased the Lord (see II Sam. 24). Throughout the history of Israel and the Church Age, we are given to see repeatedly that what the world considered little groups of people were accomplishing great works for God, which endured. Shepherdsfield is like that - though but a small active body, we have been enabled to serve the Lord in many ways and with our literature, reaching throughout the world. The truths revealed in the teachings we disseminate will continue to endure and be active in the final defeat of Satan's kingdom.
At the time Gideon received the revelation of God as Jehovah-shalom, the Lord wanted him to see that he could be at peace (shalom) in God; that the victory wasn't dependent upon a large military with many soldiers. It was the "Sword of the Lord" that Gideon would wield which would overcome the enemy.

"When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." Judges 7:18

"And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." Judges 7:20

That "sword" was God's plan as it would be executed. Therefore, Gideon was told to continue diminishing the number of men who would participate in the battle, for the Lord was looking for a particular quality within those who would do the fighting (Jdg. 7:5-7). In the New Testament we are told of the Great Apostasy which was to come in these last days (II Thess. 2:3), and Jesus spoke of dividing the sheep from the goats before His return.

"And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left." Matthew 25:32-33

That implies that the Lord's end-time strategy to defeat the powers of darkness will again involve small groups of people and comparatively fewer numbers than we are told who "confess Jesus Christ" within so-called "Christendom." The angel of the Lord referred to Gideon as a mighty man of courage (Jdg. 6:12), which would indicate that "courage" is among the important attributes the Lord is looking for in His end-time army. Such people have come into a revelation of the Peace of God by trusting in His Power to do great things with small numbers of people. They are not habitually looking around to see how many are going with them into the battle - for they are at peace in God, knowing that the "sword of the Lord" is able to be wielded by a small "Gideon army"!
Excerpt from THE WONDERFUL NAMES OF GOD, by Jon R. Welker, pages 289-292 (available from our Bookstore)

Here is a question by one of our late students, Albert H. Wegner.

"Could the disciples called have been the 70 of whom He chose the 12 apostles? If it was, did they perhaps do something or respond to the call in some manner to cause their choice to apostleship similar to the 300 out of the 10,000 of Gideon's army?"

By a careful study of the various Gospel accounts, it appears that the 12 were chosen and sent forth long BEFORE the 70; in fact close to a year and a half before the 70 were sent out. But let us bear in mind that the 12 Apostles sent forth ("apostle" means one SENT) had all been followers (disciples) of the Lord for varying periods of time. Presumably, the 70 had also been among His followers for some time. Because of the time element, we could scarcely say that the 12 had been chosen out of the 70; but they were chosen out of an elect number which had followed Him closely for well over a year. By the words of Peter after that Judas had fallen (Acts 1:21-23), we know that many had been close and of His consistent followers from the commencement of His ministry. And, presumably, the same could be said of the 70 but they had not measured up to the special standard, or requirements met by the 12.
His mentioning of Gideon's army is a parallel point well chosen. About Gideon there were 32,000 assembled, but 22,000 scattered and went home, leaving him 10,000. Out of the 10,000 only 300 were chosen. Momentarily, let us look at those numbers.
The 22 out of 32,000 represent 69%, or an approximate two-thirds, leaving him the ONE-third. These answer to the three-fold division within the Mosaic Tabernacle (Ex. 26:33, 27:21). And out of the 10,000 but 300 were chosen. In approximate figures, these were ONE percent of the original host: answering to the "100-fold" of which Christ spoke (1 out of 100), or to the ONE High Priest which could enter into the Holiest in the Mosaic Tabernacle. The 300 and the 10,000 answer to the 12 and the 70 in the days of our Lord.
We should bear in mind the Truth I have brought out in my teachings, that our Lord's every act and move WAS A PROPHECY or a drama portraying a portion of His Plan for Man. Here, as we look at the scene mentioned by this student, our Lord ascended a mountain by Himself and continued all night in prayer. Then He chose the 12 to be sent out as APOSTLES, and later the 70 were sent forth.
A mountain typifies a kingdom to which Jesus ascended alone. Indeed He ascended to the Heavenly Kingdom by Himself. And the "night" He continued in prayer bespeaks His intercession and mediation for man throughout that "night" which was to come "when no one can work" (Jn. 9:4). Now observe: as a result of this ascension into the Kingdom (the"mountain"), He sent forth 12 chosen apostles. These typify 12 hundred years. Thereafter came the 70, but they were LESSER, representing but 10 years apiece. (Here it should be observed that Lachmann's - one of the eight oldest manuscripts considered authentic - specifies 72 rather than the 70 according to the others.) IF we consider the number as 72 instead of 70, its multiple by 10 yields 720, which, added to the 1,200 from the time of the Ascension takes us to about 1955 A.D. - falling into perfect harmony with the balance of veiled prophecies He has permitted me to unveil. (Although I would not postulate it as fact, I consider it likely that He sent forth 72, but that only 70 completed the mission and returned.)
On this basis we see how history records the fulfillment of the shadow-prophecy. For, the third century (from His ascension) the ones sent ("apostles") faltered and failed (Judas) when the Church went in unto the State of Rome - and sold Him out. And in these last decades we have seen a host of His churches (so called) become renegades, perverting the "glad tidings of preservation" into a humanized "gospel" of mush, tolerance, and demonic ideas. Hence the result as pointed out some time ago, that as the Lord prophesied, He had to "delay His coming" (Matt. 24:48).

"Is this call similar (parallel), or does it point to the Midnight Cry (Matt. 25:6)? The foolish were telling the Lord all they had done in His Name, so also the 70 came back rejoicing as to how the devils were subject to them (Lk. 10:17). Yet they must have been foolish, as later in His ministry (Jn. 6:66), 'many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.' And when Jesus said (v. 67) to the 12, 'Will ye also go away?' does this not show the 70 also went away?"

First with reference to the last portion, the words certainly imply that the bulk of His steady followers turned their backs on Him, but I do not believe we should apply it in the extreme to mean that ALL of the others left Him. For, as already pointed out, after the Ascension there were still many of whom Peter spoke who had been with Him from the beginning, from among whom they picked two and by lot chose one (to replace Judas) (Acts 1:23-26).
Yes, this "call" was even a shadow-prophecy of the Midnight Cry - or call, when those who in spirit had heard His call when He was on the mountaintop in intercession for them. Those at the time of the Midnight Cry will HEAR His call and come forth to follow Him.
It was even more beautifully illustrated in the 300 chosen by God for Gideon. They lit their lamps ("the five wise had oil in their vessels with their lamps") and placed them inside vessels. Then in the dark of night they went to compass the camp of the Midianites. Then they broke the vessels which were in their LEFT hands, and blew the trumpets held in their RIGHT hands (Jdg. 7:20). The lit torches are the LIGHTS within the bodies (vessels). The left typifies the physical. These vessels were broken, bespeaking the CHANGE from the present physical constitution. Then the LIGHTS which had been within "shone in the darkness" and the host of Midian scattered in panic. "Midian" means strife. THAT is the estate of present world Babylon: an armed camp of "strife"! But when the Lord shall send His especially chosen ones who have had their LEFT hand vessels broken that their LIGHTS may shine in the darkness, then shall their trumpetings through the horns in the right hands (SPIRIT powered declarations) scatter the camps of "strife," and "Israel" shall "take the waters from Bethbarah unto Jordan." Jordan stands for death, while Bethbarah means the ford of the crossing-over. The waters typify SOUL. Wherefore, through the spirit-powered trumpetings of His especially chosen shall the SOUL-power be received to conquer death and its crossing-over place (ascension into the higher realm without tasting of death: "And Enoch walked with God: and was not; for God took him" - Gen. 5:24.
Excerpt from GOD'S SIGNATURE, Summer 1961, by Mikkel Dahl