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Thursday
The First
Lesson
Judges 7:1-8
1
Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with
him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so
that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them,
by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their
mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people
bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And
the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred 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.
8 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 men: and the host of Midian was
beneath him in the valley.
1st Lesson Questions -
At first Gideon had too many folk going with him, and so they were thinned out. Why? (V. 1) What is the significance that God chose those only who lapped? (V. 7) RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Luke 7:18-35
18 And the disciples of John showed him of all these things.
19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to
Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath
sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look
we for another?
21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and
plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he
gave sight.
22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell
John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead
are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to
speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into
the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?
Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately,
are in kings' courts.
26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto
you, and much more than a prophet.
27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger
before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there
is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is
least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified
God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God
against themselves, being not baptized of him.
31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of
this generation? and to what are they like?
32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and
calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and
ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold
a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and
sinners!
35 But
wisdom is justified of all her children.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Wisdom is justified of all her children. (V. 35) Am I one of them? RESOLVE.