[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Judges 7:16-22) Why does Gideon divide his army into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? Why did this strategy work?

[Mario Angel]

Gideon strategy was to create confusion in the Midianite's camp, dividing the troops into three companies gave the appearance that they were more than they really were, also attacking at night allowed them to surprise their enemies. As a result of this strategy the Midianites were confussed by the suddenly attack and they started in the middle of the night to attack each other. His strategy works, because he trusted in God to lead him into battle also he acted as a leader asking his followers to do as he was doing.

[Chris]

Question 1.

Gideon's reason for dividing his army into three companies was in order to trick the Midianites into thinking that their camp was surrounded with a lot more than 300 men. With respect to the trumpets normally in battle each individual group of an army would blow their trumpet prior to moving forward. In this case, of course, there was the sound of 300 trumpets which had the result of causing panic amongst the Midianites as it gave the effect of a large army of men. The purpose of the empty jars was to hide the torches till they were ready to attack and at that time the jars would be shattered on the ground, thus revealing many torches around the Midianites camp which would again give the effect of a large army surrounding them. The result of this particular strategy was complete and utter confusion within the Midianite camp and they didn't know whether they were coming or going. In the confusion, plus the fact that it was dark, the Midianites were running in all directions and were even attacking and killing each other. I feel that the reason this strategy worked was because the Lord was with Gideon and it was He that put the thoughts of confusion and fear into the Midianites minds. Another important reason I feel this strategy was successful was owing to Gideon's faith in God to deliver the Mitianites into their hands as promised. If Gideon had gone against God's wishes at any time, for instant in increasing the number of his army being deployed, then I am sure the result would have been so different. This situation can also be compared to our own Christian lives, not so much leading an army, but having the faith and trust in God to lead us and the knowledge to know that He will never forsake us.

[Darleen Nelson]

Gideon's strategy was to make the Midianites thikn they were a large group and that the Midianites were surrounded by a huge army. In the dark they could see only the torches all around them but not how deep the group was. They did not know they were at a depth of only one person. The noise of the breaking jars was very frightening when they had no idea of what it was The troops were paniced and began fighting anyone they came close to. The problem was the person they were fighting was one of their companions. Those who were not killed by their own soldiers fled to get away form the huge army that was attacking htem. The strategy worked beause they folowed God and were obedient.

[mindy]

7:22 "...the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords."
I think we are still tempted to say that the confusion was caused by Gideon's strategy. This verse makes it clear that the confusion was a gift from God. Let us remember that God was (and still is) in control of the enemy however powerful the enemy seems to be.

[DEBORAH]

GIDEON ATTACKS WITH 3 COMPANIES AS TO GIVE THE ILLUSION THAT THE MIDIANITES ARE BEING ATTACKED FROM ALL SIDES . WHEN ATTTACKING LATE AT NIGHT, GIVES AN ELEMENT OF SURPRIZE AND OF CONFUSION. SOUNDING 300 SHOFARS IN MANY DIRECTIONS, ECHOS A HUGE SOUND, AND THE TORCHES ARE LIT AND THEN ARE BROKEN IN THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE PANIC EFFECT, AND AGAIN CONFUSION. THE LORD KNEW WHAT TO DO AND HELPED GIDEON SET FORTH THIS PLAN AS A TEAM.

[Omie]

Quote

Q1. Why does Gideon divided into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? (7:16-20) What was the result of this strategy? Why did this strategy work? (7:21-22) See exposition.

+ They were divided to cause the Midianite army to be fearful of a stronger force then they expected.

+ The strategy was to surround them, startle them, blinding them with the torches, and to create commotion, and great fear; especially hearing that the Lord & Gideon were together in this effort.

+ The Midianites seeing the men surround them fled. The Lord now enters the picture; He causes the Midianites to turn on each other in panic, and in dissaray they ran away.

[Fina]

Why does Gideon divided into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? (7:16-20) What was the result of this strategy? Why did this strategy work?

Gideon divided into three groups to surround the enemy rather than concentrating in one 1 group which will be difficult for them to conquer the enemy. In this way also, the enemy (Medianites) may think that they are really being surrounded not only by 300 hundred men but by thousands.

One group has one trumpet to sound to direct them. There are 300 men under Gideon and sounding this 300 trumpets, the enemy will conclude that they are surrounded by huge batallion. Empty jars will hide the light of the torches and breaking these jars will create a great deal of noise and the enemy will have an idea that they are surrounded by enemies same as the sudden appearance of torchlights around the the enemy camps. Trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches - this three when you put together has the same tremendous impact enough to create confusion to the enemy especially attacking them at night. Who could ever imagine that this effective and brilliant strategy came from Gideon who once reasoned out to God that he is the weakest in Manaseh and the least among his family. The angel of the LORD is right when he called Gideon a "MIGHTY WARRIOR."

This strategy succeeds because God revealed himself to Gideon, fulfill his promise TO BE WITH HIM, and that promise made him to obey God and changed his life

[Peter Huang]

Gideon divided his soldiers into three companies so that they could surround the Midianite camp and give the illusion that the Midianites were being attacked by a huge force of thousands of men from all directions. The strategy of using trumpets empty jars and torches was to instil panic in the Midianites and the sound of three hundred trmpets blowing all at the same time would be frightening; the pupose of the empty jars was to hide the torches unti the time was ripe for a strike and the sudden appearance of the torches in the midst of the Midianites would only add to the confusion. This strategy worked so well that the Midianites panicked badly and started killing each other in the dark without knowing who they were killing. It worked because it was conceived by God and Gideon trusted God in ensuring his victory.

[Helen Spaulding]

Gideon, first of all, was following God's instructions. I doubt he could have
come up with this stragedy on his own. The purpose was to make the
enemy believe that they were facing a huge army from which they could
not escape, since the trumpets and torches were all around the camp!
The empty jars kept everything dark until they were in place, ready to blow
the trumpets! So, the enemy panicked! In the dark, they killed friends,
thinking they were the enemy! It worked because God was the author of
the plan and brought it to this successful conclusion.

[Lois Turley]

It was an awesome battle plan. Who could have thought of something so simple yet so effective? It would have been too simple, almost foolish, by man's reasoning. I'm reminded of this passage:

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. (NIV)

The Bible doesn't say if God instructed Gideon how to do this. God may have told him what to do, or God may have just put the thoughts in his mind so that God's plan became Gideon's thoughts as he formulated a plan. But either way, he led the army to success because God led him and he followed God.

[photobug]

Gidden confused them took them by surprise and at night they could just see the torches and it looked like a lot more men than 300 braking of the jars made just that much more noice and the torches made it look like a lot of men attacking them in the night.

[Chris King]

This is a good example of how God will work when we allow Him to direct us.Many times we don't understand why God leads us in a certain direction but if we are faithful and obey we will have victory.
If I would use my strategy I would most times lose.

[Helen Williams]

Gideon divides into three companies: To make the enemy feel like they were being attack from all sides with more than 300 men.

The strategy with the trupmpets: This sounds like a hugh army attacking when only 300 trumpets are heard by the enemy.

The empty jars: 2 purposes. (1) To hide the light of the torches until the right time. (2) To create a great deal of noise upon shattering in order to confuse the enemy.

Torches: This much light around the enemy camp paints a picture of being surronded, inducing panic.
The result of this strategy was a total panic by the enemy. Unable to see in the dark, running into their own men, killing each other and those that were not killed fleed as fast as they could.

The worked because it was of God and Gideon was careful to obey God in every respect. Gideon was faithful and courageous.

[gripofhisgrace]

This is far from a gimic - this is a great tactical battle plan.

Divide up the company, make the appearance of more than their are.

Attack at night,when men are weary, and their is a heightened fear of things that "go bump in the night" and their vision is limited.

Break the jars and expose the lights. Sudden exposure of lots of light will one, mess up their night vision and two, create the appearance of massive fires surrounding them.



susan

[luminosa]

Gideon's camp was split into three groups in order to make it appear that Gideon's army vast and huge. The enemy would feel as if they were surrounded on all sides.
The 300 trumpets sounding at once, the shattering of the jars and the torches were all designed to trick the enemy into thinking they were ambushed by a great army. The blazing torches, the noise of the trumpets and the jars crashing all add to the feeling of imminent danger and elicited panic and fear from the Midianites.
The results of all this was that the Midianites attacked each other in all the fear and chaos. The strategy worked because God was behind it all, His plan was for the Midianites to destoy one another in the battle.

[Anita Fetzer]

With dividiing the men in three groups the men looked to be a bigger army than they were. The enemy thought they were surrounded on all sides. The breaking of the torches was a frightening sound and with the lights comming at them and the blowing trumpets made the emeny so afraid that they started to attack their own fellowmen. The enemy are blinded by fear and turn on their own.

The strategy worked for they beat the enemy.

When people today are in trouble they are blinded by a fear and lash out usually the ones that are closest to them.

[Linda Stanley]

Pastor Ralph, on Jan 31 2003, 08:05 AM, said:

Q1. Why does Gideon divided into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? (7:16-20) What was the result of this strategy? Why did this strategy work? (7:21-22) See exposition.

Good thinking on Gideon's part.Gideon devided the men into three Companies,and spread the men out 100 feet apart.This way the Midianite's would think he had thousands of men,and their camp was surrounded by Gideon's armies,as they sounded the trumpets from 300 diffrent directions,would make them think that they were directing each Company and Gideon had a hugh Army.The torches were hid under the pottery jars to hide the light of the torches until the right time came to create a great deal of noise.This worked as the Lord caused the men through out the Midianite camp to become confused and they fled turning on each other with their swords as they tried to get away.

[Linda Stanley]

Pastor Ralph, on Jan 31 2003, 08:05 AM, said:

Q1. Why does Gideon divided into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? (7:16-20) What was the result of this strategy? Why did this strategy work? (7:21-22) See exposition.

Good thinking on Gideon's part.Gideon devided the men into three Companies,and spread the men out 100 feet apart.This way the Midianite's would think he had thousands of men,and their camp was surrounded by Gideon's armies,as they sounded the trumpets from 300 diffrent directions,would make them think that they were directing each Company and Gideon had a hugh Army.The torches were hid under the pottery jars to hide the light of the torches until the right time came to create a great deal of noise.This worked as the Lord caused the men through out the Midianite camp to become confused and they fled turning on each other with their swords as they tried to get away.

[Vickie]

Usually, not everyone in an army company would carry a torch, since one hand would carry a weapon and the other a shield. Just a few would carry the light. Likewise, not everyone in a company would be the bugler. Hence, the sound of so many trumpets and the sight of so many torches must have led the Amalekites and Midianites to think they were surrounded by hundreds of thousands, while they sat unprepared. As for the breaking of the pitchers, besides suddenly revealing the light, perhaps it is symbolic: like the breaking of the hold the heathen nations had on Israel.