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Forty years passed happily and
safely; the Israelites lived in the fear of God, and He kept them in
peace, and gave them rest from their enemies. When nations serve
God, then they have His blessing; He does them good, and gives them all
they need; and they become happy and strong, and none can make them
afraid. Solomon says, "Righteousness exalteth a
nation." It is God's blessing that makes people truly
happy: not riches, nor power, nor possessions. When
the forty years were passed, the Israelites began again to do evil; and
then new sorrows can punishments came upon them. God sent the
Midianites to be their enemies. These people came in great numbers;
they brought their camels and their cattle with them, and pitched their
tents in the possessions of the Israelites; and the Israelites left their
pleasant houses and fields, and ran to hide in dens and caves, for fear of
the cruel Midianites. When the grass, and corn, and fruit grew up in
the fields, these enemies took all away for themselves, and for their
cattle; and the pleasant land began to look barren and desolate, because
the Midianites tried to destroy it. Then the Israelites cried again
to the Lord, for they knew that He could deliver them, and He alone.
God sent an answer to them by a prophet. He had not forgotten his
people, but He was very much displeased with them: and the prophet
came to tell them this. He said, "Thus saith the Lord, I
brought you safely out of Egypt, and delivered you from the cruel
Egyptians, and drove away your enemies, and gave you the land of Canaan
for a possession; and I commanded you to obey and serve me, and not to
worship the idols of the people who live near you; but you have not obeyed
my command." Then the prophet went away; God sent no kind
promise of forgiveness to His ungrateful people, for He wished them to
feel sorry, and to know how said it is to be without His love and
blessing. And did God give up the Israelites to their enemies?
Would He hear their prayers no more? No, God was very merciful; He
was angry with His people, but He did not forsake them. He had heard
their prayers, and now He was going to save them. There
was a man who lived in Ophrah named Joash, and he had a son named
Gideon. Gideon was a true servant of the Lord; but his father was an
idolator, and worshiped Baal. One day, Gideon was threshing wheat in
a very secret place, for he was afraid that the Midianites would see him,
and come and take his corn from him; and then he and all his family might
die of hunger. Gideon had many sorrowful thoughts as he threshed the
wheat; but his sorrow did not make him idle. He trusted in God for
deliverance; but he knew that it was his duty to be industrious, and to
try to do all he could to help himself. Gideon had no friend to
comfort him; his family worshiped Baal; he alone loved and served the true
God. And did God forsake His faithful servant in the time of
sorrow? No; Gideon looked up, and saw an angel near him, sitting
under an oak: the angel was come to comfort him, and to deliver his
country. Gideon did not at first know who the angel was; but he
heard Him say, "The Lord is with thee." How glad he was to
know this! He had no need to fear nor be unhappy, if the Lord was
his friend. If we are God's
people, then the Lord is with us too. When we are alone, in sorrow
or in danger, though we may have no friends on earth, yet we still have
God to comfort us. He is always near. He says to us in His
holy word, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews
13:5.
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