‘The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”‘ (Judges 7:7 NLT).

GIDEON’S 300 AND THAT OF LEONIDAS

Centuries before the celebrated Spartan 300 fought the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BC, Gideon’s 300 won a victory over the Midianites in 1210 BC. Gideon and his 300 men were chosen by God to defeat the marauding Midianites and bring peace to Israel for the next 40 years. But the Spartan 300 died trying to stop the invading Persians. Yet, only 146 years later, the Greeks invaded and conquered Persia under Alexander the Great, bringing Judah under Greek rule. This laid the historical foundation for later Roman rule and the Greek culture present throughout Judea during Christ’s coming and the writing of the Greek New Testament.
 
I wonder, did God choose the Spartan 300 too? Certainly, all things are under His sovereignty.
 
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for your care and concern for all things. We know that your plans cannot be thwarted. We seek to follow your plan for our lives and not our own plans. Strengthen us to do your will today. In Jesus’ name, amen.