Midianites should visit it \^dth signal judgments, after having recovered from their present panic. They even ridiculed the sanguine expectations of Gideon, saying, " Are Zebah and Zalmunna yet fallen into thy hands, that I should incense them by giving relief to thee ? " But, notwithstanding the Midianites were fifty times as numerous as he, he expresses no doubt of final victory over them, and declares to his un- grateful countrymen how he will punish their ingratitude on his return from the expedition.]
Thus should we also " hold fast our confidence firm unto the end " —
[Whatever victories we may have gained, our enemies would soon vanquish us, if we were left to ourselves. But we should never for a moment give way to imbelieving fears. We should neither consider our own weakness, nor the strength of our enemies ; but should regard the mightiest foes merely "as bread for us;" as bread, which we shall devour, even " as the ox licketh up the grass of the field." We should " know in whom we have beheved;" and " be confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun the good work in us will carry it on, and perfect it until the day of Christ." However power- ful our adversaries may appear, we should say to them, " Who art thou, O great mountain ? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain." Has God said, " No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper?" We should go on in full anticipation of victory, and in a certain assurance, that, what- ever conflicts we may have to maintain, we shall be " more than conquerors, through Him that loved us."]
Application —
[Are any of you faint, my beloved Brethren ? I will not act the part of the men of Penuel or Succoth, but will most gladly set before you all the richest provisions which we pos- sess. Here is bread of the finest quality, " the very bread that came down from heaven," that will not only strengthen and refresh your souls, but actually give life to the dead : and, if you eat to the full of that, you shall go on in the strength of it to the latest hour of your lives. Consider under whose banners you fight ; even under the banners of the Lord Jesus Christ himself Consider with whom you are contend- ing : they are vanquished enemies ; as our Lord himself has told us: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"
Consider where your strength lies : not in yourselves,
but in the Captain of your salvation, who has said, that " his grace shall be sufficient for you," and " his strength be per- fected in your weakness" Consider, finally, what will be
the fruits of victory ; even glory and honour and immortality, in the presence, and in the bosom, of your Crod