This was the night God would send Israel into battle. But first He would encourage and strengthen their leader, Gideon, preparing him for the battle ahead. He would use the very enemy lying in their tents for this purpose. Gideon follows the Lord’s instructions. He does not cover up his fear but takes his servant with him. At the edge of the camp he hears a soldier telling his companion his dream: a loaf of barley bread—something of no consequence in itself—tumbled into the camp and struck, overturned, and collapsed a tent. He hears the second soldier interpreting the dream. The soldier tells his friend that God had delivered Midian and the whole camp into the hand of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel—into his hand!

What could be plainer than this? Gideon hears it and worships. What a God we have! To God be the glory! In His sovereignty He enabled and used a heathen soldier to interpret his comrade’s dream, something we never find ungodly men able to do elsewhere in Scripture. His timing is perfect, too, causing this to happen just as Gideon and Purah got within earshot of the soldiers’ tent. Do the amazing experiences He gives us also cause us to worship?

Fortified and refreshed, Gideon now “returned to the camp of Israel,” aroused his men, shared the good news of coming victory with them, and gave them weapons and instructions.

May we, too, follow the directions and example of our great Lord, our Leader!