Show-Me Gideon?
[ Patrick Tuohey ]
In the Book of Judges, the author tells the
story of the Israelites as they struggle to exist among hostile neighbors. Time
and again the people turn their backs on God and as a result suffer defeats. When they finally turn to God for mercy, He sends a champion to deliver
them.
In the sixth chapter, the Lord identifies Gideon as a champion who will save Israel, saying to him through an angel, "Go with the strength you have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I who send you."
After protesting his unworthiness, Gideon consents to leading an army. But the army is too big, and the Lord tells Gideon, “You have too many soldiers with you for me to deliver Midian into their power, lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, 'My own power brought me the victory.' Now proclaim to all the soldiers, 'If anyone is afraid or fearful, let him leave.'”
When Gideon puts his soldiers to this test on the mountain, twenty-two thousand of them leave, but ten thousand remain.
Again the Lord tells Gideon to reduce their numbers. Gideon leads them down to the water to drink and dismisses all who kneel to drink directly from the water. He keeps only the 300 who lapped the water from their cupped hands.
Gideon then leads the 300 to the Midian camp, where it was said they were, "as numerous as locusts" and their camels as plentiful as "the sands on the seashore."
But the three hundred men keep blowing the horns, and throughout the camp the Lord sets the sword of one against another. The Midian army flees as far as Beth-shittah in the direction of Zarethan, near the border of Abel-meholah at Tabbath.
As Gideon pursues the Midians, he turns to those supposed to be allies for help feeding his few soldiers. But they turn him away, taunting him. Gideon responds, "I will grind your flesh in with the thorns and briars of the desert." To others who likewise deny him help he says, "When I return in triumph, I will demolish this tower." Gideon captures the Midian leaders and makes good on his threats.
Todd Akin is a devout Christian and the story of Gideon is well known to him. Like Gideon, Akin has overcome long-shot odds and the contempt of his supposed allies.
Twelve years ago in his primary
race for the House of Representatives, Akin won a five-way race by 56 votes
while the two frontrunners attacked each other. Of that election Akin said,
"My base will show up in earthquakes." During the recent Republican primary, Akin
consistently appeared third in polls while the top two candidates attacked each
other. This time he bested them by thousands of votes.
It is said that Akin believes God has called him to run. We can't speak to the truth of this, but if Akin defeats Sen. McCaskill tomorrow, it may be worth consideration. For those presumed allies in the GOP who dismissed him or derided him, here's hoping Akin is more merciful than his Biblical predecessor.
11/5/2012 3:57:51 PM
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