Judges 7:19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.
“Broken Jars”
Pottery and pitchers were household essentials in ancient Israel. Undecorated vessels were used for cooking and polished pitchers were for storing, holding and pouring liquids such as oil, wine and water. The Lord God used household utensils on the battlefield, as weapons, to bewilder and destroy the enemy.
Gideon was given a handful of about 300 men to go against a multitude of the Midianites who had swamped the land like locusts. The Lord commanded Gideon to take his few men to the battle, not with swords and shields, but with trumpets and pottery. The Lord instructed him to place torches and empty jars with a torch inside the jars covering the light. At the signal from Gideon they broke the jars and blew the trumpet. The sound of the trumpets and breaking of the mud pottery confused the enemy and they fled in dread!
This is a beautiful metaphor of the prayer from a broken and contrite heart. We are the earthen jars that carry the light of Christ Jesus. The trumpet of praise and fervent prayer throws hell into confusion. When our praise and prayer rises up to heaven it will sound like a battle cry in the diabolical realm.
“The breakthrough of the battle was in the breaking of the jars”.
The Broken Jars:
- Break: Our breakthrough is in the breaking of our ego, small-minded logical thinking and fear. God will respond to a prayer from a humble, broken and a contrite heart.
- Blow: Blow the trumpet of praise even when the situation is dark, grim and depressing.
- Battle Cry: The sound of the 300 hundred men sounded like 300 million to the enemies, similarly, our prayer and praise from one feeble human earthen jar will sound like a battle cry of millions in hell. Prayer from a broken and contrite spirit sounds like battle cry in the spiritual realm.
“Our breakthrough is in breaking the earthen jar”.
Prayer: Dear Lord, teach me to let go of my ways, break my ego, fear and small-minded thinking and to rely on your faithfulness. Amen.
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