基甸的得胜与失败(士师记7-8)
The Victory and Failure of Gideon（Judges 7-8）

一. 基甸的得胜 The victory of Gideon

1. 三百个全人奉献，勇敢，同心的同伴 (7: 1-8)
   A consecrated, faithful band of three hundred companions
   
   (1) 胆怯的不能争战
        A cowardly heart could not stand in the conflict
   (2) 把个人利益放在第一的，不能争战
        Our own personal comfort must not be our chief concern
   (3) 争战最重要的不是人数，乃是人的心是否完全向神
         It is not a question of the quantity of men but the quality of men
   
   
2. 神藉著大麦饼的梦鼓励基甸 (7: 9-14)
   God encouraged Gideon by the dream of a barley cake overturning the tents of Midian
   
   
3. 争战的兵器不是属血气的，乃是属灵的---角，空瓶，火把
   The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual---a trumpet, and an empty pitcher with a torch inside ((7: 16-23)
   
   
4. 谦卑的心态化解弟兄的争吵 (8: 1-3)
   The best way to vanquish jealous brothers is humility
   
   
5. 对仇敌不放松，虽然疲乏，还是追赶 （8: 4）
   They were exhausted but still in pursuit until they reached the final victory
   
   
6. 基甸拒绝作王，因为神是王 (8: 22-23)
   Gideon refused the throne, for only God is King
   
   

二. 基甸的失败――用米甸人的耳环做以弗得 (8: 24-27) The failure of Gideon---made the golden earrings into an ephod

1. 基甸不作王，却自取大祭司的尊荣
   Gideon refused kingship but took the honor of high priest to himself
   
   
2. 以弗得成为以色列人的网罗
   The ephod became a snare and an idol to Gideon and the Israelites