The Fig tree, the Olive tree, the Vine and the Bramble bush.

Chapter 5

"Three hundred! Oh this cannot be! Three hundred! Oh no! Tomorrow this time we will all be dead!"
Purah walked up and down the stream, shouting his message of doom. Eventually he sagged to his knees and burst out crying.

Gideon had finished his sorting of the men, by the way they had drunk the water from the stream, as the Lord commanded. 9700 men were sent home. Only 300 soldiers were left. The chosen 300 were asked to spend the day praying and praising Yahweh and thanking Him for the victory he was about to give them. They were to consume no wine.

While Gideon was speaking to the soldiers, he heard shouting behind him. He turned to ascertain the cause of the raucous. Purah walked up and down the stream, wailing and moaning. Gideon excused himself from the gathering. He walked to his servant who was now down on his knees, crying like a baby. Standing next to Purah, Gideon spoke harshly to his servant, hardly coherent as he forced the words out through gritted teeth.
"Get a grip on yourself, man! You're acting like someone besieged by demons!"

Gideon suddenly had an idea, so he called the soldiers nearer. He wanted to give them a pep-talk and the opportunity had just presented itself.

"Men of Israel, look upon this wretched creature.....overcome with fear. Look inside yourselves, if what you see resembles this hopeless individual....leave now!"
Gideon paused for effect. No one moved. He continued.
"Yahweh has chosen you from more than 30 000 men. Why? ....Because the Lord has seen your hearts. Not only are you brave but there is no treachery in you. You are not arrogant. Tomorrow when the Midianites are on the run, your cry will not be 'We have won' but rather 'Our God has given us the victory'. So have faith in Yahweh. Go now and prepare yourselves, do not give in to doubt like this miserable servant before you."

Gideon yanked Purah to his feet and dragged him off to his tent.
"What has got into you? Why are you so afraid?
Go now and bring me some food, or are you afraid the fire will burn you!"

After Purah left, Gideon fell face down on the campbed.
"Oh Lord forgive me. I am so unworthy to lead your army. I shout at my servant, shaming him in front of your warriors, when I am no better than he is. I put on a brave front, when actually I shiver and shake with fear because of my unbelief! I hide like a coward behind my accusations of others. I have done what you have commanded, three hundred men will shortly be sent to their deaths because you have not shared your plan with me. Must I go blindfolded into a pit of vipers? In the past you have always given me a sign to strengthen my confidence. I beseech you Mighty God, give me a sign again, that I may know I'm still in your will and that you will fulfill your promises."

There was no thunder this time, only God's voice speaking softly deep within Gideon's mind.
"It is your weakness that will make the victory so much more incredible. I will grant you a sign. There is a tent that stands alone, on the tree line of the hill nearest the camp of the Israelites, away from the other Midianite tents. You will recognise the tent by the green smoke that arises from the fire that burns in front of the tent. Use the cover of the trees to get close to the tent and listen what is being spoken. Take your servant, Purah, with you, for what he hears will greatly set his mind at rest and help his unbelief. Go now."

Gideon, intrigued by the words that Yahweh had spoken, rushed from the tent, grabbing an old brown cloak on the way out. Partly to keep him warm for the sun was setting, and partly to use to hide under when they reached the tent. He found Purah and ordered him to accompany him, saying that he too should bring something to hide under when they reached their destination. They set off making use of the remaining daylight to find the tent the Lord had spoken of. It was dark when they reached their destination. They had no doubt that the tent was indeed the one the Lord had described to Gideon because it stood some distance from the other Midianite tents but the real clincher was the strange, nearly luminous, green smoke that rose from the fire near the tent. The two men crept as close as they dared and covering themselves with their cloaks, waited.

Sitting at the fire was a presumably, old man. Gideon couldn't see his face so he wasn't sure. He wore clothes made of brightly coloured cloth. Cradled in his lap was an earthenware jar containing a powder of some sort. Every now and then he would sprinkle some into the fire, the flames would flare up and the green smoke would intensify. The two men, waiting to overhear what was going to be said, felt the evening chill. They pulled their cloaks a bit tighter about their bodies, wondering how long they would have to wait.

Gideon put his hand on his servant's shoulder. When he had gained his attention, he withdrew his hand and put his finger to his lips. He then pointed to the darkness just beyond the fire. The crunch of boots could be heard and slowly the shadowy figure of a man became visible. He too covered himself nearly completely with a large cloak. Before he became totally visible in the light of the green fire, the old man, without lifting his head, said.

"Greetings Captain Erek! What brings you out alone in the darkness without an escort, hiding your uniform under a cloak?"

The Midianite officer stopped, his face expressionless. Gideon tried to guess what his reaction would be. Would he be angered by the old man's greeting or would he be entrigued by the recognition, even though he had clearly taken steps not to be recognised. The officer's face burst in a broad smile and he threw off his cloak in a swift movement. He approached the fire, his eyes following the green smoke as it rose upwards, finally filtering through the branches as the evening breeze, blowing up from the valley, forced it into the forest.

"Your wisdom and knowledge are well said. I enquired throughout the camp if there was a seer or soothsayer nearby and I was directed to your tent. The fact that you knew who I was before I even showed my face, knowing my rank also, is impressive. That I have come to the right place is clearly evident."

"Sit." The old man said, and offering the Captain a cup of unknown liquid, continued. "What brought you from the normal camp revelry to my tent?"

The Captain's smile faded and looking into the fire he said.
"Last night I had a dream. The whole day it has replayed in my head but it's meaning has alluded me. I believe it to be meaningful, because normally I cannot remember the dream that I dreamt the night before, but this dream has plaqued me the whole day and I remember it vividly."

"Tell me your dream."

Erek shifted uncomfortably on the rock he was sitting on. He gazed up from the fire and looked into the deep black eyes of the old man sitting opposite him.

Gideon, using the crackling of the fire to hide his movement inched closer. He was sure that what was about to be said would have great importance.

The Captain began...
" I dreamt a loaf of barley bread rolled into our encampment, came to a tent, and collided with it. The loaf of bread fell down, turned upside down, and the tent collapsed!"

The old man stirred the fire. He looked at the embers as they glowed red, enriched with new oxygen. When he looked up, Gideon could have sworn he looked straight to where he was hiding. His gaze lasted only a moment, so did the inkling of a smile on his face. When he turned and met Erek's eyes, his countenance had darkened.
"If you knew the meaning of your dream you would not be sitting here enjoying the warmth of my fire. If you value your life, go, run as fast as you can. If you stay you will not see the morning sun rise. Your eyes will be breakfast for the crows and other predatory birds! Jakals, wolves and wild dogs will tear the flesh off your soldiers bones while they still live. Your men will beg you to run them through with your sword as a quick release to their agony. Men will flee, strong men will desert you. Your sword will kill hundreds of your own men, who disobey you. It will become a fountain of blood but not one drop will be the blood of your enemy. Men will kill blindly, anyone who tries to block their attempt to flee. They will react to a clarion call as if they have inhaled too much of my green smoke!"

"Who is the instigator of this fear, who can devise such a plan?"

"It is the God of Israel that will cause such mayhem and claim the victory but it is Gideon, son of Josh, and his sword that will execute the plan."

The Captain jumped up and exclaimed.
"I must make haste and warn the men. We will be ready for them. Our great army will not be defeated."

Erek ran blindly down the hill. The seer just shook his head and softly said, "It is written in the sky, you cannot change it. What will be, will be!"