Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the Lord wanted the Israelites to have no doubt in their minds that they did not defeat the Midianites by their own strength--they only did it with the help of the Lord. So the Lord told Gideon various ways to reduce the numbers of Israelites going to battle. First they told everybody who was afraid to go home. 22,000 of the 32,000 departed. Of the 10,000 left they then told them to drink some water. Those who bent down and lapped the water like a dog were eliminated. Only those who cupped their hands to drink remained. This reduced the numbers even further, down from having 32,000 men to only 300 men. Compare this to the number of the enemy they were to fight, who are described like grasshoppers for multitude and their camels without number, like the sand by the sea. Judg. 7: 2-7, 12 "And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is afearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Lamanites and Amlicites were almost as numerous as the sand of the sea, but the Lord strengthened the Nephites and delivered them from this vast army fighting against them. This goes right along with the Old Testament verses we just read. If we have the Lord on our side, it doesn't matter who is against us. With the Lord strenghtening us, we can handle any situation. Alma 2: 27-28 "And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them. Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them."

Some verses with a thought booklet tells us that victory over death comes through Jesus Christ and that our corruptible bodies will become incorruptible. 1 Cor. 15: 53-55, 57 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."