Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. – Judges 7:2
Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon: he knows what is in man: he sees the pride of the human heart, and how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of his own glory. Gideon's army of two and thirty thousand is brought down to three hundred: by this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory over the Midianites. The Lord's wisdom in this was, "Lest Israel should vaunt themselves against me and say, mine own hand hath saved me."
Here are two little words of great import: against me. Remember, christian, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy goodness, thy works, duties, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong: thou vauntest thyself against the Lord: thou art glorying in some measure or degree in thine own arm of might and power to save thyself Thou art trusting to thy works, to save thee in whole or in part. Be assured thy Lord will bring thee down, and weaken thy numbers, that he may have the sole glory of thy salvation.
The Lord proclaimed, that all who were afraid should depart. Two and twenty thousand returned. So he will proclaim the terrors of his just, holy, and righteous law in thine ears, and cause thy heart to tremble. Then shalt thou get rid of much of thy self-righteous confidence: it shall depart from thee. Again he brought the people down to the water and tried them by lapping. Here also he reduced their numbers to prevent their vaunting. So he will try thee by the waters of affliction. Here he will cut off the strength of thy vain confidence and prevent thy vaunting thyself against him. Thus, when thou findest the commandment come with power, and sin revive, then wilt thou die to self-confidence, and glory alone in the Lord. When the pruning-knife of affliction has cut off thy luxurious branches of pride and vain glory, then wilt thou say in deep humility, Wretch that I am, that I should trust in myself and depart in heart from the Lord. I thank thee, my dear Saviour, for all the pains thou takest with my proud nature, to bring me to glory only in thee, and to say, "In God is my salvation and my glory Psalm 62:7.