what took place in the days of Gideon. Verse 1, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. And because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Malachiites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them, and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come into Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle, and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for a multitude. For both they and their camels were without number. And they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and draved them out before you, and gave you their land. And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God. Fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed my voice. Judges 6, verses 1 through 10. Now there are several items that we want to identify in this passage, not so much from the point of view as what was taking place in the days of Gideon, but how it reflects our experience here at the end of the world. From Signs of the Times, June 23, 1881, we're told this, Alas, that in the history of God's chosen people, the sorrowful story of apostasy and its punishment must be so often repeated. Forty years of peace elapsed after the destruction of Sisera and his host, and again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Heretofore, the hand of the oppressor had fallen but lightly on the tribes dwelling east of Jordan, but in the present calamities, they were the chief sufferers. Because of their sins, the protecting hand of God was withdrawn from Israel, and they were left to the mercies of their enemies. So, we see here God's people, because of their sin, have lost the protection of God. Notice that the theme, the protecting hand of God, is contrasted with the children of Israel being in the hand of the oppressor, or the hand of Midian. This hand is a symbol in Bible prophecy that needs to be correctly understood. It means who you're in subjection to, who you're in bondage to, who is the one ruling over you, whether it's the Lord's protecting hand or the oppressor, Midian's, hand. The children of Israel had been in the hand of Midian seven years.