{
 "id": "basics-u4-l4-5-q06",
 "question": "What Old Testament story might Paul have had in mind when he wrote this verse (2 Corinthians 4:7)? Tell the story.",
 "answer": "The story Paul had in mind was Gideon, from the book of Judges, a great illustration of grace made perfect through weakness. Israel had been brought very low by raiding Midianites, and young Gideon was so terrified of the enemy that he was hiding in a pit threshing wheat when the preincarnate Christ appeared and called him a valiant warrior, seeing him not as what he was but as what God would make of him. Gideon gathered 32,000 men against 135,000 Midianites, but God said they were too many, lest Israel boast that its own power had delivered it; so the fearful were sent home, leaving 22,000 fewer, and a test of alertness reduced the army to just 300. God gave each man only a trumpet, an empty pitcher, and a torch, and when at Gideon's word they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers, the light shone out, the Lord set every enemy's sword against his neighbor, and the army fled. We are the clay pots, the glory of Christ is the torch, and the Gospel is the trumpet; when the vessel is broken, the light shines through.",
 "url": "/faq/old-testament-story-behind-2-corinthians-4-7/",
 "unit": 4,
 "lesson": "4-5",
 "lesson_title": "Empowering—The Spirit",
 "question_type": "comprehension",
 "tier": 1,
 "faq_class": "review",
 "aeo_questions": [
  "What Old Testament story is behind 2 Corinthians 4:7?",
  "What Bible story is linked to the idea that God's power is made perfect through human weakness?",
  "In what Old Testament account did Jesus Christ see past someone's fears and limitations to recognize their potential?",
  "Can you tell me about the biblical example of how God used a small group of people with limited resources to achieve a great victory?"
 ],
 "topic_anchor": null,
 "derivation": "voice-rewritten",
 "source_authority": "authoritative",
 "author": "Gene Cunningham",
 "book": "The Basics",
 "source": {
  "doc_id": "btbm-01-TheBasics-8-10-24",
  "ref": "The Basics, Unit 4, Lesson 4-5 - Empowering—The Spirit (Review q6)",
  "book_page": [
   213,
   220
  ],
  "flipbook_page": 225,
  "view_url": "/library/the-basics/unit-4/lesson-4-5"
 },
 "scripture": [
  {
   "display": "Judges 6",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 11:1",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 3:1",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 12:1-3",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Peter 2:21",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Mark 12:30",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Philippians 3:10",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    229
   ]
  }
 ],
 "topics": [
  "Gideon",
  "Glory",
  "Gospel",
  "Israel",
  "Mind",
  "Paul"
 ],
 "topics_context": [
  "Grace and weakness",
  "Power",
  "Holy Spirit",
  "Christian, way of life",
  "Paul, the apostle",
  "Power, appropriating",
  "Faith-Rest, technique",
  "Filling of the Spirit and power",
  "Power and Holy Spirit",
  "Power, human",
  "importance of Bible"
 ],
 "printed_pages": [
  213,
  214,
  215,
  216,
  217,
  218,
  219,
  220
 ],
 "related": {
  "ranked": [
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-5-q05",
    "topic_idf_score": 12.084,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Glory",
     "Paul"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Gospel",
     "Greatness",
     "Israel",
     "Paul"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": true
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-angel-of-the-lord",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.483,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Israel"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Angel of the Lord",
     "Glory",
     "Israel",
     "Trinity"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-mind",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.98,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Mind"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Greatness",
     "Growth",
     "Judgment",
     "Mind",
     "The Judgment Seat of Christ"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-church-age",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.909,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Church Age",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Edification",
     "Evangelism",
     "Indwelling",
     "Israel",
     "Kingdom of God",
     "Paul",
     "Rapture",
     "Revelation",
     "Tribulation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-israel",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.909,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Age of Israel",
     "Church Age",
     "Daniel",
     "David",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Dispensations",
     "Israel",
     "Judgment",
     "Kingdom of God",
     "Paul",
     "Plan of God",
     "Promises",
     "Rapture",
     "Tribulation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-5-q10",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.909,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Age of Israel",
     "Church Age",
     "Daniel",
     "David",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Dispensations",
     "Israel",
     "Judgment",
     "Kingdom of God",
     "Paul",
     "Plan of God",
     "Promises",
     "Rapture",
     "Tribulation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-eternal-security",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.602,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Eternal security",
     "God is Able",
     "Gospel",
     "Paul",
     "Salvation",
     "Sealing"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-evangelism",
    "topic_idf_score": 5.602,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Evangelism",
     "Gospel",
     "Holy Spirit",
     "Ministry",
     "Paul",
     "Reconciliation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   }
  ],
  "same_lesson": [
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q01",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q02",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q03",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q04",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q05",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q07"
  ],
  "shares_scripture": [
   "basics-canon-suffering",
   "basics-canon-learning",
   "basics-canon-small-things",
   "basics-canon-power-human",
   "basics-u4-l4-5-q08"
  ],
  "shares_topic": [
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-5-q05",
    "score": 12.084,
    "topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Glory",
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-angel-of-the-lord",
    "score": 6.483,
    "topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Israel"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-mind",
    "score": 5.98,
    "topics": [
     "Glory",
     "Mind"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-church-age",
    "score": 5.909,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-israel",
    "score": 5.909,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-5-q10",
    "score": 5.909,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Israel"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-eternal-security",
    "score": 5.602,
    "topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-evangelism",
    "score": 5.602,
    "topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-love-of-christ",
    "score": 5.602,
    "topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-resurrection",
    "score": 5.602,
    "topics": [
     "Gospel",
     "Paul"
    ]
   }
  ],
  "prev": "basics-u4-l4-5-q05",
  "next": "basics-u4-l4-5-q07",
  "prev_kind": "same",
  "next_kind": "same"
 }
}