READ: Judges
6:1-32
The next Judge introduced to us is Gideon. His
story includes perhaps the most miraculous event since the walls of Jericho
tumbled down.
Of course, the people of Israel had reverted back
to their wicked ways and were now subject to the Midianites. This was a
particularly hard time for the people of Israel. To be subject to another
nation was not always horrible. Often, as long as a vassal nation paid the
allotted tribute to the ruling nation, they were left alone; it depended on the
mercy of the ruling nation. The Midianites were cruel, ravaging the land of
Israel for their own gain. We are told how the people of Israel had to hide in
the mountains for their survival. Again, they cry out to God, but His response
is quite different this time. God is not a machine to be turned on and off at
man’s will. This time, He responds by sending a prophet with a word of rebuke
for His people. He has been so good to them, yet they will not give their lives
to Him. They do not deserve His mercy, but God still has not written them off. Generations
before He had made a promise to make Abraham into a great nation through whom all the nations of the world would be
blessed. He would remain faithful to His promise.
The man God has chosen to deliver the Israelites
from Midian is Gideon, son of Joash. Like everyone God chooses, there is
nothing special about Gideon. He’s just a boy working on his father’s farm, and
he certainly does not seem like your average warrior-type. Upon introduction,
we find him hiding in the winepress. Given the aforementioned pillaging of the
Midianites, Gideon was doing his best to hide his father’s wheat crop by
beating it out in the winepress rather than on the threshing floor where it
would be visible to marauders. It is here in the winepress where Gideon is
doing his day-to-day work that God appears to him as the angel of the Lord, saying
“The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valour.” When we are insecure and down
on our weaknesses, we would do well to remember Gideon’s encounter with the
angel of the Lord. God calls him “mighty man of valour” before he has done
anything mighty. God knows what Gideon can and will accomplish and calls him
this as a prophetic proclamation. What God sees in us is beyond what we see in
ourselves; God sees what we can be if only we will step out in faith and follow
where He leads!
Gideon is skeptical. He has heard of the great
deeds of Yahweh, but has never witnessed them. His faith is weak, if anything.
Yet God calls him to save the Israelites from the hands of the Midianites.
After seeing the power of the Lord displayed in verse 21, Gideon believes his
visitor and accepts God’s call. Before leaving, the angel of the Lord gives
Gideon his first order of business: to destroy the altar of Baal and the
Asherah poles that belong to his father. Always God’s purpose in saving His
people is to draw their hearts back to Him. This was a test of faith for
Gideon, who knew that tearing down an altar in such a religiously polluted
culture was asking for trouble. But he obeys the Lord, and God protects him.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. What is most obvious about Gideon thus far is
his weakness; he is fearful. He is young, his clan is weak, he doubts the Lord,
he fears the Midianites, he hides under the cover of darkness – yet he is the
one God has chosen to be the deliverer of his people.
a. What are some of the weaknesses you have that
make you feel inadequate for God’s service? Write these down.
b. Ask God what He has to say about each of these
areas. What does He think about you? How does He want to use you in these weaknesses?
c. God called Gideon “mighty man of valour” when he
was hiding in the winepress. Thank God that He counts you as valuable. Thank
God that He wants to use you in your weaknesses. Ask Him to be your strength
and to help you to release your weakness to Him.
d. Ask God for a step of obedience He wants from
you today – something He wants of you even
though you feel weak and inadequate. Ask Him to help you to act
accordingly.
