In the previous two chapters, we saw how Deborah and Barak delivered Israel from the oppression of Sisera and his Canaanite coalition and ends by telling us that the Jewish nation and ‘the land had peace forty years, Judges 5:31. There’s a saying that we could use for the time period of the Book of Judges which is still very much true today and that is, ‘actions have consequences.’
In the Book of Judges, we see people living lawlessly and doing whatever they like, and even today, we see the same attitude continuing. Remember that God appointed judges or deliverers to provide an appearance of order, restraint, and accountability.
These judges, time and time again, brought Israel back into obedience and fellowship with God after periods of rebellion. God tells them through His judges that He wants them to live one way, but they’re determined to live the way of the Canaanites.
And as we read in this chapter, we see from the very first verse that things weren’t going to remain peaceful for very long. Once again, Israel did evil in the eyes of God, and so for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites, Judges 6:1.
The Israelites were lulled into complacency and lured towards idolatry. They abused their standing as a holy nation by turning from God to Baal worship, Judges 6:25-26 / Proverbs 14:34.
This time, the consequences of Israel’s sin turned out to be severe oppression from the Midianites and Amalekites, Genesis 25:1-2. The power of Midian was so oppressive, Israel prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves, and strongholds, Judges 6:2.
The text tells us that the enemy’s strategy wasn’t to conquer and occupy the Jewish territory but it was a military strategy of burning or destroying crops or other resources that might be of use to an invading enemy force, Judges 6:3.
It’s kind of what happens in the world today when a world leader of a country gets out of line. The United Nations steps in and puts sanctions in place where no one buys anything from that country or sells anything to that country. And that brings great economic stress upon the country which is being sanctioned.
The Midianites and the Amalekites plundered the Israelite’s harvest and livestock, leaving the land and the people desolate, Judges 6:4-5 / Exodus 10:4-6 / Exodus 10:14-15 / Psalms 78:46. In other words, they wanted to starve the Israelites out of existence.
And so, once again God’s people are brought to their knees to the point where Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to God for help, Judges 5:6. After seven years of these locust-like devastating raids, Judges 6:1 / Deuteronomy 28:31 / Deuteronomy 28:38 / Joel 1:4, Israel cried out to God, Judges 6:7.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning the Midianites.
‘They were raiders who descended on the Israelites at harvest times, stole their crops and possessions, and then retreated to their own land, Isaiah 9:4 / Isaiah 10:26 / Isaiah 60:6.’
Notice what happens next: God heard their cries, Judges 6:7, but He didn’t deliver them straight away. God didn’t deliver them straight away but what He did do, was send a stern message to His people through an unnamed prophet Judges 6:8.
The reason God sent a prophet first is because there’s no mention of the Jews repenting, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 / Revelation 21:8. And this prophet reminds the people of how the Lord brought them out of Egypt, Judges 6:8-9 / Exodus 20:2.
God not only delivered them from Egyptian bondage, but He also delivered them from the hands of their oppressors and drove them all out of the land for them, Judges 6:9. Then the prophet stresses that repentance must come before salvation, Judges 6:10.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The idolatries of the Amorites seem, too, to have been preeminently abominable, 2 Kings 21:11 / 1 Kings 21:26.’
He warned them not to get involved in idolatry, Judges 6:10, but they didn’t listen to Him, Exodus 20:3. This new generation of Israelites didn’t listen to God, and they broke that command again.
And Israel is now paying the consequences for their sinful behaviour. And so after using this unnamed prophet to tell the people to repent, God is going to use another unlikely person to deliver His people once again, a man named Gideon.
Notice the angel of the LORD came, Judges 6:11. Who is the angel of the LORD? The ‘angel of the Lord’ is what we call a Christophany, that is, an appearance of the Christ. And it shouldn’t surprise us that God would reveal Himself in another form, after all, God Himself came in human form in the form of Jesus, John 1:1-2 / John 1:14.
Haynes Jr, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A study of these passages reveals that the Angel of the Lord appeared in human form, Genesis 18:2 / Genesis 22:1-18 / Hebrews 13:2, and performed normal human functions, Genesis 32:24 / Numbers 22:23 / Numbers 22:31, yet he was an awe-inspiring figure, Genesis 32:30 / Judges 6:22 / Judges 13:22, exhibiting divine attributes and prerogatives including predicting the future, Genesis 16:10-12, forgiving sin, Exodus 23:21, and receiving worship, Exodus 3:5 / Judges 13:9-20.’
As we study Gideon, we find him at first struggling to obey God; it’s not until the next chapter that we read about him finally obeying God. The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and sits down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, Judges 6:11.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ophrah.
‘There was another Ophrah in Benjamin, Joshua 18:23. This Ophrah was in Manasseh, and was the village of Joash, the head, apparently, of the family of Abiezer, which was one of the families of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, Numbers 26:30.’
The angel of the LORD comes to Gideon, who is obviously a farmer, while he’s working hard threshing wheat in a wine press, Judges 6:11. Under normal conditions in order to separate the wheat from the chaff, farmers would select an open, elevated location where the grain could be pitched up so that the wind could blow away the useless chaff.
But here we find Gideon cowering, maintaining a low profile, labouring in a secluded place, due to the threat of invasion. And it’s while he’s protecting his crop that the angel of the LORD appears to him and calls him a mighty warrior, Judges 6:12.
Gideon appears cynical, even rude, before the angel of the LORD, and in doing so, reveals his ignorance. And so, he goes on to complain and question God. Basically, he’s asking, Why is God letting His people suffer? Judges 6:13.
Remember that Israel had reverted to idolatry and was subsequently attacked by their enemies. Yes, God did wondrous things when He brought them out of Egypt, Judges 6:13.
But what did Israel expect? What did Gideon expect God to say, ‘it was OK to worship other gods’? Did the Israelites expect God to say, ‘You’ve all left Me and My ways, but that’s OK’?
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Gideon could not understand why the Israelites were suffering as they were, if Yahweh was indeed with His people, Judges 6:13 / Deuteronomy 31:17. He failed to realize that their condition was the result of their abandoning God, not His abandoning them.’
When we run after the same goals as non-believers, we shouldn’t be surprised when trials come, and God doesn’t intervene or answer our prayers as we might expect. We need to listen to God because if we don’t, then He simply won’t listen to us, Isaiah 59:1-2.
And so, with a tremendous lack of faith or ignorance, Gideon blames God for the consequences of Israel’s sin. God isn’t having any of this from Gideon, despite his protests. He tells him he will be a mighty warrior, but Gideon still needs some assurance.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘That gracious look conferred immediate strength, Ephesians 6:10 / 2 Corinthians 12:9 / John 20:22 / Acts 3:6. The change of phrase from ‘the angel of the Lord’ to ‘the Lord’ is remarkable. When messages are delivered by the Angel of the Lord, the form of the message is as if God Himself were speaking, Judges 2:1.’
The angel of the LORD tells him to go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand, Judges 6:14, and then asks, Am I not sending you? Judges 6:14 / Exodus 3:10 / Isaiah 44:26 / Ezekiel 2:3 / Zechariah 2:11 / Malachi 3:1 / Luke 10:3 / John 20:21 / Hebrews 3:1.
Gideon isn’t acting very courageous, but God is going to prepare him to gradually grow into his courageous role. The angel tells him, ‘Go with the strength you have,’ Judges 6:14. Just like many Christians today, Gideon didn’t know his own strength. And when God looks at us, He sees strength in each of us that we don’t see in ourselves.
It’s very evident that God didn’t select a so-called ‘born leader’; Gideon appears to be far from what we would call a hero. He’s quick to jump in to tell God that he’s far from being qualified to do the task God has asked of him, Judges 6:15. He is the last-born, from an insignificant family and tribe, Judges 6:15.
Think about what Gideon must have thought to himself when the angel of the LORD spoke to him. We can almost hear Gideon thinking to himself, ‘wait a minute, I’m a simple farmer, Judges 6:11, trying to survive here, and you’re telling me I’m a mighty warrior, Judges 6:12, and God has chosen me to deliver His people from our enemy?’ Judges 6:14.
This is very similar to Moses, Exodus 3-4. God will never ask us to do something that we’re not equipped to do, but He will ask us to use the strength we have, Philippians 2:13.
But Gideon still needs some reassurance and so, he is remined that the angel of the LORD will be with Him, and He will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none, alive, Joshua 6:16.
Rather than taking God at His word, Gideon asks for a sign, some tangible evidence, that it’s really God who is speaking to him, Judges 6:17 / John 21:9-13 / Luke 24:37-43 / Acts 10:41.
Gideon asks the angel of the Lord not to go away until he comes back and brings his offering and set it before Him and the angel of the LORD agrees to wait, Judges 6:18 / Genesis 18:3 / Leviticus 2:1.
Gideon goes inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour, which is around thirty-six pounds, Genesis 18:6 / Exodus 16:16, he made bread without yeast, Judges 6:19 / Genesis 19:3. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to the angel of the LORD under the oak, Judges 6:19.
Bush, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The acceptance of the sacrifice was also a token of the acceptance of his person; it went to confirm the commission now given him, and to afford him every needed assurance of success.’
The angel of God tells him to take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on a rock, and pour out the broth, and Gideon did so, Judges 6:20 / Genesis 35:14.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The drink offerings of wine under the Levitical law were poured upon the altar, Exodus 30:9. The pouring of the broth upon the rock was evidently of the nature of a libation. It might also, like the water poured by Elijah upon his sacrifice, make the miracle of the fire that consumed the sacrifice more apparent, 1 Kings 18:33.’
Notice what happened next, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in His hand and then fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread and then He disappeared, Judges 6:21.
Gideon knew that the message came from God, that he was to lead this army against the Midianites, but he wanted both assurance for himself and for those who came in response to his call.
He humbly asked for a sign that went against the laws of nature, and this was a specific sign for Gideon, who needed reassurance not only for himself but for the whole nation of Israel. Remember, he’s a farmer with little strength, and he’s about to lead the Israelites into battle.
When Gideon finally realises that it was the angel of the LORD, he says, alas, Sovereign LORD! Joshua 7:7, I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face! Judges 6:22. He’s been speaking with a heavenly being, he thinks he’s going to die, hence why God tells him not to be afraid, you’re not going to die, Judges 6:23.
Almost every time in the Scriptures when an angel appears, the first words which come from their mouth is, ‘do not be afraid,’ Luke 1:28 / Luke 1:30 / Luke 2:9-10 Why? It was a popular misconception among the Jews that if you saw an angel, it meant you were going to die.
However, this was no ordinary angel, this is the angel of the Lord and he thinks he was about to die but he’s assured otherwise and builds an altar to the Lord, which he calls ‘the Lord is Peace’, Judges 6:24 / Genesis 22:14 / Exodus 17:15. This tells us that Gideon’s main concern was to live in peace and we are told to this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites, Judges 6:24.
That same night, Gideon is told to take the second bull from his father’s herd, the one seven years old, Joshua 6:25. To prepare Gideon to lead Israel, he’s directed to destroy a nearby pagan altar.
And straight away we can see that if God is to be Israel’s Saviour, then Baal and the Asherah pole must go, Judges 6:25 / Judges 2:1-3 / Judges 3:7 / 1 Kings 18:30-40. Gideon’s own family worshipped the deities of Canaan, and so before he can be used by God, Gideon needs to destroy the idolatry in his own household first.
He is told to build a proper kind of altar to God, Genesis 22:9, on the top of this height and using the wood of the Asherah pole that he cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering, Judges 6:26.
The text tells us that Gideon and his ten servants worked through the night, Judges 6:27, under the cover of darkness, because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople.
All through the night, they tore down the altar to Baal and Asherah. Gideon’s name means ‘hewer’ or ‘hacker’, which basically means one who cuts down, which is very appropriate to what he was doing here. The text tells us that the idol-worshippers didn’t neglect their morning devotions, and they soon discover the damage, Judges 6:28.
And it doesn’t take them long to identify the culprit, Judges 6:29, so they go and demand that Joash, Gideon’s father, bring out his son and he must die, because of what he did to the Baal altar and the Asherah pole, Judges 6:30.
And so Gideon hides behind his father Joash’s protection. Joash, the custodian of the altar, tells his angry neighbours that if Baal is so powerful, he should have been able to defend himself, Judges 6:31.
The town gives Gideon the nickname Jerubbaal, meaning, ‘let Baal plead his case’, Judges 6:32, which was a reminder of God’s power and Baal’s weakness. Gideon, who tested God, cleaned up his neighbourhood and passed God’s test.
We’re told that both sides assemble forces to prepare for battle, Judges 6:33, and we’re also told that ‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon’, Judges 6:34. The actual Hebrew text literally says, ‘the Spirit of the Lord clothed Himself with Gideon.’ In other words, God’s Holy Spirit selected, anointed, and empowered Gideon.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning the words, ‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon’ Judges 6:34.
‘The word contains a striking thought. It is different from that used in the case of Othniel, Judges 3:10 / Jephthah Judges 11:29, and Samson, Judges 13:25 / Judges 14:6 / Judges 14:19.’
He blew a trumpet to summon the Abiezrites to follow him, and he sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them, Judges 6:34-35.
Wolf, in his commentary, says the following.
‘How different from Deuteronomy 13:6-10, where Moses commanded that even close relatives must be stoned for idolatry! The heresy had become the main religion.’
Gideon was going great guns; he was getting rid of all the Baal altars and slowly driving out the idolatry from Israel. Once again, he needed a little more reassurance from God.
In spite of an encouraging recruitment response from the tribes of Israel, Judges 6:34-35, Gideon again asks God for reassurance; he asks for another visible sign. Gideon says to God, if God will save Israel by Gideon’s hand as God has promised, Judges 6:16, Gideon will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor, and if there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then Gideon will know that God will save Israel, Judges 6:36-37.
And that is what happened, when Gideon rose early the next day, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew, a bowlful of water, Judges 6:38. Asking for this sign shows us Gideon’s doubts and fears and lack of trust.
That may well be the way the Israelites had come to treat Baal, but this isn’t the way to treat the One, True God of Israel. Gideon should’ve trusted God instead of demanding a sign.
God spoke to him, and God’s words don’t require any outward confirmation. And so after showing this sign, Gideon then goes ahead and asks God for a reversal of the conditions. He wants God to make the fleece dry and the ground be covered with dew, Judges 6:39.
That night God did so, and only the fleece was dry, and all the ground was covered with dew, Judges 6:40. We can only be impressed with the remarkable patience God has with Gideon. He understands Gideon’s insecurity, and He understands our insecurities, Hebrews 11:32.
Should Christians be asking God for ‘signs’? Because many people take the example of Gideon completely out of context to justify asking God for a sign. Most people who ask God for a sign are usually trying to make a decision about a personal matter.
They’re usually asking things like, ‘I wonder if I should move to another city to find a job.’ ‘I wonder if she is the girl I should marry.’ And so they’re starting with a question that comes from man and not a statement that came from God.
Many people who cite Gideon’s example often make up coincidences to ‘confirm’ their own question. They justify it in their heads by saying things like, ‘If the next call is from her, then I know God wants me to marry her.’ ‘If my home sells within a week, then I know God has a job waiting for me in another city.’ The ‘signs’ that these people are requesting aren’t ‘signs’, they’re ordinary events.
And since they’re ordinary events, how can a person be certain that it was really God behind those events? What people typically do today, when they’re faced with a decision, is try to force God to give them an answer.
But, when we try to force God to do anything, that’s what the Bible describes as putting God to the test, which, according to Deuteronomy 6:16, is sinful because we shouldn’t be making any demands from God.
Even within the church, I’ve heard Christians talking about doing the ‘fleece test.’ It’s the idea of asking God for some tangible indication of His will, asking for proof, but that’s not faith.
The so-called ‘fleece tests’ of today have nothing to do with determining God’s will, after all, God had already clearly told Gideon what to do. We’re going to look at what happens when Gideon is finally ready to obey God in the next chapter.