Judges 6:1-40
Q.1. How did God punish Israel for turning from Him? What was the oppression like? How did Israel respond? What was God’s message to the nation? – (Jdgs.6:1-10)
Israel forfeited their freedom because they had done evil in God’s sight. They had to hide their produce from the Midianite raiders for seven long years. (Jdgs.6:1-2). The enemy robbed them of their harvest and livestock – So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord (Jdgs.6:6). God’s first response was to bring conviction of sin, and to lead His people to repentance, through an unnamed prophet. This prophet reminded Israel of God’s past deliverances, and revealed a message from Him – … ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live’. But you have not obeyed Me (Jdgs.6:10). Fearing other gods was disobedience and an insult to God.
Q.2. How did the angel of the Lord address Gideon? What was his response to the visitation and his call? What did Gideon learn from his encounter with God? Why did he build an altar? – (Jdgs.6:11-24)
The angel of the Lord was a Christophany i.e. an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament – the Lord looked at him (Jdgs.6:11 & 14). It soon became apparent that Gideon felt that he was anything but a – valiant warrior (Jdgs.6:12). Gideon was truly puzzled by the greeting. Had not God abandoned Israel? What had happened to all the miracles that previous generations had reported? (Jdgs.6:13). The Lord issued the call to Gideon – … Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you? (Jdgs.6:14). However, Gideon responded honestly – I am the least of the least – … O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house (Jdgs.6:15). The Lord explained how he would prevail. – Surely, I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man (Jdgs.6:16). Gideon was still not convinced, so asked for a sign from Him. He asked the angel to wait until he had prepared a suitable offering (Jdgs.6:17-18). The Lord promised to stay until Gideon had prepared a goat and some broth (Jdgs.6:19). Gideon was told to place the meat and unleavened bread, along with the broth, on the rock under the oak tree. Fire from the rock sprung up and consumed the sacrifice (Jdgs.6:20-21). As the Lord departed, He comforted Gideon and declared – Peace to you. Do not fear; You shall not die (Jdgs.6:23). When the angel of the Lord then vanished, Gideon exclaimed – … Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face … Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it ‘The Lord is Peace’ (Jdgs.6:22 & 24). Gideon now knew that he had had a visitation from the Lord.
Q.3. Did Gideon show courage on his first mission? How did the men of the city react? How did his father expose their folly? How does the record account for Gideon’s courage? – (Jdgs.6:25-35)
The first thing God called Gideon to do was to pull down the altar of Baal that Israel worshiped and cut down the Asherah. In place, he was to build an altar to the Lord and offer a bull, using the cut Asherah poles (Jdgs.6:25-26). Gideon obeyed and took ten of his servants, but – … because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night (Jdgs.6:27). The men of the city were furious and soon discovered that this was done by Gideon (Jdgs.6:28-29). They demanded that his father Joash surrender his son for execution, for destroying their gods. Joash was courageous and wise and said, in effect – ‘Let anyone who defends these gods be put to death. If they are true gods, let them defend themselves!’ (Jdgs.6:31). It is reminiscent of Gamaliel’s counsel to the Sanhedrin – 38 … I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; OR ELSE YOU MAY EVEN BE FOUND FIGHTING AGAINST GOD (Acts 5:38-39). Therefore, they nicknamed Gideon Jerubbaal. By the time the Midianites and Amalekites returned to plunder Israel, Gideon had had a ‘conversion’ – the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him (Jdgs.6:34). Gideon sent messengers through his tribe of Manasseh on the west of Jordan, and further north to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali.
Q.4. Why was it unnecessary for Gideon to test God’s calling with a fleece? What is remarkable about the two signs that Gideon requested? Is ‘putting out a fleece’ still valid? – (Jdgs.6:36-40)
Gideon was given ample evidence that God had called him. However, he was still afraid, and wanted a further confirmatory sign (Jdgs.6:36). Still today, we speak of ‘putting out a fleece’. With the first fleece of wool, Gideon proposed – behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken (Jdgs.6:37). God answered by saturating the fleece with enough moisture to fill a bowl of water (Jdgs.6:38). Though Gideon knew that he was stretching God’s patience, he asked for a repeat of the test – … let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground (Jdgs.6:39). It was just as Gideon had asked. We learn that God will at times defer to our weak faith, in order to strengthen our faith (Jdgs.6:40 c.f. Mk.9:23-25).