Based on Judges 6 (NKJV)
“Now, these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
1 Corinthians 10: 7-9
A Personal note:
As I read Gideon’s story, I asked myself this question to make it more meaningful to my own Christian experience:
Are the actions of Gideon ones I should emulate? Can I follow his example in my relationship with God? Or was his story one written to caution me about testing God?
Gideon’s experience with God starts off badly but ends up with one of the most remarkable examples of God’s leadership and might. God is the center of the story. It is all about faith and trust in Him.
Gideon would eventually learn and trust in God and become a picture on the great wall of faith found in Hebrews 11. But before He got there, he was a man of doubt and mistrust.
Learning From Mistakes-God’s Grace
The Lord has preserved the stories of the people of God in the Old testament primarily to help future generations learn from their mistakes. God’s people were, by no account, perfect, even those who are mentioned in Hebrews 11‘s people-of-faith chapter. Many started off on the wrong footy but would eventually find the narrow path of faith in Jesus. Most often, they learned by trial and error with God. Faith, my friends, is the only path that leads to life. It is a trusting relationship with the One who made us and rescued us! May we learn from the mistakes of ancient Israel and our own!
Gideon is a victorious warrior who struggles with trust in God’s word, much like many of us. But eventually, He would learn to trust God. Paul puts Gideon among the other great people of faith.
Gideon’s story is one of the longer and more detailed ones in the Bible. Paul seems to say that with these words.”
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon
Hebrews 11:32
Testing God
Before Gideon became an illustration of a man of faith, he had a crisis of faith when he “tested” the Lord. This is something we should not do, as God points out in the passage above.
We should not test Christ, as some of them did. The question remains for us. Do we test God…even unconsciously?
In so many words, Jesus said the same thing first:
Then said Jesus unto him, Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe John 4:48
Signs and Wonders in Ancient Israel
Throughout the history of God’s dealings with ancient Israel, signs and wonders were prevalent among the people of God. Perhaps the most famous came from the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt.
Their history with God was an unending circle of prosperity and blessing, rebellion, enslavement, repentance, and God’s rescue through both prophets and signs and wonders. Once they were comfortable, the cycle would start over again.
Had they consistently remained faithful to God alone, even in the tough times, they would have been blessed, protected, and prosperous. Despite their circumstances, trust was God’s ultimate goal for Israel and is the same for us today!
Thought Question:
Is my experience with God consistent, or do I go through a similar cycle as the children of Israel? How does this affect my witness for Him?
The Egyptian Experience: Miracles, Unbelief-Gripe, and Complain
Before the experience of oppression with the Midianites, Egypt had enslaved God’s people. Egypt became Israel’s oppressive, racist master for 40 years (Numbers 32:13). The children of Israel’s unbelief led them to adjust and accept their new way of life. They became comfortable with slavery. They began to look, talk, and walk like Egyptians. The promised people had gone so far from God that their unbelief would follow them through the desert of their escape despite the miracles God performed, starting with the ten plagues that fell on Egypt but not on them! (Exodus 8:22, Exodus 9:4, Exodus 9:11
Despite the miracle of escaping through the Red Sea that God parted just for them, then closed up on their drowning enemies (Exodus 13:18, Exodus 15:4), they griped and complained throughout their entire escape. They wanted to go back to the comforts and rich foods of Egypt.
In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Exodus 16: 1-3
They saw the miracle of manna falling from heaven to feed them (Deuteronomy 8:16, John 6:31); the pillar fire provided light and direction (Exodus 13:21). Even their clothes did not wear out, nor their feet swell (Nehemiah 9:21). Can you imagine having 40-year-old garments that looked like you had just purchased them yesterday or walking all day and your feet felt fine?
Despite all this, they did not trust and obey! Consequently, those who escaped their captors through the might of God’s hand never reached the promised land, except for a few. This is because they did not take God at His word, which led to a lack of trust in God. They had failed the test of faith and trust in God.
Thought question:
Has unbelief and not trusting God made me a person who complains, gripes, and is a weak follower of Christ? If so, how do I increase my faith?
Preconceived Scenarios-A Trait of God’s People
At the time of the Messiah’s arrival, rescue from the Romans was choreographed in the Jews’ minds as a military action complete with swords and multitudes of people led by a mighty king or general. But because they believed more in their imagination than the word of God, they slew their Messiah, who would have made them a great nation of evangelists had they simply believed (trusted) Him in His word.
Perhaps their biggest mistake was not knowing God or His word for themselves. They depended on professional teachers of the law, the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Here was the source of misinformation!
All of this came honestly to the people of Christ’s time on earth, but it had its roots in their ancestry.
Enslaved Again!
In chapter 6 of Judges, we see the children of Israel at the cycle point of enslavement again. This time, enslavement came in the form of oppression by the Midianites. The reason for the oppression is found in the first verse of this chapter (6):
Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.
Englaved again! And again, they cried out for deliverance. God heard and was prepared to deliver them. But here starts the story of their deliverer-Gideon. Rather than trust God in His word and promises, Gideon wanted assurance of God’s guidance through signs and wonders. But even these signs did not increase his faith for long.
A Rebellious People and God’s Grace
Through an unnamed prophet, God sent a reminder of their miraculous delivery from Egypt. God would soon deliver them similarly through Gideon by destroying the Midianites, as He did in Egypt.
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you and drove them out before you and gave you their land.
Judges 6:7-9
Because of God’s love, grace, and mercy, He would (yet again) deliver them. God would do more than stop the persecution. He would give His people the land of the Midianites and bring peace to the people for 40 years! Wow! God always goes beyond our expectations!
But, before God powerfully used Gideon, Gideon went through phases of doubt and unbelief. Because this story was recorded for posterity, we can learn lessons on faith from Gidon and the bad decisions of the children of Israel.
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition (instruction) upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10: 11
Thought Question: Will I react differently to difficult daily living and thought decisions that must be made? How about the worldwide time of trouble? Will I repeat the people’s sins of unbelief as recorded in the Bible?
Gideon’s Had Good Reason For Doubt
Gideon had reasons to fear and doubt that God would deliver the children of Israel. His brothers had fallen during the battles with the Midianites. He was the only remaining son of Joash. Also, the Manasseh tribe was the weakest of the other twelve tribes. But it was Joash”s remaining (only) son who would deliver the enslaved Israelites. Because of these circumstances, Gideon had doubts:
“O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
Judges 6:15
“Gideon was the son of Joash, of the tribe of Manasseh. The division to which this family belonged held no leading position, but the household of Joash was distinguished for courage and integrity. Of his brave sons, it is said, “Each one resembled the children of a king.” All but one had fallen in the struggles against the Midianites, and he had caused his name to be feared by the invaders. To Gideon came the divine call to deliver his people.” Prophets and Kings, p. 546
God Sends Encouragement-Unbelief Example #1
To encourage Gideon to trust His promise of deliverance (as He did with Egypt), God sent both an unnamed prophet (Judges 6:8) and the Angel of the Lord (Judges 6:12).
“….the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel
Judges 6:8
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
Judges 6: 12
The Angel of the Lord reminds Gideon who he is, a “mighty man of valor‘ brave and strong. But despite this powerful compliment, Gideon complains to God! He instantly becomes a man of complaints against God and doubt.
Gideon said to Him, “O my lord IF the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” v.13
Was God responsible for their troubles? Had He forsaken them? Remember verse 1 of Judges 6. They had left God and went after other gods and did evil in plain sight of God!
Nothing has changed since the beginning of time. People who doubt God, even His existence, always fall back on the IF and Why reasoning. Example: IF God cares or exists, then WHY (fill in the blank)…why is there suffering and war? Or Why did He let my child die?
Thought Question:
Often, I bring trouble upon myself, or others bring pain and suffering to me. I often don’t want God around, so I separate myself from the protection offered to me because things don’t go as I thought or planned. How can I change this?
God makes a promise to Gideon.
Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” v. 14
These words of the Lord should have been enough. But Gideon doubted again even after the compliment and encouragement from both a prophet and an angel of the Lord. This led to unbelief example #2.
Unbelief (Doubt)-Example #2
So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” v. 15
Instead of trusting God and taking Him at His word, Gideon looks at His weak family, and he points out to God that he is the least of the weakest! What a pity party!
A famous saying of Christians is, “God said, I believe it, and that settles it.” But that is usually stated in the comfortable pew with other believers in good times. So in difficult times, how often do we doubt instead of simply believing what God has said?
But Gideon’s doubts don’t stop here. He tests God by requiring a sign from Him. Example #3
Unbelief and Doubt Example #3
Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. Judges 6:17
Instead of trusting God, taking Him at His word, or (at the least) knowing God enough to acknowledge His character of love and mercy is sufficient, he looked for a sign. Is our relationship with Him based on signs or simply knowing Him personally? Which is more important? Signs or trusting God at His word?
An offering of meat and bread.
The Angel of the Lord instructed Gideon to put the offering on a rock and pour the broth over it. Then fire came out of the rock and consumed it. God did the same with Elijah in 1 Kings 18:38. This impressed Gideon. It was a clear sign of God’s power. But he still had doubts.
Tear Down the Alters
Later that night, God tested Gideon’s faith by commanding him to tear down the altar to Baal and the wooden image beside it. Then Gideon was to build an altar to God and put an offering (bull) along with the wood from the image he destroyed! But Gidon was still not strong in his faith. He was so afraid that he took ten men to do the work, and they did it with the cover of night! Again, a similar experience for Elijah in 1 Kings 18:32
Before God could deliver the Children of Israel, they had to get some things straight in their own lives. Worship God and Him only! Tear down the idols in their lives. Gideon successfully had the altar and wooden image destroyed.
Thought Question:
Are there cherished alters in my life that need to be torn down? Idols that affect my witness for Christ… Things that take my eyes off of the only true God…things like money, position, tradition, or cherished unbiblical beliefs?
When the city’s men discovered what had happened to their offering and idol, they demanded to know who it was. Joash, Gideon’s father, told them,
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself because his altar has been torn down!” Therefore on that day, he called him Jerubbaal,[ saying, “Let Baal plead against him because he has torn down his altar.”
Judges 6: 31,32
These are some pretty snarky and bold statements form Gideon’s father! But notice that Gideon did not boldly tell them, “It was me!” Instead, his father (Joash) exhibited confidence in God in the face of the city’s men! Joash’s argument against idols has long been, “let them take care of themselves if they are as powerful as you think.”
But Gideon’s doubts don’t end. He demanded another sign despite four already given:
1.) The encouraging words of an unnamed prophet.
2.) The appearance Angel of the Lord reminds Gideon that he is a “man of valor.” The Angel tells the encouraging story of God’s salvation of the people from Egypt;
3.) The sign of the offering being consumed.
4.) The destruction of the idols and His father standing up for the true God instead of Baal.
Unbelief and Doubt-The Sign of the Fleece Example #5
“So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said….” (Judges 6:36) There is that word again, “IF.” This fleece was not the will of God. It was a test by Gidon to seek assurance and instructions that God had already given Him! God had already said the victory was his! Gideon did not trust God. He wanted a sign! Let me repeat it again!
It was a test by Gidon to seek assurance and instructions that God had already given Him! God had already said the victory was his! Gideon did not trust God. He wanted a sign!
Author
God, in his mercy for this doubter, answered the request as Gideon requested.
Look, I shall 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 shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said. V. 37
And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.” V 38, 39
But the doubt kept coming.
Unbelief and Doubt-The Sign of the Fleece-Part 2- Example #5
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” V 39.
And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground. V. 39
Testing God
Gideon was not a believer that subscribed to trusting God in His word. He did not express faith in a God that He should have known. Instead, like the “wicked and adulterous generation” seeking signs and wonders, Gideon demanded signs like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day.
Thought Question:
Is the story of Gidon our example or a lesson of His mistakes we are to learn from? Is asking for a sign a practice of doubt when making tough or seemingly impossible decisions?
How the Story Should Have Gone in Three Words:
Grace, Faith, and Obedience are three in one. It is understanding the grace and character of God that is the solid foundation for unshakable faith or trust in God’s promises that leads to obedience.
“Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” God desired Gideon would know Him and His word enough to trust Him through a simple request or prayer rather than testing Him with fleece. We are not to tempt the Lord (Test the Lord) through signs and wonders. We must know God enough that He will do what He says,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11: 6
“You shall not tempt( test) the Lord your God as you tempted (tested) Him in Massah. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you. And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land of which the Lord swore to your fathers, to cast out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken. Deuteronomy 17: 16-19
…whatever is not from faith is sin Romans 14:23
In a sense, we should have an advantage over the people of the Old Testament. They had signs and wonders; we have examples of their mistakes despite the miracles.
It is a high spiritual experience not to be this type of Gideon, but rather have faith like the gentiles who trusted in God’s willingness to answer prayers. “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Luke 5:12. No signs, no wonders requested, only trusting in God’s will. The miracle for the Leper came at the choice of God after he trusted in God’s will.
Of the approximately 35 miracles performed by Jesus, there was no fasting, no signs, and no wonders, no fleece test. Instead, it was faith that God desires of us. He wants us to know Him…to trust Him! In the final analysis, to require a sign is an act of doubt, not faith.
But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:24
Gideon’s Eventual Victory
In Judges Chapter 7, we will see the crossover from a doubter to a mighty man of valor. What made the difference? Was it all the signs and wonders? This we will examine next time!