A Mighty Little Warrior – Part II

In my last post, we were introduced to Gideon. We left off just after the angel of the Lord had commanded Gideon to deliver Israel from the hand of the Midian.

[Gideon] said to Him, “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.” But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” –Judges 6:15-16.

Just before this passage, in verse 14, the angel of the Lord tells Gideon “go in this your strength.” Gideon’s question at this point is “what strength?” Let’s set the scene again: Gideon is hiding in a wine press (see the previous post for a picture of a wine press), threshing wheat; a very humbling task. He thinks that God has abandoned Israel and they are oppressed by the Midianites. Gideon is not only of the small tribe of Manasseh, but he himself is the youngest of his family. All this causes him to question why the angel of the Lord wants to send him.

One observation to point out at this stage. We mentioned previously that the “angel of the Lord” in this passage of Judges is a theophany of Jesus in the Old Testament. This is backed up by verses 14 and 16 which both called this being “the LORD,” or “Yahweh,” or “God,” the second person of the Trinity.

Back to verses 15 and 16, Gideon is correct in questioning how he can deliver Israel. Gideon cannot, on his own, but through this mighty little warrior, God will!

So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.” –Judges 6:17-18.

Gideon’s response was necessary and proper. It was necessary to confirm that this was indeed the plan of God.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. –1 John 4:1

It was also proper for Gideon, should this turn out to be from God, to bring an offering in worship.

Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them our to him under the oak and presented them. The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” –Judges 6:19-23.

The fire that springs up from Gideon’s sacrifice is the sign of divine acceptance. Once the angel of the Lord vanishes, Gideon then realizes he was speaking with God. The reason we can be sure is that God Himself reassures Gideon that he has nothing to fear. Gideon knew full well that you don’t look upon the face of God and live, being that he was–as we all are–a sinful man.

Right away, Gideon builds an altar on the spot and calls the place “The Lord is Peace.”

But this is just the beginning. In my next post, we’ll see the first plans God has for Gideon and his obedience to that plan.

May He Increase!