Gideon

Judge 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak, which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.



Gideon was called to be a leader during the Period of the Judges. Israel was being invaded by the Midianites at the time, which had come from the east on camels. To see if God would deliver Israel by his hand Gideon placed a fleece of wool on the ground. He asked that there be dew on the fleece, but that the ground would be dry. . God told him to reduce the number of his men by having them drink from a stream. Those who drank directly from the stream were sent home and those who scooped water in their hands were kept. Each warrior was given a trumpet, a jar, and a torch. At the signal, they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Thrown into confusion, the Midianites fled before Gideon's men. After the victory, people asked Gideon to be their ruler, but he refused the honor.


Judge 6:36-40 36And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. 38And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. 40And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only and there was dew on all the ground. You can find the rest of the story in Judges 7:1-25.


Gideon was a mighty man of valor in God’s eyes. God sees us not just, as we are, but as we will be. In Judges 6:17, was Gideon right to ask for a sign? Sometimes it is good not to look at things in terms of "right or wrong" or "allowed vs. forbidden", but rather in terms of what is best. This probably was not best to require the sign; if Gideon’s faith had been greater, he would not have needed it.


Regardless of his amount of faith, God answered his request. God graciously met Gideon where he was, whether it was in a winepress or in the midst of his doubts, and dealt with his doubts. God deals with each person where they are, and God is gracious today, too.


How many times in your life have you had little faith and God still came thru for you? I know I have a few times, especially when it has come to health issues. God had other opportunities to bring Israel out of the path of the bad, but as I read the book of Judges I realize this, but then how would Gideon been used by God to deliver them from the Midianites. Even thru all this, Gideon had to lose his own brother in this war, from what I read I am assuming that was because he too worshipped the idol of Baal. Think about that for a moment, how would you feel knowing that at your hand your own blood brother would be killed. Are you ready to trust God and His ways? God will allow things to happen in your life, are you ready and willing to go to Him and ask for His guidance, wisdom and helping hand? I know I am. I was happy to read that Gideon didn’t accept the honor of being the ruler because he knew he wasn’t, that God was the only Ruler. God is still the only Ruler!


I am not willing to test God; I am only willing to Trust God!