Gideon - Part 3 Series

We’ve been taking a look at the life of Gideon, one of the Judges of Israel in the Old Testament. Was he someone we should model our lives after, someone we should avoid or something in between?

Hebrews 11:32-34

“(32) And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets …

(33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions …

(34) quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.”

Last week in verses 11-24

Points of interest in the story

Gideon is threshing wheat in a winepress

The Midianites are all around

They would see you if you were threshing wheat on a typical threshing floor

So, Gideon is in a sunken wine press instead - not good for threshing but

safer than out in the open

The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon (in human form) and declares Gideon to be a mighty warrior

Now last week we talked about how “the Angel of the Lord” and The Lord

(Yahweh) is used interchangeably in this conversation

Gideon is talking to Him like He’s just a traveler passing by or perhaps

another prophet

Side note:

Show images of angels as depicted by pop culture

Show images of angels from serious attempts to show what they might look

like based on Scripture

Show edited video of reactions to angels from The Lutheran Satire

Gideon ignores the statement that he is a mighty warrior and counters with where are His mighty wonders and why has He abandoned us?

Gideon must have a total disconnect from reality at this time.

The Lord does not even answer this accusation but tells Gideon to “go in the strength you have - am I not sending you?”

Gideon - I am the weakest member of a weak family in the half-tribe of Manasseh. (Gideon may not be telling the truth here because he later takes 10 of his male servants to help him with a task from the Lord.)

God - I will be with you - Midian will be struck down as one man

In verses 17 and 18 you can see that Gideon is finally getting a clue …

“If now I have found favor in Your eyes, give me a sign that it is really You talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before You.”

Interesting Note: looking for images of Gideon and the Angel of the LORD. Most of them had these massive wings. Sure seems like if this was accurate that Gideon would have said something like, “Hey, those are some wings you got there, buddy!” Just thinkin’ …

The Lord agrees, “Sure, I’ll wait!”

So, Gideon goes, catches and butchers a young goat, makes some unleavened bread from 36 lbs. of flour, builds a fire, boils the goat, bakes the bread, puts the meat and bread into a basket and the broth into a pot and takes them out.

That’s a lot of work and that’s a long wait!

The Angel of the Lord says put the meat/bread on this rock and pour the broth over them. Then He touches the offering with the staff in His hand and fire springs from the ROCK, not the staff, and consumes the offering.

The Angel of the Lord disappears and Gideon thinks he’s gonna die.

The Lord says, “Peace be to you, do not fear, you’re not going to die.”

Gideon builds and altar and names it Yahweh is Peace.

Later that night the Lord gives Gideon a task.

Take two bulls from your dad’s herd

Use them to pull down the altar to Baal

Tear down the Asherah pole and cut it up

Build an proper alter of laid stone for the Lord

Kill the second bull as an offering

Burn that bull on the altar you have made’

Use the wood from the Asherah pole as fuel for the offering fire

Gideon takes 10 of his men servants and does this at night because he’s afraid of his family members and the other men in his village.

The men of the village fine out that Gideon did this and call for his death.

Gideon’s dad says three things:

If you want to fight on behalf of Baal you’ll be dead this morning

If Baal is a god let him defend himself

He changes Gideon’s name to Jerub-Baal (let Baal contend against him)

Don’t you wish there was some journal that Gideon kept so we could read what his thoughts were about all of this?