God Our Peace (Jehovah Shalom) Series

Has it been awhile since you’ve cried out for help? It’s time to turn to the only one who can help you.

3. Receive His Word (7-21). I love verse 7 because it shows that when we cry out to God, He will respond. In this case, He sends an unnamed prophet to remind them of their history and heritage and then he delivers the message that God expects total surrender and full devotion in verse 10: “I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites…but you have not listened to me.” While God wants us to ask for help, He wants us to receive His Word, even if it hurts. This prophet is used by God to get them to see the depths of their depravity. Their main problem was that they had totally forgotten God…and they needed to admit that.

I love what happens next. Gideon was threshing some wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. The Hebrew word used here expresses the idea of hiding. A winepress was made out of stone and was built underground. When someone would thresh wheat they’d normally do it out in the open so that the wind could blow away the chaff. But Gideon is afraid of the Midianites and so he’s whacking the wheat with a stick in an underground bunker, which may have looked liked the hole Sadaam Hussein was hiding in before his capture. The mighty Gideon is a hero in hiding. He’s defeated and discouraged, filled with doubts and fears. He’s afraid of what was “out there” and he was also terrified “in here” (inside him).

Verse 12 tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” This time God doesn’t send a prophet, or even an understudy angel; He sends the “Angel of the Lord,” which most commentators believe is the preincarnate Christ! By the way, in the Hebrew, this phrase, “The Lord is with you” is the root to the name “Immanuel,” God with us, which was the name used for Jesus in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.

After being called a mighty warrior, Gideon questions God out loud, wondering why a bunch of bad things have happened to his people. Verse 14 reveals that God “turned to him,” which literally means that He rotated, looked at Gideon and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Gideon responds by saying that his resume isn’t very impressive. He comes from the smallest tribe, the weakest link in his clan, and he’s the youngest in his family.

God confirms His priorities with His presence in verse 16, “I will be with you.” Gideon is given a commission but is also promised the companionship of Immanuel. By the way, did you notice that God never answered Gideon’s questions? That could be because the answer was obvious, or more likely it’s because Gideon’s obedience is more important. What a good reminder for us. We often pepper heaven with our complaints and our questions while we cross our arms and do nothing. How dare we demand answers from God when we won’t even do what He has already revealed to us.

Gideon then has the gall to ask for the first of several signs just to be sure. He wants the Lord to wait for a few minutes while he runs off and bakes some bread and throws a goat on the grill. The meal is placed on a rock as an offering for the angel and then is consumed by God’s holy flames. With the divine fire of acceptance falling upon Gideon’s offering, he responds the only way he can…in worship.