Gideon II
Judges 6:16-24
Review vs 11-16 – Gideon’s call
1. A Powerful sign. Vs 16-21
A. God had told Gideon that he would be victorious over his enemy. Vs 14-16
--Thou shalt save Israel
--I will be with thee
--You shall smite them as one man.
B. Show me a sign that it’s really you. Vs 17
C.Gideon said “hang on till I get something ready”.
D.Gideon prepares dinner/gift for the angel of the Lord. Vs 18-19
D.This was a meal commonly set before guests.
--It is not a sacrifice of the priestly order.
--Basically a meal of stew and crackers. (note unleavened)
--The angel tells him to put it on a rock. Vs 20
E. The meal is consumed by fire. Vs 21
-The angel disappears.
F. sign confirmed that Gideon was talking to the
Lord.
2. The promised security. Vs 22-23
A. The statement here is one of alarm.
--It is the Lord! (Jehovah)
--I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.
--There is an implied fear of pending death since he
had seen the Lord’s messenger.
B. God’s promise. Vs 23
--Peace be unto thee (calm down Gideon)
---God’s presence brings us peace.
---God’s name brings us peace.
D. God speaks peace to our hearts.
--Psalms 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD
will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people…
--Fear not…
E. A reassurance to trust the Lord and not fear.
God says…”I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”. (Hebrews 13:5b-16)
Psalms 27:1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
F. Trust the Lord – let go of the bush.
3. A peaceful sacrifice. Vs 24
A. Gideon built an altar there.
--An altar unto the Lord. (there were altars to false gods everywhere)
--An altar of peace – Jehovah-shalom
B. Much different then the other gods.
---theirs were altars of appeasement.
---altars of violence (remember the altar of Baal and
Elijah)
---altars of death
C.God offers an altar of peace.
-Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Conclusion:
-We have a promised sign that has been fulfilled.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you
a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
-We have a secured promise. (My sheep hear my voice…John 10:27)
-We have an altar of peace in Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:1)
