Still Spinning - Gideon Series

November 01, 2025

So far, in the short history of Israel’s occupation of Canaan, they have been in a never-ending cycle of sin, oppression, crying and deliverance. Despite their continued unfaithfulness and seeming love of the spin, Yahweh has sent, Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar and Deborah/Barak to deliver them.

Last week, after the defeat of Jabin’s army and the infamous death of Sisera “at the hands of a woman,” Israel was at peace for 40 years.

That brings us to Gideon “to hew down or cut off” (6:1-8:28)

Tribe: Manasseh

Enemy: Midian along with the Amalekites and “other eastern peoples”

The sons of Israel did what was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

He gave them into the hands of Midian for 7 years. So severe was Midian’s treatment that the Israelites lived in dens and caves in the mountains and barely had enough food to survive. The Midianites plundered their fields and carried off their animals - leaving Israel with nothing.

Finally, they cried out to Yahweh.

Before sending Israel a deliverer, however, Yahweh took a moment to reprove Israel for her sin and remind the people of his saving power.

They had forgotten Yahweh and were experiencing the consequences of their own choices, but Yahweh had not forgotten them.

He went looking for a deliverer and he found one in a winepress threshing his crop of wheat (separating the grain from the straw/chaff)……

Once again, the “angel of the Lord” refers to Yahweh himself in the role of messenger. He is his own messenger.

“Yahweh is with you O valiant warrior!”

Gideon looked up….. “If Yahweh is with us then why is all this happening to us? Where are all the miracles our fathers told us about? Yahweh has abandoned us and given us into the hands of the Midianites.”

“I have chosen you to deliver Israel.”

“Exactly how am I supposed to do that? My family is the least important in all Manasseh and I am my father’s youngest child.”

“I will be with you and you will defeat the Midianites.”

“I want a sign. Wait right here.”

“Okay, I’ll wait.”

Gideon ran home and prepared a meal of mutton and unleavened bread and then returned to the wine press.

After he placed the offering on a rock, Yahweh took the staff he was holding and touched the offering. Fire sprang up and consumed the meat and bread and then he vanished.

Realizing in Whose presence he had been, Gideon exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

Yahweh appeared to Gideon again and said, “Peace! Don’t be afraid – you are not going to die.” So Gideon built and altar and called it “Yahweh Shalom” - The Lord is Peace.

Before Gideon could be the deliverer of Israel, he must first deal with the sin in his own family. Joash, Gideon’s father, was a worshipper of Baal, so Gideon was told to destroy his father’s altar to Baal and his Asherah pole, then build a proper altar to God, use the wood from the Asherah pole as fuel and sacrifice his father’s 7-year-old bull on the new altar.

Gideon did as Yahweh had instructed, but he waited until dark, because he was afraid of how his family and the towns people would respond.

When the men of the town discovered their place of worship had been destroyed, they were not amused! After it was determined that Gideon was responsible, they demanded that his father bring him out because, “he must die.”

His father’s response was interesting, “Why are you trying to plead Baal’s cause? Does he need you to save him? If he really is a god he can defend himself.”

The people called Gideon, “Jerub-Baal” ----- “Let Baal contend with him.”

The Midianites, Amalekites and “other eastern peoples” once again raided into Israel and occupied the Jezreel Valley.

The Spirit of Yahweh came upon Gideon. He blew his trumpet summoning his kinsmen, then sent messengers throughout Manasseh and into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. 32,000 men responded to the call.

Still unsure of Yahweh’s promises, Gideon asked for a sign: dew on wool but not on threshing floor. Done.

Still unsure, Gideon asked for another sign: wool dry but ground covered in dew. Done.

Gideon and his little army camped at the spring of Kharod. The Midianite camp was to their north (the camp was massive – the camel herd alone was too numerous to count).

“You have too many men, Gideon. In order for the people not to get too cocky, tell your men that anyone who is afraid (khared) can go home.” 22,000 men went home leaving just 10,000.

“You still have too many men. Take the men to the spring and separate them by those who lap at the water and those who kneel to drink.”