Israel had turned away from the Lord again, and the Midianites had come in and oppressed them, stealing and destroying all of their food. Finally, they cried out to the Lord, and in His mercy, He heard them, and sent His angel to a man named Gideon...
Gideon was threshing wheat. Well, actually, he was hiding. He'd taken his wheat to a winepress in hopes that the Midianites wouldn't find him. Trying to be as quiet as he could, hardly breathing, Gideon threshed, stopping at frequent intervals to look over his shoulder and to wipe the sweat from his brow, put there not by his labor, but by his fear!
How he must've jumped when the angel of the Lord appeared!
"The Lord is with you, mighty warrior," the deep voice boomed.
As Gideon's heart slowed to a normal pace, he shook his head. "If the Lord is with us, why is all this happening? Where are the wonders they tell of in the stories about when He brought us out of Egypt? The Lord isn't with us. He's abandoned us to Midian." Gideon reached for his tunic.
The man's next words stopped Gideon short. "Go in the strength you have and rescue Israel from Midian. Am I not sending you?"
"Wait a minute!" Gideon's face paled. "How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest, and even among them, I am the weakest!"
"I will be with you," the Lord answered.
The story of Gideon amazes me. What a testimony of God's grace, of God's strength! Gideon was the weakest man in Israel, and yet the Lord chose him. The Lord called him "mighty warrior." Gideon had no strength of his own, but God promised to be with him. When it finally comes time for the battle, God cuts down Gideon's army, not once, but twice! He leaves him with 300 men to face an endless sea of fighting men. Yet, the enemy is routed, obviously not by the strength of Gideon and his small band, but by the One who was fighting for them. It is incredible.
And yet, as I read this story this morning, it wasn't God's power that shines forth through Gideon's weakness that struck me. It was His patience with Gideon.
After the Lord tells Gideon that He will be with him, Gideon asks for a sign. Gideon goes and prepares a meal, and brings it back. The Lord tells him to set the meat and bread on a rock and pour the broth over it, the angel touches it with his staff, and fire springs from the rock and consumes it.
When Gideon sees what has happened, he cries out, "Ah, Sovereign Lord! I've seen the angel of the Great I AM face to face!"
The Lord says to him, "Peace. Don't be afraid. You aren't going to die."
Gideon builds an altar to the Lord and calls it "The Lord is Peace." God proves Himself the first time.
That same night the Lord sends Gideon to tear down the altar to Baal and the Asher pole set up in his village. Because he is afraid, Gideon goes under the cover of darkness and does what the Lord has said. The next day the villagers are furious and, when they discover that Gideon is the one responsible, demand his life. His father, however, steps up and says that if Baal is really a god, surely he can take care of himself, so the townspeople leave Gideon alone. God has protected Gideon on his first mission, and proven Himself the second time.
Then the Spirit of the Lord comes on Gideon, and he calls together all the fighting men. They come and are preparing to go to war against the Midianites, and still Gideon is having doubts. He prays and asks God to show him that this is really His will. "I'll place a fleece on the threshing floor, and if it is wet and all the ground is dry, I'll know that this is from you.
Well, the next day the fleece is wet and the ground is dry. God proves Himself the third time.
But Gideon is still afraid. "Oh Lord, don't be angry with me. If this is really Your plan, tonight let the ground be wet and the fleece dry."
Again, God did as Gideon asked, and proved Himself a fourth time.
The next day, after He has cut Gideon's army down to 300 men, and they are all hiding around the camp of the Midianites, God says to Gideon, "If you are still afraid, go down to the camp and listen to what the men are saying."
Gideon went down and listened, and he overheard a man telling another of a dream he'd had. "I dreamt that a barley loaf came tumbling down into our camp. It struck a tent with such force that it collapsed." His friend replied, "That must be the sword of Gideon. His God has given us into his hands."
Even with the mouth of the enemy, God proved Himself! A fifth time!
Oh, Lord. Thank You for Your patience with us. Thank You for showing us time and time again that we can trust You, that You are strong enough. Thank You for gently calming our fears and removing our doubts, no matter how often they arise. Thank You for answering them with Yourself. Thank You for proving that You are enough. You are truly a good Father, Lord.
(The story of Gideon can be found in Judges 6-7.)
