Judges 6:33-40 - Gideon and the Fleece

Judges 6

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground (v.39)."

Message: Gideon and the Fleece

Time: Judges covers about 250 years from death of Joshua to birth of Samuel (1360-1110 BC). The people of Israel largely divided with different local triable judges. It was a period of stirring interventions by the Lord and also great disobedience on the part of the Israelites. Without a king, everyone did right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). 

What the Lord is Saying:  

Earlier, Gideon asked the angel to confirm himself and the angel did. Now, he asks God to confirm himself again. And God does. God has a plan and wants it to work through Gideon and nothing is going to get in the way of that, including Gideon. 

For Gideon to keep going with God, he needs to get confirmation. And God obliges. Gideon is God's chosen person and he will confirm himself to Gideon, however Gideon needs this. God doesn't work or make his will done through everyone, but those he loves and calls, he works in their life. 

Gideon here wants a sign so that he knows that God will deliver Israel through him. Gideon wants this confirmation. He is obviously concerned. He has been obedient. But he needs more. He needs the Lords assurance once again before taking the next step. So far God has given Him that assurance. God is speaking to Him through these confirmations. God wants Gideon. God is pursuing Gideon. Yes, he is afraid. Gideon should have faith and simply believe. He doesn't have that faith, but God still pursues. God provides what Gideon wants and then Gideon decides to trust God and take action. 

Gideon trusts God and goes to tear down the altar his father and the community had built to Baal and the pole to Asherah pole that directed that worship of Baal. But first Gideon needed confirmation. Gideon's obedience to tear down the altar was present, but not in the way intended, but by doing it in the evening, so no one would see. He wants to escape. He wants to go under the radar. But this doesn't work out for him as the leaders find him out. 

Sometimes I see myself doing this, asking God to give me peace about doing something. I was at the hair salon recently and found out the hairdresser followed the Lord. She said that she is moving to another store soon. She remarked that she was having trouble at this store, and with other locations in town, she could change. She prayed about and sought God's peace about the situation and believes she has received it. But at many other times, if I sense the Spirit of God directing me, it seems like I need to simply forge ahead and do what I believe he is asking me to do. 

Why are these judges like Gideon necessary to these people and what has occurred in their lives? The problem seems to be that they have allowed the world to infiltrate their lives. They had a chance to stamp out the Midianites as told in the book of Joshua, but they didn't. They didn't think it was a big deal. Rather than stamping out the people, they allowed them to stay. And now idolatry has crept into their lives. Their focus turns to being on man rather than God. Like in Judges 8:22-23 it says, "Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” Their problem was they honored man rather than God. There are times when honoring someone is important, but in this situation God needs to be honored only. Instead of honoring God, they shifted that honor to Gideon. When God rescues me from a situation, honor Him and no one else.  

I don't think God expects us to only honor Him. But in this situation, honoring Him was very important. 

After Gideon has torn down the altar of Baal - the leaders of that region are angry and they have vengeance in mind for Gideon. In verse 33, "Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel." They are mobilizing themselves. They are getting ready for battle. Gideon tore down the altar - he took away the Midianites god, as directed by the Lord (3:25-26). 

As they are preparing for battle, in verse 34, "So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon." The literal meaning of 'coming upon' is 'clothed.' -- The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon or put a garment over himself on Gideon. The Spirit takes possession of Gideon. Like putting my trench coat on, the Spirit of the Lord comes over me and envelopes me. That phrase, "Spirit of the Lord" when I do a search on it started in Judges. That exact wording originated in Judges and then appears in 1 Samuel and Isaiah and Jesus quotes the phrase in Luke in addressing how he has been anointed to preach the gospel.

God shows Gideon through signs that He is with him and now He is showing Himself further by the Spirt of the Lord being upon him. God sends signs and God also send His Spirit to help us, comfort us, confirm Himself to us. 

The trumpet for thousands of years were delivered to the cavalry and to infantry to deliver instructions. Buglers guided and positioned combatants to with calls communicating "skirmishers forward" or "charge" or "retreat." It was important to hear the bugle accurately. 

Paul mentions this in I Corinthians 14:7-9, "Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air."

It is important for our communication to be clear. With Gideon, the bugle noise brought many people to gather together. 

Gideon blows his trumpet and thousands of people assemble. Gideon is building reinforcement. It is a normal practice. The enemy brings many to the forefront and in response, we do the natural thing and believe we need to have the same number. Verse 34 and 35 says, "he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them." Chapter 7, verse 3 states that 22,000 people came forward. Eventually, God will reduce this number to 300 (verse 7). God wants to be present and show his power in our lives. But he also wants obedience. 

In verse 36, "Then Gideon said to God, “If You will..." Didn't someone say to Jesus, "If you are willing...." Like the Leper. It is okay for us to be honest. Gideon was afraid, but God still used him. I am comforted by the fact that God uses us and pursues us always even when we act in ways that are not the best. I wonder if God is really going to work and so I came to him with questions. 

Could it be possible that this is an okay way to approach God? - "If you will..." 

John Calvin wrote in 1536 "Institutes of the Christian Religion": 

"But, someone will say, does God not know, even without being reminded, both in what respect we are troubled and what is expedient for us, so that it may seem in a sense superfluous that he should be stirred up by our prayers—as if he were drowsily blinking or even sleeping until he is aroused by our voice? But they who thus reason do not observe to what end the Lord instructed his people to pray, for he ordained it not so much for his own sake as for ours. Now he wills—as is right—that his due be rendered to him, in the recognition that everything men desire and account conducive to their own profit comes from him, and in the attestation of this by prayers. But the profit of this sacrifice also, by which he is worshiped, returns to us. Accordingly, the holy fathers, the more confidently they extolled God’s benefits among themselves and others, were the more keenly aroused to pray. . . .

Still it is very important for us to call upon him: First, that our hearts may be fired with a zealous and burning desire ever to seek, love, and serve him, while we become accustomed in every need to flee to him as to a sacred anchor (We need to need him). Secondly, that there may enter our hearts no desire and no wish at all of which we should be ashamed to make him a witness, while we learn to set all our wishes before his eyes, and even to pour out our whole hearts (what I want should be what he wants). Thirdly, that we be prepared to receive his benefits with true gratitude of heart and thanksgiving, benefits that our prayer reminds us come from his hand (Lord, I surrender to you today, help me to accept what you provide)."

The Fleece wasn't the real miracle. The miracle was God delivering his people through only 300 men. The fleece was God confirming to Gideon once again his working. 

There is nothing we need to be afraid to ask God. It is not important that we get what we ask for; what is important is that we ask. We are to continually ask God. And it is normal to ask God to work even after he says he will work. "Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken." 

We need to know. 

Summary: Gideon needs God once again to confirm Himself to him. He requests again confirmation that He will do what He has said He will do. 

Promise: It is normal to ask God for confirmation that He will work. But His word confirms all we need to know. All prayers are an answer to prayer. 

Prayer: God, you are great. This passage reminds me of how much much I need to talk to you. It reminds me of how I need to talk to you more and more about everything going on in my life, to the point that everything I do should be a prayer request. All my activities should be an opportunity to pray, to speak to you. It is okay that I ask "if" your will to be done. This is fine for me to ask. 

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