God Raises Up Gideon Part 4 - Judges 6:11-32

Let’s read Judges 6:25-27, “That night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.’ So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar. ”

Our text begins with these words, ‘That night the LORD said to him...’.  I would guess that Gideon did not sleep well on this particular night. In verse 27 we read that this ‘word’ provoked fear in Gideon and his fears were not misplaced because when Gideon obeys the towns people want to kill him. (6:30)

Let’s begin by considering the words, ‘That night...’. Like a conjunction these words should make us look back to see what had happened that day. In Judges 6:11-24 we discover that a lot had happened that day. That day that the LORD had called to Gideon to be a judge in Israel. Even as this was happening the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the east were crossing over the Jordan to plunder Israel again for the seventh time. (6:33)

In Judges 6:11 we discover that earlier that day the LORD had sat down under a terebinth tree while Gideon was separating the wheat from the chaff in a wine press. One does not normally do this task in a wine press but for the last seven years Gideon had learned to hide from Israel’s enemies. (6:2-5)

The angel of the LORD had come because He had heard the cries of His people and He intends to deliver them. He has already sent a prophet to them (6:7-10) and now He is raising up Gideon to deliver them. (6:7-11) Gideon is the son of Joash and it appears that he was somewhat successful even under these difficult circumstances because he still has land, oxen, and servants.

Note: Even if Joash had some success during this difficult time Gideon still confesses that his clan is the weakest in Manasseh and that his family is the weakest among that tribe. Despite this Gideon is to be Israel’s judge. Gideon’s confession reminds me of the circumstances regarding Jesus. First, Jesus would be born in the small town of Bethlehem which was an insignificant town in Judah. (Micah 5:2) Secondly, Jesus grew up in a despised area in Israel called Nazareth. (John 1:46) Few thought that a great leader would arise from such places, however, Jesus is the Savior of the World. (Matthew 2:6)

We can draw several more parallels between Gideon and Jesus. Parallel#1: Because the people have cried out to the LORD He is going to deliver them from their misery and suffering. (8:28) Similarly, Jesus will come into this world of sin, misery, and suffering to deliver those who call to Him and give them peace and rest. This world suffers under Satan’s rule because he has only one managerial philosophy: to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus, however, came to give His people life. (John 10:10)

Parallel#2: Jesus Christ is raising up Gideon but one day Jesus Himself w come to deliver His people from indwelling sin, sin in the world, and Satan. However, long before this happens He comes to Gideon and promises Him success because He will be with Him. The LORD has always been at work saving His people when they call to Him: past, present, and into the future.

Parallel#3: The work that Jesus did for His Father is similar to the work that Gideon is doing for his father. In Matthew 3:11-12 John the Baptist says, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Gideon is an illustration of Jesus who will separate the wheat and the chaff. Gideon does his work secretly but Jesus does His work openly on the threshing floor. (Mt. 3:12) Jesus ministered openly, suffered before everyone, and He made a public spectacle of His enemies. (Col. 2:15)

The angel of the LORD said to Gideon in 6:12, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor”. Gideon responds by giving voice to the difficulty of his day, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (13) After this reply we read these words, “And the LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?’” (14)

I find verse 14 very interesting when we read, “And the LORD turned to him and said...”. Earlier in verse 12 we read, “And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said to him…”. Now in verse 14 we are told, “And the LORD turned to him…”. These words in v. 14 will climax in v. 22 when Gideon says, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” After Gideon speaks this way the LORD draws near, turns toward him, approaches him, and sets His gaze upon him.

Observation#1: Gideon does not know that he was speaking with the LORD and he accused the LORD of having forsaken His people! How will the LORD respond? The LORD does not turn away, lash out, or strike Gideon down. Instead, the LORD turns towards Gideon and says, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” God’s mercy, grace, and patience towards us is remarkable.

This is a reminder that we should not be surprised if the LORD draws close to us in moments like this. Like Peter, we fail our LORD but He comes and restores us. (John 21:15-19) Consider Paul, he was breathing out threats and murder against Jesus’ disciples, but the LORD cane and saved him. (Acts 9:1) Paul would be His chosen instrument. The LORD is more gracious than we realize. (Eph. 3:14-21)

The LORD comes seeking to save us while we were still dead in our trespasses and sins. He initiates a relationship with us when we are still rebels against Him. The LORD has worked salvation for us even when there was no one righteous, no one who understood, and no one who was seeking after Him. We have all turned aside; together we have become worthless; no one did good, not even one. (Romans 3:10-18) Despite all of these things the LORD comes to save us so that we can have peace with God. (Ephesians 2:17) Jesus did not come for the healthy but for the sick. (Mt. 9:12-13)

Observation#2: The closest cross reference in the scriptures to Judges 6:14, The LORD turned to him, is in Luke 22:61 which records the moment when Peter denied the LORD for the third time, “And the LORD turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the LORD, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’”

When Peter did this Jesus had every reason to not notice. Jesus had been taken to the courtyard of the High Priest where He was being mocked, struck, and wrongfully accused. (22:63) While these things were happening Jesus turned and looked at Peter when he had denied Him for a third time. As Jesus did this Peter remembered what the LORD told him and he was moved deeply and wept.

I wonder if something similar happens to Gideon when the LORD looks upon him in this moment? Gideon still does not know who he is talking to; however, as this process plays out Gideon will have his eyes opened to see many things.

• In verse 12 the LORD appears to Gideon and begins to talk to him.

• In verse 14 the LORD turns to him, looks at him, draws near.

• In verse 18 the LORD patiently waits for Gideon to get his gift and in verse 21 the fire consumes the gift and Gideon now knows who he has been talking to. (22)

• Gideon now knows his life is in peril because he has seen the LORD. (Isaiah 6:2) But the LORD accepts his sacrifice, saying, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” (23)

• Application: Is this not how God deals with us? The LORD comes to us, draws near to us, and remains by us because the LORD has accepted a sacrifice on our behalf- Jesus Christ.

Jumping back up to verse 14 we see that when Gideon is called he is more aware of his weaknesses than of the grace of God. In verse 15 Gideon says, “Please, LORD how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

• Gideon confesses his personal doubt, “Please, LORD how can I save Israel?”.

• Gideon confesses the weakness of his clan, “Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh”.

• Gideon confesses he is the weakest in his house, “and I am the least in my father’s house.”

In response the LORD says, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (16; 2 Cor.12:9) There are two comforts in these words. First, Gideon will not do this alone because the LORD will be with him. Secondly, God will raise up other men and they will go fourth as one man to defeat their enemy.

In verses 17-24 we see Gideon ask the LORD to remain there while he prepares an offering. When Gideon brings it the LORD has Gideon put it on a rock and then the LORD touches it with His staff and the offering is consumed. Gideon is overcome with fear (22) but the LORD says to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”

In this review we have just seen that a lot of remarkable things happened to Gideon on this particular day before the LORD speaks to Him that night. In the end, Gideon has been called and he was given peace with God. In other words, the anger and wrath of God which was against Gideon because of the evil that Israel was doing in His sight had been forgiven. (6:1)

Think back to verses 7-10 when the LORD sends a prophet to Israel. We were not told how the people responded; instead, we are told how this played out in the life of Gideon. Could it be that in Judges 6:7-24 is an illustration of what happens when a person is justified, saved, born again, and regenerated?

The LORD comes to us while we are hiding from Him in our sin, the LORD turns to us and reveals Himself to us more and more, as this happens we see our sin and realize our need for a substitute, a sacrifice, a Savior. The LORD provides this in Jesus Christ and believers are given peace.

Astonishingly, after reading these things we discover that all of this happens before Gideon has done anything to remove the idolatry from his own house. What grace and mercy! If Judges 6:11-24 is an illustration of justification then what we will see next is an illustration of what sanctification looks like in a believer. Judges 6:25-32 can provide us with some things to consider regarding sanctification.

First, notice that sanctification is a result of justification and being at peace with God. We are not justified because we have set ourselves apart from sin and worldliness, but having been saved by grace we are set apart from sin and worldliness. (Romans 5:1-5, 10-11)

Second, notice that sanctification begins immediately after a person is justified and it is to continue throughout ones life. Judges 6:25 begins with these words, “That night the LORD said to him…”. On this particular day Gideon might be tempted to say, “Well, I’ve experienced enough for one day.”, but the LORD does not waste any time and He speaks that evening to Gideon and gives him a sanctification project to wok on, “My anger is gone, I’ve given you peace, now the idols must be torn down and I alone am to be worshiped.”

Third, notice that sanctification begins at home and then it moves out from there. (25) The LORD says to Gideon, “Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it…”. When sanctification is required at home it can be a difficult thing to do. The LORD tells Gideon to take his fathers animals and tear down his place of idolatry. Hopefully there are many good things Mindy and I have taught our kids, however, I know there are a few things they will need to tear down.

Fourth, notice that sanctification does not just tear down idolatry but it also worships the LORD in its place. We read in verse 26, “...and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.”

Fifth, faith responds to the Word of the LORD and it obeys even in the face of danger, “So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.” (27, 30)

Sixth, our personal sanctification effects others. Some will rejoice in our sanctification and defend it but others will despise our sanctification, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” (30) When this happens the LORD will defend and protects His people.

Seven, Gideon is afraid to obey the Word of the LORD in the daytime. (6:27) Gideon obeys the LORD but this fear will need to be addressed. Later in Gideon’s life he will have another opportunity to deal with public idolatry but he fails to do it. (Judges 8:27) We must always endeavor to continue to grow in our faith and obedience to God. If we fail to do this there can have terrible consequences as we will see in Gideon’s life.