Who is Gideon?
When we find out whom Gideon is we will find out a lot about faith and the trustworthiness of the LORD God. The LORD is faithful and true to His children. We see that the children of Israel once again have gone on doing what they wanted to do and worshiped false gods. We need to take a look at our life and make sure we are not worshiping false gods in our lives. The LORD is faithful and trustworthy to His children; we need to also be faithful and trustworthy to the LORD. Judges 6:1-24
The children of Israel had started sinning greatly against the LORD God and was worshipping idols and doing all kinds of sins against the LORD. The LORD God delivered the children of Israel into the hands of the Midian to rule over them for seven years.
The Midianites were descendants of Abraham and lived among them for 40 years. Midian was located principally in the desert north of the Arabian Peninsula. This is the land to which Moses went when he fled from Pharaoh.
Every time the children of Israel would plant their crops the Midianites would come and destroy their crops. Because of this the children of Israel was forced to make their camps dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.
Here are the children of Israel still sinning against the LORD God. They were being ruled by the Midianites. The Amalekites, who dwelled in the valley of southern Canaan and was descendants of Esau, and the people of the east also came up and were against them. They destroyed their crops until they came into Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel not sheep, ox or donkeys.
These people came up with their cattle and their tents, and there were a multitude that came and entered into the land and they destroyed the land. The children of Israel were greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; the children of Israel had to cry unto the LORD.
The LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel and said unto them; “The LORD God of Israel, brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land; And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but you have not obeyed my voice.”
The LORD God often used angels to communicate with the children of Israel. This was no difference the LORD sent and angel who sat under an oak tree where a man named Gideon was threshing wheat by the winepress, to hid it from the Midianites.
The angel of the LORD appeared unto Gideon, and said unto him, The LORD is with you. Then the angel of the LORD called Gideon a mighty man of valor. A mighty man of valor was a mighty warrior who was strong.
Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? Gideon wanted to know where all his miracles which their fathers told them about. Gideon was sad because the children of Israel felt that the LORD had forsaken them and delivered them into the hands of the Midianites.
The angel of the LORD ignored the questions of Gideon and told him to go save Israel with the strength he had. The LORD had sent Gideon to save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Even when Gideon told the angel of the LORD he was from a poor family and he was the least important in his family the LORD said that He would be with Gideon and he shall smite the Midianites as one man.
Gideon questioned the LORD and asked for a sign that the LORD really talked with him. Gideon asked the angel of the LORD not to go until he could present him a gift offering. Gideon made a goat and unleavened cake (this is a dough that has not risen). Gideon put the flesh in a basket and the broth in a pot and took it to the angel under the oak tree and presented it to him.
The angel of God said unto Gideon to take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
Then Gideon got it he knew that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: you shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:22-24).
What Can This Story Teach Us?
Gideon did what so many of us do. He questioned the LORD God and asked for a sign. That is a lack of faith in the LORD and in our self when we question and need to have proof.
Gideon was silly to have a lack of faith and test the LORD God. Gideon knew about his people being taken out of the bondage of the Egyptians, he knew about the 10 pledges, the parting of the Red Sea, and he knew about the battle of Jericho. One would think that would be enough proof of the trustworthiness of the LORD.
It is sad that in our times of troubles, especially when we cannot control the situation, we forget about all the miracles and the greatness that the LORD had done for us. We forget to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was alive, walked this earth, was crucified, died and was buried. The most important for us to never forget is Jesus was Resurrected and Ascended up into heaven to sit on the right hand of God the Father.
Name me one other person in your life that has given up their life for you. How much more does it take for you to be faithful to the LORD God? What more of a sign or proof is needed for the LORD God to prove His trustworthiness?
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Who is Gideon?.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1943,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Who is Gideon?.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1943,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Who is Gideon?.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1943, (accessed).
