Judges 6:11-32
A man of Israel, named Gideon, was threshing out grain at his father’s place. There were no machines for separating grain as now, and small amounts were often done by beating the dry heads of the grain with a stick called a flail. But such work was usually done in an open place where the wind would carry off the chaff, but Gideon was working among trees and vines, to keep the grain hid from the enemies, who were camped not far away, and who watched to take any grain or food they could from the people of Israel.
While Gideon was working, all Angel of tile Lord came and sat under a tree, and spoke to him saying, “‘The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” Which meant that Gideon was strong and brave.
Gideon asked why the Lord let the enemies trouble them so greatly, for he had heard the wonders God had done for them in years before, which shows Gideon believed in God’s power.
Then the Angel of God told him that he should go and save Israel. Gideon did not think himself a great enough person to lead Israel. But he was told that the Lord would help him. Gideon wanted to serve food to the Angel, and went for meat and bread, which the Angel told hire hi put on a rock. Then the Angel touched it with His staff and fire came out of the rock and it was burned as a sacrifice to God. Then the Angel of God disappeared. This made Gideon afraid, but God spoke to him to “Fear not.”
On this same farm, or land, of Gideon’s father there was an altar to an idol, called Baal, with a grove of trees around it, and his family and others of Israel came there to worship. “Although they knew the great care God had given them, they were bowing to idols, the same as their heathen neighbors which was foolish and dishonest, for they knew the idols could help no one.
That same night the Lord. told Gideon to throw down the idol-altar and cut down the trees (which they seem to have worshiped and which were also to hide their sin).
Gideon obeyed God: taking ten servants to help, he broke clown the altar and cut off the trees.
In the morning the men who had worshiped the idol, saw their altar broken and the trees cut. They were very angry, but Gideon’s father told them to let the idol “plead”, or save itself. So he was not sorry the altar was spoiled.
After the idols were destroyed, then the Lord told Gideon how to deliver Israel from the enemy. But God could not use Gideon to help as long as idols were worshiped at his own home (Read Psa. 115:3-10).
ML 07/03/1938