Judges 6:25-40
Reading
That night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the sacred pole that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt-offering with the wood of the sacred pole that you shall cut down.’ So Gideon took ten of his servants, and did as the Lord had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it by night. When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred pole beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. So they said to one another, ‘Who has done this?’ After searching and inquiring, they were told, ‘Gideon son of Joash did it.’ Then the townspeople said to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole beside it.’ But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, ‘Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? 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 pulled down.’ Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, ‘Let Baal contend against him’, because he pulled down his altar. Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them. Then Gideon said to God, ‘In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.’ And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.’ And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Reflection
The story of Gideon starts to get complicated and we discover that he comes from a family who worship the Canaanite god Baal and not the God of Israel. Gideon shows his allegiance to God but also his fear of his family; and his replacement of their religious site with an altar to God (constructed overnight) is interpreted in a way that gives rise to his alternative name, Jerubbaal.
It seems that two ancient traditions, one about Gideon being faithful to God and another where he is representative of those who ‘did what was evil in the sight of the Lord’ (2:11 etc) have been merged together to illustrate how fickle faith can be.
Inspired by God (v.34) Gideon sets out on his mission to deliver Israel from the enemy and he co-opts the tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali in support; but his lack of faith resurfaces again. He wants proof of God’s presence and power and asks for a sign involving a fleece. What he asks the first time proves nothing – the fleece would obviously retain moisture longer than the surrounding ground; so he has to ask again, for the opposite outcome and God obliges.
Does the narrator want us to realise how stupid Gideon was, inadequate to do God’s work? Or are we being reminded how often we get in a muddle about what we ask of God, or others, when we feel overwhelmed, pressured, out of our depth?
In the story God allows Gideon to realise his mistake and to ask again for a sign that would offer proof. God doesn’t chastise him for asking, even though it was quite unnecessary as God’s spirit had already been bestowed on him. We can take comfort from knowing that God is patient and gentle with us whenever our faith wobbles; and always willing to provide reassurance when we ask for it.
Prayer
Gracious God,
we live in a world
where many seek after you through non-Christian religious traditions.
Help us to respect their faith
and to strive alongside them in the causes of justice and peace.
We pray for all who live in interfaith families,
especially for Christian converts,
who may struggle in mixed faith families.
Strengthen them by your Spirit
that they might live their faith with integrity and grace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.