‘And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him (Gideon) and said to him, “the LORD is with you, O mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12).

I think it’s in the fourth Indiana Jones movie that Harrison Ford, who plays Indiana Jones, says “I guess it’s the same old same old.” That means Steven Spielberg, the director, is going to treat us to a plot that defies logic, action that never ceases for a second and a man who is supposed to be a well respected archaeologist, but spends most of the time wielding a bullwhip and killing people! Well I guess Indiana Jones is a very conflicted and confused individual! However, it does tell us what to expect when it comes to the movie.

When we come to the start of Judges chapter 6  it’s a case of ‘same old same old.’  Once again, Israel has rebelled against the Lord and he has handed them over for judgement, this time at the hands of the Midianites, the Amalekite’s and the people of the east. They come on mass and proceed to trash the land for 7 years. So the Israelites have taken to hiding away in the hills. Not surprisingly, they cry out to the Lord and the Lord sends a prophet, who dutifully informs the people why they’re in the state they are in (vs1-10). The Lord had done everything for them but what thanks did he get? The people were unfaithful!

Yet, where we would wash our hands of the whole situation, God intervenes and comes to the rescue of his people. We can tell how desperate the situation is  as Gideon is hiding up in the hills and using a winepress to process wheat as well as to hide it from the Midianites. The Angel of the LORD’s greeting leaves Gideon a bit confused as his actions certainly don’t suggest those of a: ‘mighty man of valour’ (v12). His reply sums up the mindset of the Israelites at this time: “Please Sir, 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” (v13). Does the Lord has a sense of humour in the way he addresses Gideon, or does he see potential in Gideon, even if Gideon can’t see it in himself (vs14-16)?

Despite the Lord’s assurance, Gideon still needs convincing and insists a sign is required. So, after preparing a meal for his visitor (there’s no indication he knew who it was, he may have assumed it was a prophet), the Angel of the LORD touches it with the tip of his staff and it’s consumed by fire (vs17-21). Even more significant: ‘the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight’ (v21). This changes Gideon’s perspective on the whole thing and he is terrified as he realises no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:18-22)! Yet we immediately see God’s grace as Gideon is assured: “Peace be to you. Do not fear, you shall not die” (v23). Whatever else we might think about Gideon at this point, he makes the appropriate gesture by building an alter in recognition of God’s grace mercy towards him (v24).

But there’s still work to be done. It’s as if the Lord is saying to Gideon “you’ve seen what I can do, you’ve seen that you’ve been spared, now trust me and follow my instructions.” But what the Lord now asks him to do is not likely to win friends and influence people. However, it’s making a powerful statement by returning Israel to the worship of the true God, as before he declares war on the Midianites, God is going to declare war on Baal!  Gideon complies by taking ten men: ‘to pull down the altar of Baal’ which his father had set up and ‘cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord’ (v25-26). That done, and the sacrifice one of his father’s bull’s later Gideon has accomplished his mission, even if he does it at night!

However, Gideon has succeeded in making a statement. When people wake up in the morning they’re incensed to find that the altar of Baal and the Asherah have been desecrated. After asking around they find out that it’s Gideon who’s done it. So, they go to his father Joash and ask him to hand his son over for punishment, in this case death! (vs 28-31).  However, it’s possible that Gideon’s action has got his father thinking. It must have cost time and money to set up an altar, yet Joash is having none of it when the men of the town demand his son’s life. Rather he responds: “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 alter has been broken down” (v31). In the end Gideon gets the nickname Jerubbaal due to his actions. Conclusion, sometimes the Lord blesses even the feeblest of our efforts on his behalf!

There’s no doubt that the apostle Paul demonstrated a great deal more faith than Gideon did at this particular point in this story. However, it’s interesting to note that when referring to the Lord’s grace (Something Gideon had experienced) he writes: ‘Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:11-12).