seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Judges 6:33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Don't be angry but I don't trust you... that's what Gideon was really saying.
I can appreciate where Gideon was coming from. Gideon had never met God before. No one Gideon knew had ever spoken with God, face to face before. Everyone was so regular. No one had conversations with God face to face.... but then again.... none of his friends, family, or acquaintances had a stick that could cook meat to a crisp either [Verse 21]. That would have been proof enough for me.... but this guy... nope....
This is from Bibletrack.org.
Who tore down our favorite altar to pagan gods...and where's Asherah? Gideon's neighbors are steamed; they want to kill Gideon, but Gideon's papa (Joash) has the best idea. If your god, Baal, is so supernatural, let him kill Gideon. That leads him to come up with a nickname for Gideon - Jerubbaal. It means "let Baal plead for himself." Hey...aren't nicknames supposed to be shorter than your real name? Practically speaking, when people called Gideon "Jerubbaal," they were calling him "Baal fighter." The Midianites call for reinforcements from the Amalekites and other "children of the east [of the Jordan River]" who subsequently cross over the Jordan and set up camp in the valley of Jezreel (15 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee). Gideon calls up troops from the Northern Tribes of Manasseh (his own tribe), Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. The stage is set for battle.
Gideon devises a test for God. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit - don't need a fleece. Gideon takes a fleece of wool and spreads it out on the ground in the open air; if God wants him to lead this battle, he should make the fleece wet with dew while the ground around remains dry. That's exactly what happens, but Gideon is not altogether satisfied. He requests that God reverse it the next night - dry fleece, wet ground. Bingo! That's it; he's convinced; we're going to battle!
Wet fleece is not a big deal in the morning.... when everything is covered in dew.... a dry fleece on wet ground... now that's controlling the atmosphere to the nth degree... right? Now that Gideon is satisfied... I think there is going to be a war.
