What was happening with Israel when God called Gideon?

When God called Gideon, Israel was in a hard place. They had turned from God and worshiped the gods of the land. Because of this, God allowed the Midianites and their allies to oppress them for seven years. These enemies would come at harvest time, ruin the crops, and take the animals, so the people hid in caves and were very poor and afraid. Only after they cried out to the Lord did God answer, first by sending a prophet to expose their sin, and then by raising up Gideon as a deliverer.

Who is Gideon in this passage and why is he important?

Gideon is a man from the clan of Abi-ezer in the tribe of Manasseh. He sees himself as weak and from a poor family, yet God chooses him to save Israel from the Midianites. When we first meet him, he is secretly threshing wheat to hide it from the enemy. God calls him a “mighty man of valour” and promises to be with him. Gideon’s story shows how God often uses those who feel small and afraid, and gives them strength for His work.

What does Gideon’s altar called Jehovah-shalom mean?

After Gideon realized he had been speaking with the angel of the Lord, he was terrified, thinking he would die for seeing such a messenger face to face. But God spoke peace to him, saying, “Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” In response, Gideon built an altar and called it “Jehovah-shalom,” which means “The LORD is peace.” It marks the moment God calmed his fear and assured him of His favor. In the middle of fear and danger, God Himself became Gideon’s peace.

Why did God tell Gideon to tear down his father’s altar of Baal?

God told Gideon to tear down his father’s altar of Baal and cut down the grove beside it because Israel’s real problem was not just Midian, but their idolatry. Before leading the nation into battle, Gideon had to deal with false worship at home. God also told him to build an altar to the LORD on that spot and offer a bull using the wood of the grove. This showed that the Lord alone was God. Gideon did it at night because he was afraid, but he still obeyed, and God protected him.

What is the meaning of Gideon’s new name Jerubbaal?

After Gideon tore down Baal’s altar, the men of the city wanted him put to death. His father Joash defended him, saying that if Baal were really a god, he could defend himself and plead against the one who broke his altar. Because of this, Gideon was called Jerubbaal, which means something like “Let Baal contend” or “Let Baal plead.” The name is a reminder that Baal did nothing, showing he was powerless, while the true God was the one who called and protected Gideon.

Why did Gideon ask God for signs with the fleece?

Gideon had already heard God’s promise and even seen fire come from the rock to consume his offering, yet he still felt weak and unsure. He asked for the fleece signs to be sure that God would really save Israel through him, just as God had said. First he asked for dew only on the fleece, then for dew only on the ground. God kindly answered both requests. This shows Gideon’s fear and slowness to trust, but also God’s patient mercy in giving him extra assurance for the hard task ahead.

What does this passage teach about God’s response to sin and repentance?

This passage shows that God takes sin seriously and that turning from Him leads to real loss and suffering, as seen in Israel’s seven years of oppression and poverty under Midian. Yet it also shows that when God’s people cry out to Him, He hears. He does not only remove trouble, He first exposes the sin through His word, then brings help through the deliverer He chooses. God is just in using hardship to wake His people up, but He is also very patient and ready to show mercy when they turn back to Him.

Judg.6.1

Judges 6:1

Q: Why did God send a prophet before raising up Gideon?

God sent a prophet first to remind Israel why they were suffering. The prophet told them how God brought them out of Egypt, freed them from bondage, drove out their enemies, and gave them the land. God had said, “I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites,” but the people had not obeyed His voice. This message showed that their trouble was not just bad luck, but the result of turning from God. Before deliverance, God wanted their hearts and minds corrected.

KJV

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

Midian Oppresses Israel

1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.

7 ¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites,

8 That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

10 And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

The Call of Gideon

11 ¶ And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

19 ¶ And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

21 ¶ 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.

22 And when Gideon perceived 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.

23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon Destroys Baal’s Altar

25 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

28 ¶ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

The Sign of the Fleece

33 ¶ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

34 But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

36 ¶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Cross References

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