And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:14–15 (ESV)
This Angel was a theophany of God himself, an old testament appearance of Jesus.
In the previous verse Gideon displays his lack of understanding of Gods word as the oppression has come upon the people because they have forsaken the Lord again, but Gideon seems to blame God.
Gideon’s words may even be perceived as rude, God in his wisdom tells gideon to take the aggression and might behind his bold (rude) statement and put it to good effect.
We should not waste our God given energy and passion resisting or questioning God we should take it and use it for his purposes.
Use aggression, boldness, energy and passion for the Lord. This is only possible with a healthy understanding and appetite for God’s word. See Luke 10:27
But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. Judges 6:34 (ESV)
God appeared to Gideon and gave him the assurance that he would be with him and now in his amazing grace, despite Gideon’s doubt and fear God now extends his grace to his servant and clothes him with his Holy Spirit.
God graciously anoints us with his Holy Spirit for his purposes and work today too, God’s gift of the Holy Spirit is a wonderful and necessary grace. See 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 and 1 John 2:27
behold, I am laying 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 save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” Judges 6:37 (ESV)
Some see the laying of fleece before God as a good thing but it displays a fundamental lack of faith in God’s word and Holy Spirit.
Today’s society demands proof for everything, this is a result of worldviews of naturalism, secularisms and modernity. This refusal to believe God’s word for what it says has filtered into the church, resulting in a need to see miracles and divine manifestations before God is believed.
This is extremely problematic, the preoccupation with signs, wonders and tangible proofs as a prerequisite for belief and action is a serious spiritual problem. Our work and progression for the Lord can be delayed and inhibited.
This also displays an unwillingness to act on Gods word, which reveals immature faith and our inclination to disobey Gods word, which is why we demand additional assurances.
Let’s take God at his word today. See Matthew 12:39
When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. Judges 7:22 (ESV)
God arranged this that he alone could get the glory. God doesn’t need great armies to accomplish his purposes. We should stand and play our part, Gods purposes will be worked out and come to pass to his Glory and our benefit.
As we blow our trumpets of praise today the enemy will be sent into confusion.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5–8 (ESV)
This passage is one of the best to show us the humility of Christ, it speaks of the incarnation where The Word of God, who is eternal and was never created, he was equal with God, yet he emptied himself of his heavenly glory and privilege and became a man, but not just a man but a servant going as far as to die on the cross for our sins.
This is the great example for all of us, none of us are the eternal Son of God, so if he can humble himself thinking of others first then how much more should we abandon selfish ambition and look to the good of others seeing them more importantly than we see ourselves.
Humble, self sacrificing service is the mind of Christ we should all have.
Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. Psalm 66:5 (ESV)
God is awesome in his deeds, especially in the cross
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