(excerpt from our book, Questions from the God Who Needs No Answers)
Looking at Judges 6:1-29
The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
—Judges 6:14
Did you have a nickname when you were growing up? Whether you care to acknowledge that or not might depend on whether you had a nice nickname or a derogatory one. Children can be brutal when it comes to labeling their peers. Names that lend themselves to rhyming are quickly targeted (Lyin’ Ryan); people that have—shall we say, “noticeable features”—are saddled with constant painful reminders (Bigfoot Becky), and those with names that suggest other objects don’t appreciate their peers’ creativity (guys named John don’t stand a chance!).
Hopefully, your parents counter-balanced any unpleasant nicknames from your peers by using positive labels in your home, ones that affirmed your gifts and encouraged you to develop those abilities for God as you grew older. One of our sons has always been incredibly service-oriented and loves to help others; we repeatedly praised him for that and emphasized how God would use that quality when he became an adult. Now he’s using that desire to help in numerous ways in his church and community. Our other son demonstrated empathetic sensitivity to the plights of others, even as a small child. Today he uses that gift as he prepares to practice law in a courtroom, viewing his work with clients as a ministry in which he helps hurting people change their lives.
If for some reason you didn’t grow up with encouraging and positive labels from your parents, however, then take heart and hear this: God the Father (abba, Father!) views you as his very own child, and his nicknames for you include only labels of love. If you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior, God considers you his fully adopted son or daughter, with all the benefits and privileges of being his child. And because of what Jesus Christ did in your stead, God’s labels for you now include holy, washed, righteous and gifted, which means he’s given you abilities to complete the tasks he has called you to do.
Evidently, Gideon needed a boost from God too, an encouraging word to begin the awesome task that God had called him to. Though we have several signs that Gideon was not known initially for his bravery, courage, inspired incentive, or fighting skills in battle, he was labeled a “mighty warrior” by the Angel of the Lord, who was again Jesus in pre-incarnate form (Judges 6:12). As a matter of fact, the very first words that Jesus uttered to Gideon are full of support, encouragement, and love, for he greeted him with “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”
Let’s discover how God’s question to Gideon asks us to remember who we really are.
For Reflection
Can you recall some of your friends’ nicknames when you were in school? Did you have a nickname? Why do you think you called others by nicknames? How did that make you feel?
The Israelites constantly repeated this cycle: 1) they turned from God to worship the idols of the pagan people whose land they occupied; 2) God allowed those pagan tribes to make their lives miserable; 3) the Israelites cried out to God to save them; 4) they eventually repented and lived under a godly leader for a period of time only to 5) repeat the cycle again by worshipping idols. No wonder God’s anger would burn against his chosen people! As we view history from this perspective, it’s amazing that God graciously rescued and forgave the Israelites time after time.
At the time of this story, Israel was currently in the down side of their recurring pattern: they were worshiping the idols of the Midianites and therefore were under judgment. In fact, the text tell us that the “Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country…ruined the crops…and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys” (Judges 6:3-4). At this point of desperation, the Israelites “cried out to the Lord for help” (verse 6), but we find no evidence that they were repentant in their plea. They wanted rescue, not judgment for their sins.
In response, God first sent a prophet to his wayward people, and this unnamed messenger delivered a statement that was certainly not new to the Israelites: “I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live” (6:10a). The prophet finished with the sad summation from God, “But you have not listened to me” (6:10b). What a heartbreaking indictment for any people to be guilty of, let alone God’s chosen!
At this point God began actively putting his plan into action. Jesus, described again as the angel of the Lord, “came and sat down under the oak…where Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress” (verse 11). Gideon’s threshing in the winepress might indicate that there was very little wheat to thresh because of the Midianites’ ravaging the land. And it’s clear from the text that he also was concerned that the Midianites might discover what he was doing, so he elected to thresh in the more protected and hidden area of the winepress.
Can’t you just picture the scene? Jesus sat under a tree as he leisurely watched Gideon separate the wheat from the chaff. Gideon, intent on finishing the task, probably continued working until the visitor’s startling greeting grabbed his attention. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (6:12b). For such a short sentence, that salutation is packed with meaning! It’s important that we take special note of one of Jesus’ word choices. When he said “with you,” the word you is singular, indicating that he was not referring to the entire nation of Israel; instead, he was speaking to Gideon personally.
Though Gideon would ignore and parry that explicit reference by asking, “If the Lord is with us [emphasis ours], why has all this happened to us?” (verse 13), his deflection wasn’t about to put off the Lord’s call. God is never distracted or diverted by our attempts to deviate from his will. (Just ask Jonah!)
For Reflection
Through the voice of his prophet, God recounts the many ways he has rescued Israel (Judges 6:7-10). List those and then compare: how many requirements did the Lord demand in return? What did he ask of his chosen people above all else?
Once again it appears that a sinful people—a people who clearly caused the consequences that came upon them—refused to take responsibility for their actions. In verse 13, how does Gideon claim not only the Israelites’ innocence, but also God’s culpability for the Midianites’ rule over them?
Reluctant Hero
After Gideon finished complaining, the conversation seemed to move to a different level. Either Gideon had continued to work while he listed out his grievances in verse 13—which meant that maybe he hadn’t yet had eye contact with the angel of the Lord—or Jesus purposefully moved into Gideon’s line of sight to emphasize what he was about to say next. Whatever actually occurred at this time, one fact is clear: Jesus now acted and spoke with authority. His “Go!” was no suggestion; it was a command.
The singular form of the word you that was used in verse 12 (“the Lord is with you”) is used again in this part of their dialogue. When the Lord told Gideon to “Go in the strength you have” (verse 14), he was referring to his presence in Gideon’s life. God was telling Gideon very clearly that he would be strong because God is strong and would be right at his side. Certainly, to be sent on a mission to fight against Midian’s army is one thing; to be sent into battle with Almighty God at one’s side is another matter entirely!
We might assume that when the Lord then commissioned Gideon for service, he would use the imperative again. “Go, for I am sending you!” would have been the most logical charge from God to his servant. That’s probably what Gideon would have expected to come from God also. Or we might assume that he’d choose a simple declaration: “I am sending you.” But God used this occasion to ask yet another rhetorical question. That one short query would call Gideon to evaluate where he’d started, where he was going, and withwhom.
It’s no surprise that the sudden turn of this conversation caused Gideon to back pedal pretty quickly! Whether his response—“My clan is the weakest…and I am the least in my family” (verse 15)—was due to fear, humility, or reality was not important to the Lord. He quickly disregarded that because, as he reminded Gideon yet again, “I will be with you” (verse 16).
Still, Gideon continued his back pedaling by asking for proof: “If I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me” (verse 17). After the Lord reassured Gideon that he would wait for his return, Gideon hurried off to prepare a meal for his guest.
When Gideon returned with food, he probably didn’t expect his visitor to touch his staff to the meat and bread and cause the food to burst into flames. Once the fire had consumed the meal, the Lord disappeared. Gideon’s tone and response—“Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”—confirmed that he then understood who his visitor had been. He even expected to die because he had seen the Lord face to face.
However, before Gideon could even articulate his fears—or maybe list excuses again?—the Lord informed him that he would not die. With further reassurances of “Peace! Do not be afraid” (verse 23; apparently the Lord spoke to Gideon but did not appear physically before him this time), Gideon built an altar, naming it “The Lord Is Peace.”
Gideon had been affirmed, called, sent, and provided with proof. Was the reluctant mighty warrior finally prepared to go to battle?
Maybe not.
For Reflection
In two direct statements (“the Lord is with you” and “I will be with you”) and in two more subtle ways (“Go in the strength you have” and “Am I not sending you?”), God reassured Gideon that he would be at his side. In light of that, why do you think Gideon still asked for proof?
Gideon asked the Lord to stay until he brought him an offering. Why do you think the Lord directed Gideon to put the meat and bread on a rock, pouring out the broth?
Why do you think Gideon named the location of the altar “The Lord Is Peace”? What might that tell us about what Gideon was feeling?
God instructed Gideon to use the cut-up Asherah pole as fuel for offering a sacrifice—to God himself. Also, the sacrificed bull was to come from no other source but Joash’s own herd. What significance might those two intentional acts have had for the Israelites? What did they say about God’s power?
To Test a Warrior’s Courage
The issue at the very heart of Israel’s problems was not the Midianites themselves, but how the rebellious Israelites worshiped the Midianites’ gods. Therefore, before coming to the rescue of his people once more, God first demanded that they destroy the representation of their sin: the altar to Baal. Ironically, it was Gideon’s own father Joash who had built this altar. On the night of the Lord’s visit to Gideon, God’s command to “Tear down your father’s altar…and cut down the Asherah pole” (verse 25) would obviously present a significant challenge for Gideon.
Yet Gideon did indeed destroy the altar as God told him to. In verse 27, we read that “Gideon took ten of his servants” with him and also “did it at night rather than in the daytime” because he was afraid of what his family and the townspeople might do. Before we fault Gideon for acting cowardly, it’s important to note that 1) the altar to Baal would have been very large, so having ten servants help was probably necessary, and 2) if he had attempted this during the day, the people would most likely have stopped him from completing the task. Rather than being a coward who was paralyzed by his fear, Gideon courageously acted in a way that allowed him to do what the Lord asked him to do. And remember again, this altar belonged to his father. What was an intimidating task in the first place took on even greater significance when that dilemma was added in!
If you continue reading about Gideon, you’ll discover that he did become all that the Lord originally said of him: with “the Spirit of the Lord upon [him]” (Judges 6:33), Gideon summoned the tribes and eventually led them to defeat their enemies, the Midianites. Do you suppose the rhetorical question “Am I not sending you?” echoed through his mind as he led the Israelites into battle? Could it be that its deeper meaning encouraged him, granting the courage that he needed? Would he not hear the constant reminder from God in that one simple question that affirms, “I’m sending you, I’m empowering you, I’m right here with you”? Through the story of Gideon, we witness God’s amazing faithfulness: he kept his promises through his strength and a human servant.
Last Reflections
The Lord verbally reminded Gideon four times that he would be with him. He doesn’t often speak with us in that way today, but we do have the Holy Spirit living within us, providing his presence at all times. Can you think of an experience—maybe it was an unusual or trying situation—when the Holy Spirit assured you of his presence? Can you recall a time when God miraculously reminded you of his care, direction, or guidance?
Because God views us through the work of Jesus Christ, we stand before him justified. Since God sees that as already completed, he saw Gideon’s potential as reality when he first greeted him. In other words, God perceived Gideon as a mighty warrior even before Gideon became one. What potential in you might God already see as reality?
You don’t need to lead a nation into battle, travel to another country as a missionary, or practice ministry vocationally to be called by God. Since your gifts are evidence of his calling on your life—and you’re to use them in your home, church, community and workplace—how does God ask you, “Am I not sending you?” How does that rhetorical question affect your view of your gifts and calling?
God’s question implies, “Since I am sending you, trust in my ability to do what I’ve called you to do.” When God calls you to do something, do you ever find yourself offering excuses about your ability and background, as Gideon did? What does your response reveal about how you view God?
The strength of your calling is based on the fact that he is the one to authorize your going. Others may affirm that calling—family, friends, mentors, churches—but God is the One who sends with authority. How does that knowledge affect your determination to do his will?