Introduction – Why so much
detail? It doesn’t take long to realize
that if we do not consider the details in the literature of the Bible (the
second bull, seven years, dew upon fleece and a threshing floor) then we will
not do justice to the sacred text. In
fact, it is this passage that requires some extra meditation to make sure we
understand the nature of signs and the significance of God giving them.
Cleaning House First (vv25-27) – The
prophet who had come before made clear that the main problem for
Some of the
Details – It is his father’s property where the Baal
and Asherah are kept, so Gideon grew up in an
idolatrous home or in a divided home (Matt 6:24, 1 John 2:15-17). The second bull (maybe representing Gideon
and his family) is seven years old (seven years of oppression) is to be
sacrificed by using the wood of the idols and it is to be done publicly. Every connection between the outside
oppression and the internal idolatry is to be declared. Notice that Gideon is not chastised for his
fear of the mob and his decision to do this during the night – “Gideon…did
as the Lord said to him.” Apparently
obedience was required but heroism was optional (John 3:2,
Jerubaal
(vv28-32) – The next morning, everyone knows what happened. Lord Baal’s altar wrecked, Lady Asherah’s pole chopped into firewood, and Joash’s prize bull sacrificed as a sign of Jehovah’s
favor. Determining it was Gideon, they
demand that Joash turn over his son. But Joash, in
biting sarcasm, reveals that his household is now following Gideon and the
Lord. Then, his father renames him Jerubaal, the Baal-Fighter.
Shadows of The
Baal-Fighter – These delivering judges are types of our
great Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
On the cross, Christ made a mockery of all the false gods that lay a
claim over those He came to redeem (
An Anointed One (vv33-35) – The
Spirit is imparted to Gideon, which makes him a
messiah, an anointed one. The anointing
is literally “a clothing, a putting on.” Here we see also a pattern – a sacrifice for
sin and the gift of repentance, followed by the equipping of God’s people by
His Spirit to finish the work which was already definitively accomplished by
God in the sacrifice. Gideon is now
clothed as a new man, recreated after the image of God.
The Trumpet is
Sounded – This Spirit anointed man calls upon the
people of God to battle. The Midianites have come again, but this time God has sent
messengers who efficaciously gather the people back to Himself, back to the
battle at hand.
“Putting Out a Fleece” (vv36-40) – In
order to consider the prophetic meaning of these signs, it is important to keep
the context in mind. Gideon has faith in
God, but it is weak. There is a battle
about to take place between Jehovah (who has appeared to be weak) and Baal (who
has appeared to be strong). The Midianites are used to fighting; the Israelites to
hiding. It will take a miracle. Does Jehovah intervene in miraculous ways? And can
Dew, Fleece
– Much speculation has been attempted here.
The context and the way symbols have been used in Judges up to this time
should help direct our interpretation.
It may be that the fleece represents Gideon being anointed and then
through him, all of
Miracles –
More importantly, these signs point out that the Triune God of scripture is
eternally active in His providence of all things. A proper Christian view of miracles sees God
acting in a different way than the way He usually acts. It is not that God sets aside physical laws,
for there are no self-sustaining laws. “In Him, we live and move and have our being.”
(Acts
Should We “Put Out the Fleece”? – The ability to ask God for
a miraculous sign was limited to His prophets and apostles before the Word had
been completely given to us. It validated
their ministry and gave a sign to the people that they were in fact speaking
the very words of God (2 Cor
Other Signs
– God does not give us miraculous signs today.
That is not to say that God does not do miracles (act in a manner
differently than He usually does in His ordinary providence). It also does not mean that God does not give
us signs that build up our faith. Rather
than miraculous signs, He gives us covenantal signs. By His Spirit, He uses the preaching of His
Word and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper to communicate to us
the benefits of redemption – that is, to strengthen our faith.
The Living God,
Not a Dead Baal – We do not worship a set of
propositions about the created world around us.
We worship the personal, Triune God who created all things by the word
of His power. In giving us His Son, we
are to remember that He will freely give us all things. We should be looking all the time for the
eternally active God to bring things to pass.
We should take everything to the Lord in prayer. We should seek Him and expect Him to increase
our faith, our obedience, our perseverance, and all because of his loving
grace. And in that grace, we must tear
down all the remaining idols, for that is where our victory continues.
Dave
Hatcher – January 12, 2003