Gideon and the Pagan Society

GIDEON AND THE PAGAN SOCIETY
Judges 6:1-32

INTRODUCTION

1. Cultural Christianity vs. Covenantal Christianity -- Paganism is so blended in our worship and practices that Bible Christians are labeled "fanatics" or "religious right" or “religious fringe.” One example, Jer 10 . . .

2. Situational Ethics vs. Absolute Ethics – Law established for secular matters, but abolished for moral matters. Lack of absolute standard leads to "relativism." Lack of law leads to “antinomianism.”

3. Biblical literature excluded from academics resulting in "values-free" education. George Train’s conversion – he read the Bible as literature and came into a relationship through it.

4. As in the time of the judges, society is idolatrous; this entertainment-crazed, sports-crazed, money-crazed generation may later experience God's wrath, and, in fact, has.

5. Although we normally do not see the idols of stone and wood, we do worship material blessings, famous and infamous people and fortune (luck). Millions are paid to entertainers and athletes while teachers (for example) receive very little and must tow the liberal line to keep their jobs.

6. The question: What can we do to identify paganism in our own religious practice and turn from it toward a more Covenantal Christianity?

YAHWEH "GAVE THEM OVER"

Jud 6:1. 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.

1) The Israelites did evil and the Lord "gave them over" and 2) They cried for help!

ONLY YAHWEH HAS POWER TO DELIVER

7. When the Israelites cried to Yahweh because of Midian, 8. Yahweh sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said to them, "This is what Yahweh, God of Israel, says, `It was I who brought you out of Egypt, and led you out of the place of slave-labour. 9. I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their country to you. 10. And I said to you: I am Yahweh your God. You are not to fear the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now living. But you have not listened to my voice.' "

1. An unknown prophet arises decrying the worship of the Amorite god and goddess, Baal and Asherah

2. Yahweh claims power to deliver

YAHWEH USES ORDINARY PEOPLE

11. The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash of Abiezer. Gideon his son was threshing wheat inside the wine-press, to keep it hidden from Midian, 12. and the Angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said, "Yahweh is with you, valiant warrior!" 13. Gideon replied, "Excuse me, my lord, but if Yahweh is with us, why is all this happening to us? And where are all his miracles which our ancestors used to tell us about when they said, `Did not Yahweh bring us out of Egypt?' But now Yahweh has deserted us; he has abandoned us to Midian." 14. At this, Yahweh turned to him and said, "Go in this strength of yours, and you will rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you myself?" 15. Gideon replied, "Forgive me, my lord, but how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least important of my father's family." 16. Yahweh replied, "I shall be with you and you will crush Midian as though it were one man." 17. Gideon said, "If I have found favour in your sight, give me a sign that you are speaking to me. 18. Please do not go away from here until I come back to you, bringing you my offering and laying it before you." And he replied, "I shall stay until you come back."

The "Angel of Yahweh" appears to Gideon, who is hiding grain for Israel’s use. But Gideon is charged with delivering Israel entirely. He makes excuses - "I am the least of the least." Yahweh promises his almighty presence and a sign.

GOD WORKS THROUGH COVENANT

19. Gideon went away, he prepared a young goat and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened cakes. He put the meat into a basket and the broth into a pot, then brought it all to him under the terebinth. As he approached, 20. the Angel of Yahweh said to him, "Take the meat and unleavened cakes, put them on this rock and pour the broth over them." Gideon did so. 21. The Angel of Yahweh then stretched out the tip of the staff which he was carrying, and touched the meat and unleavened cakes. Fire sprang from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened cakes, and the Angel of Yahweh vanished before his eyes. 22. Gideon then knew that this was the Angel of Yahweh, and he said, "Alas, my Lord Yahweh! Now I have seen the Angel of Yahweh face to face!" 23. Yahweh answered, "Peace be with you; have no fear; you will not die." 24. Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and called it Yahweh-Peace. This altar stands in our own day at Ophrah of Abiezer.

Gideon brings a covenantal sacrifice and Yahweh consumes it with fire - the sign. Gideon builds a memorial altar - "God is Peace" (Yahweh Shalom)

GIDEON STEPS OUT IN FAITH

25. Now that night, Yahweh said to Gideon, "Take your father's bull, the seven-year-old bull, and pull down the altar to Baal belonging to your father and cut down the sacred pole beside it. 26. Then, on top of this strong-point, build a proper altar to Yahweh your God. Then take the bull and burn it as a burnt offering on the wood of the sacred pole which you have cut down." 27. Gideon then took ten of his servants and did as Yahweh had ordered him. But, being too frightened of his family and of the townspeople to do it in daylight, he did it at night. 28. Next morning, when the townspeople got up, they found that the altar to Baal had been destroyed, the sacred pole standing beside it had been cut down and the bull had been sacrificed as a burnt offering on the newly built altar. 29. `Who has done this?" they asked one another. They searched, made enquiries and declared, "Gideon son of Joash has done it." 30. The townspeople then said to Joash, "Bring out your son; he must die for having destroyed Baal's altar and cut down the sacred pole which stood beside it." 31. To the people all crowding round him, Joash replied, "Is it your job to plead for Baal? Is it your job to champion his cause? (Anyone who pleads for Baal must be put to death before dawn.) If he is a god, let him plead for himself, now that Gideon has destroyed his altar." 32. That day, Gideon was given the name Jerubbaal, because, they said, "Baal must plead against him, because he has destroyed his altar!"

Gideon + 10 pull down altar and pole then sacrifice a bull to Yahweh in that place, dedicating it to Yahweh. Although all are fearful, Gideon's father challenges, "Let Baal contend!"