Judges Chapter 6

 

Introduction to Judges Chapter 6

Judges 6 may be a significant chapter within the Book of Judges, presenting Gideon as a judge chosen by God to provide Israel from the abuse of the Midianites. This chapter highlights subjects of divine mediation, confidence, and human question. It can be separated into a few key areas:

Israel's Persecution by Midian (Verses 1-6)

A Prophet Censures Israel (Verses 7-10)

Gideon's Call and Commission (Verses 11-24)

Gideon Annihilates the Sacrificial table of Baal (Verses 25-32)

The Gathering of an Armed force (Verses 33-35)

Gideon Looks for a Sign with the Downy (Verses 36-40) 

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1. Israel’s Oppression by Midian (Judges 6:1-6)

The chapter begins with a familiar pattern in the Book of Judges:

• Israel sins by turning away from God.

• God allows oppression by an enemy nation.

• The people cry out for deliverance.

After enjoying peace under Deborah and Barak (Judges 5), Israel once again does evil in the sight of the Lord. In response, God allows the Midianites, along with the Amalekites and the people of the East, to invade and oppress Israel for seven years.

The Midianites were nomadic raiders who would sweep through Israel like locusts, destroying crops and livestock, leaving the Israelites in extreme poverty and fear. The Israelites resorted to hiding in caves and mountain strongholds to escape the invaders.

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2. A Prophet Rebukes Israel (Judges 6:7-10)

When the Israelites cry out to the Lord for help, He sends an unnamed prophet rather than immediate deliverance. The prophet reminds them that:

• God delivered them from Egyptian slavery.

• God gave them the land of Canaan.

• God warned them not to worship other gods.

• Israel failed to obey God's command.

This rebuke emphasizes that their suffering is a result of their disobedience, not just Midian’s power.

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3. Gideon’s Call and Commission (Judges 6:11-24)

The Angel of the Lord Appears

The Angel of the Lord (often considered a theophany—God appearing in human form) appears to Gideon while he is secretly threshing wheat in a winepress. This unusual setting shows Gideon’s fear, as normally, wheat is threshed in open spaces.

The angel greets Gideon with powerful words:
"The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges 6:12)

Gideon, however, responds with doubt and despair, asking:

• Why is this happening? (If God is with us, why is Midian oppressing us?)

• Where are His miracles? (Did He not deliver our ancestors from Egypt?)

Instead of answering directly, the Lord commands him:
"Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?" (Judges 6:14)

Gideon’s Doubt and God’s Assurance

Gideon protests that he is the weakest in his tribe and family, but God reassures him:
"I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites." (Judges 6:16)

To confirm God’s call, Gideon asks for a sign and prepares an offering (a young goat and unleavened bread). The angel touches the offering with his staff, and fire consumes it, proving divine approval. Gideon, realizing he has seen God, fears for his life, but the Lord reassures him:
"Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

Gideon then builds an altar called Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord is Peace).

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4. Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal (Judges 6:25-32)

That night, God commands Gideon to:

1. Tear down his father’s altar to Baal.

2. Cut down the Asherah pole beside it.

3. Build an altar to the Lord.

4. Offer a bull as a sacrifice.

Gideon obeys at night because he fears his family and the townspeople. In the morning, the people discover what he has done and demand his execution. However, Gideon’s father, Joash, defends him, saying:
"If Baal is a god, let him defend himself."

From then on, Gideon is called Jerubbaal ("Let Baal contend with him").

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5. The Gathering of an Army (Judges 6:33-35)

As Midian and its allies prepare for another invasion, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon, empowering him to lead Israel. He blows a trumpet, summoning warriors from:

• Manasseh (his own tribe)

• Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali

Gideon, however, still struggles with doubt and asks God for further confirmation.

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6. Gideon Seeks a Sign with the Fleece (Judges 6:36-40)

To reassure himself that God will truly save Israel through him, Gideon asks for two miraculous signs:

1. The Wet Fleece, Dry Ground:

   • Gideon places a wool fleece on the threshing floor overnight.

   • He asks that the fleece be wet with dew while the ground remains dry.

   • In the morning, the fleece is soaked, producing a bowlful of water.

2. The Dry Fleece, Wet Ground:

   • Gideon asks for the opposite: the fleece to be dry and the ground wet.

   • God grants this request as well.

These signs confirm that God is truly with Gideon.

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Conclusion and Theological Insights

Judges 6 outlines a few key topics:

God's teach and benevolence:

Israel's enduring beneath Midian may be a result of their sin, but God still raises a deliverer when they atone.

God's startling choices:

Gideon is an improbable hero—timid, far fetched, and from a powerless clan—but God enables him.

Confidence and question coexist:

Gideon battles with fear, but God persistently consoles him.

God requests select adore:

The annihilation of Baal's sacrificial table appears that Israel must completely return to the Ruler.

This chapter sets the organize for Gideon's awesome triumph in Judges 7, illustrating that salvation comes not by human might but by God's control.