Gideon Tears Down the Alter to Baal

Vol 2 - No 24, July 25, 2006

Gideon's witness of faith - Part 2:

Our last study ended with Gideon building an alter to the Lord he named Jehovahshalom, Judges 6:2424 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

, in response to the Lord's blessing of peace to him. That same night Jehovah told Gideon to take his father's seven (7) year old bullock and tear down the alter to Baal and the grove about it that his father had built and maintained - Judges 6:2525 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

. According to commentators the worship of Baal included orgies involving homosexual (1 Kings 14:2424 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

; 15:12; 22:46 & 2 Kings 23:77 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

) as well as heterosexual prostitutes. The alter was for sacrifices to Baal and groves were planted around it, partly to make it more pleasant and venerable and partly to hide the evil practiced there.

Israel had been subject to the Midianites' tyranny for seven (7) years as a result of turning from God to worship false gods such as Baal - Judges 6:1 & 21 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.

. Gideon was instructed to build an alter to the Lord in place of the alter to Baal and to offer up the seven (7) year old bullock thereon, using the wood from the grove to fuel the fire - Judges 6:2626 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

. He had good reason to fear the men of the city if he did this so he waited until night when he took 10 of his servants and did as instructed, thus demonstrating faith in God's Word - Judges 6:2727 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

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When the men of the city awoke the next day, discovered what happened and found out Gideon was responsible they demanded his father Joash turn him over to be killed - Judges 6:28 - 3028 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.

29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

. Even though Joash had sinned by worshipping Baal in the past he now had a change of mind, probably because of the witness of the prophet of God, Judges 6:8 - 108 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

, and/or because of the testimony of Gideon. Joash derided the men and told them that if Baal was indeed a god he should know who had torn down his alter/grove and avenge himself, Judges 6:3131 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

. Joash was aware the God of Israel had demonstrated such ability and reasoned that if Baal was truly a god he should be able to do so also. We find nothing more about this particular incident so what Joash said must have put the matter to rest with the men of the town.

It was harvest time so the Arabian nations of Midianites and Amalekites came and camped in the valley of Jezreel where they could plunder Israeli crops - Judges 6:3 - 53 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.

& 33. The Spirit of God came upon Gideon, that is, the Lord fortified and strengthened him with resolve. Gideon sounded an alarm with trumpet to which the Abezites, part of the families of the tribe of Manasseh to which his father belonged, responded and joined him - Judges 6:3434 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

. The fact the Abezites were able to hear the trumpet indicates they lived in close proximity to Gideon. He then dispatched messengers to call men from the rest of Manasseh and from three (3) other tribes of Israel - Judges 6:3535 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

. Gideon then asked for a sign so he would know God would indeed save Israel. He left a woolen fleece on the floor overnight requesting the fleece be wet but the floor dry the next morning. That night the Lord provided and early the next morning Gideon was able to wring a bowl of water from the fleece while the floor around it was dry. The next night Gideon humbly asked the Lord to cause the fleece to be dry but make the area around it wet. The Lord again provided as requested, - Judges 6:36 - 4036 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

. These requests on the part of Gideon did not necessarily mean he doubted God but rather indicated he either wished a confirmation for his faith or he needed these signs for those who had answered his call for help, for it has always been that the Jews require a sign - I Corinthians 1:22.

Judges 7:11 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

refers to Gideon by his symbolical name Jerubbaal, which in Hebrew means "Baal will contend." This name tells us a great deal about God's purpose for Gideon. Our God is holy and therefore jealous of his own. His Word states many times, beginning in Exodus 20:5 & 34:14, that He could and would not condone worship of other gods/idols by His people, that is, their love and loyalty is primary and necessary to Him. From this fact, coupled with the meaning of Gideon's name Jerubbaal we understand that Gideon was ordained to eliminate the idolatrous worship of Baal.

On the other hand, Israel's suffering was no doubt uppermost on their minds and God was concerned about their physical suffering. He heard their cries for help and responded, Judges 6:6 - 86 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

, by reminding them through a prophet what He had done for them and what they had done, which had brought suffering upon themselves. He had delivered them from slavery and death in Egypt and given them the land of Canaan, driving out their enemies from that land, Judges 6:8 & 98 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

. But, in spite of His specific prohibition against the worship of the gods/idols of the former inhabitants, they had done so anyway - Judges 6:1010 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

. The prophet who brought this, God's Word to Israel, is not named but his message surely went throughout Israel. How many accepted and took this Word to heart and how many rejected it we do not know. However, we do know that the corporate body of Israel did not, of their own volition and initiative, repent by turning from the idols to God. Here again we see God's love and mercy to His people. He raised up and sent Gideon to do the job they should have done, first to eliminate idol worship and then their physical oppressors from the land.

About 32,000 Israelites from four (4) tribes responded to Gideon's, call. Gideon and this army camped just south of the Valley of Jezreel where the enemy was camped - Judges 7:1. Here the Lord told Gideon He wanted to make it crystal clear to Israel that it would be by His power and might, and His alone, that they would be saved from the Midianites. God wanted to make sure Israel would have no reason to boast or glory in themselves for the victory God would give them - Judges 7:22 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

. Thus through process of elimination 31,700 Israelites were sent home leaving only 300 men with Gideon, Judges 7:3 - 73 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

, to face an army of about 135,000 Midianites and Amalekites - Judges 8:1010 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

. That amounts to one (1) Israeli to 450 adversaries.

Gideon and the 300 men with him had nothing to do with being there. God hand picked them all. It would be most interesting to able to see them for whereas we naturally picture them as physically intimidating, well built specimens of manhood, they probably were far from that stereotype. They were not chosen because of their physical strength or ability to use weapons of war for there is no mention of them even being armed with fighting weapons. Instead, they had something that cannot be observed from the exterior, an un-moveable faith in God's Word. Because of this they would do as told, focused totally on their Lord, regardless of their physical surroundings and circumstances.

Just as Israel would have no reason to boast or glory in the victory over their enemies, neither do we have reason to glory or boast in our salvation. For example, let's review what the Apostle Paul wrote to us in Ephesians chapter 1: God blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, v 3; He chose us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, v 4; He predestinated us to be adopted in Christ to Himself, by His will, v 5; He made us accepted in the Lord Jesus Christ, v 6; we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, by His grace, v 7; He revealed the secret of His will to us, which He purposed in Himself, v 9; All this He did so when the time comes He can bring together all of His, whether in heaven or earth, unto Himself, v 10; and more until we come to the recapitulation of it all: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8 - 108 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

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And as Gideon and his 300 were not afraid of the 135,000 enemy soldiers they faced, because of their faith in God's Word and their focus on God Almighty, so should we be: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." - 2 Timothy 1:7 - 147 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

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