"Where are His Miracles? Part Three”
Judges 6:25-40

May 7, 2006
by C.W. Powell

“25 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:
26 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.
27 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.
28 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.
31 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.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

1. We saw last week that Gideon, in obedience to the Lord, took a group of companions, and destroyed the image of Baal and cut down the grove and used the wood to offer a bullock unto the Lord on the top of the rock where the Angel of the Lord had caused the fire to consume Gideon’s offering that he had poured out upon the rock This is the account of the building of that altar.

2. What was Baal.

a. The word “Baal” properly means owner or lord. Hence a man can be the Baal, or owner of a house or of a field. It had very wide usage in ancient Semitic languages with similar meanings and applications. The plural is Baalim. [not to be confused with Balaam]

b. Religiously the word came to have a very wide significance. It could refer to local deities, lords over certain fields or streams or areas. There was a Baal of the Sun, a fish Baal, probably Dagan of the Philistines. Not all Baals were the same, but had a very wide meaning, but the core was the same, it was a Lord or a master to which worship was offered and from which help and instruction could be received.

c. Baal worship was a continuous snare to Israel, for the idolatry was very widespread and of a great variety. There are many references of incense being offered to Baal and other sacrifices, including the offering up of their sons as burnt offerings.

d. The catholic encyclopedia says that there was probably a Lord of the Dance, a Lord of the Flies, a Lord of Medicine, etc. “Bel” is also a form of Baal. And Jesus referred to Baalzebub, a demon associated with Baal’s worship.

e. “Lord” mean authority and power. Baal, therefore, was simply the worship of created power. Where power was concentrated, there Baal was. The cult was encouraged by the rulers because it gave authority to their own power and they themselves could be worshipped as religious figures.

f. Because there were so many varieties, and there continues to be so many varieties of idolatry, it is important that we know what idolatry is. We have a biblical definition in the Heidelberg Catechism:

3. What is Idolatry? There are two questions in the catechism that speak to the general subject of idolatry:

Question 94: Look in the catechism

I am to trust in God alone. With humility and patience
Expect all good from him alone.
Love, fear, and honor Him with my whole heart.
Renounce all creatures [created things] than to do the least thing against His will.

Question 95: Look in the catechism:

Trust is the issue. We are not to trust in any creature: only in the true God who has revealed Himself in His word.

4. There are three tests, I think, that will reveal to you who your true God is. I don’t mean the one that you profess to believe in, but the one your really believe in.

a. Who predestines the future? True power belongs in determining the future. The core of all idolatry is the desire to know and to influence the future.

i. This is what drives liars; thieves;
ii. Fears and manipulation arise from this idolatry.

b. Who makes the laws? There is a lifestyle and a legal order connected with every religious system. If you change your gods you will change the rules by which you live your life. In fact, this is the number one reason why people change their religion. It is not because they have some great desire for truth, but because they want other laws to live by. Who is the authority that you look to for the rules for your life. You must not go beyond the Bible; but your are bound to the Bible.

c. Who gets the glory? God has the kingdom, the power, and the glory.

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
35 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.
36 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.” (Jud 6:25-40 AV)

1. The muster to arms.

a. The Midianites and Amalekites came rushing in. This was normal at this time of year and their raids into Israel had happened for seven years.

b. Maybe they wanted to plead for Baal, because very often nations use religion to cover greed. Maybe they also desired to punish Israel for tearing down the altar to Baal.

c. The Holy Spirit “clothed” Gideon, and he blew the war trumpet and the message went out, and even his own people who lately wanted to kill him, gather to him. The messengers went out and Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali came. It is interesting that no messenger was sent to Ephraim, and none of them came.

2. Gideon is called man of faith in Hebrews 11. Other places in the Bible refer to the great victories that are described in the chapters that follow. We will look at those in the next few weeks.

3. The humility and trust of Gideon. It is tempting to blame Gideon for not taking God at his word and wanting proof of God’s favor, but if we examine the unbelief that so often reigns in our own hearts we will have a great appreciation of Gideon’s caution.

a. The details of the fleece.

i. First, the fleece wet from the dew and ground around dry. It was so.
ii. Second, the fleece dry and the ground wet all around.

b. The strength of Gideon’s faith

i. He knew that God had power over all nature and could do as He pleased.
ii. Gideon lived in the days when God did signs and wonders—they later would become a snare to Israel, and Paul would say that the Jews seek after a sign—even Jesus didn’t do enough wonders to suit them
iii. Even Calvin says that God can take ordinary objects and turn them into sacraments for the benefit of His people. As the rainbow and Gideon’s fleece. Calvin uses the figure of gold and gold coins: because of the imprint of the minted gold, the gold coin has more value than the same weight of bullion.
iv. Gideon knew that his venture would succeed only if he had the authority of God and the power of God with him. Remember the seven sons of Sceva? Satan and his kingdom have very great power and authority and a great many men have been destroyed by them because they thought they could go in their own strength and overthrow them Illustration: Jeremiah, who warned the tag end of the kingdom of Israel not to fight against Babylon, because Babylon was the instrument of God for the chastening of Isarel.
v. Gideon knew the God of Israel and had the boldness of faith to talk with Him. Though we may find fault with what Gideon said, yet it was faith that moved his mouth and heart to speak to the most high God.
vi. David understood this in the affair of Shimei. Tell the story.
vii. So Gideon was justified in making sure of his ground, although he may have overdone it, and felt a bit guilty about it; but he did not want to go in presumption and arrogance.

Application. What is the application of these things in the last days, these days of our Lord Jesus Christ—to us upon whom the ends of the world have come. These things that are written are ensamples for us.

1. We do not seek after signs and wonders for our Lord has come and has ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God.
2. Our catechism says, in today’s lesson : Sunday 18.

a. Christ is the head of the church and has sent us His Spirit: by whose power we seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, and not things on earth.

b. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we are directed to seek Christ in heaven, and are able to turn away from trust in any earthly thing, power, object, or religion.

c. We do not look to know or direct the future, but leave all things in the hands of our heavenly father. What turmoil, strife, hatred, fears, and quarrels, strife would be avoided if we could learn to leave the future in the hands of our heavenly Father, as Jesus himself said: “Take no thought for the morrow…..”

d. There is no power but of God, and we worship and trust Him alone. The Lord Jesus is the source of every blessing and every good thing; and as the Mediator, all power is given to Him for the good of the church, according to Ephesians 1

e. We are to submit to no laws except the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ.

i. God alone is the author of all morality, and we are not to submit to other creations of what is right and wrong.

ii. God is the author of order and system, and those civil laws that are designed for good order and peace among neighbors are to be obeyed as unto the Lord. But we are not men-pleasers, but do all things as unto the Lord, the author of all life and strength.

f. God alone is to receive the glory and the praise in our lives. We are to give honor to whom it is due, but not to whom it is not due.

Amen and Amen. May God bless you.