The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” [Judges 7.8b-11a]
Here is an interesting bit of information about Gideon: he remained fearful even after selecting the 300 men to go fight Midian. He proved that fear by going down into the Midianite camp before attacking it! God originally told Gideon to just go attack, but also told Gideon that if he was still afraid, then to first go into the camp and hear what was being said there.
I wonder how the outcome might have been had Gideon gone into the camp without first scouting it to hear what was being said there? Would Gideon and his men have annihilated the Midianites right there and not had to chase some of them? Who knows?
Gideon seems to have had a reserve of fear when it came to obeying God. It started with the fleece.
I don't think the story of Gideon teaches us to put out fleeces. In the end, Gideon's story really did not end well. We can only conclude that the events that led up to that less-than-desirable ending contributed to it! It all started with the fleece. It started with doubt instead of obedience. Yes, God got the victory for Israel that they needed, but the honor and legacy of Gideon fell short as his family eventually suffered mass murder.
Let's look further into this situation! First, how did Gideon know God was even speaking to him? At first, it appears Gideon was not sure it was the LORD speaking to him back at the winepress at the tree of Ophrah. Only after the angel of the LORD touched the offering (He had instructed Gideon to prepare) with a staff and it miraculously burst into fire did Gideon believe it was truly the LORD (Judges 6). At this point the angel of the LORD disappeared, however, Judges chapter 6 indicates that Gideon's conversation with the angel of the LORD continued.
I am guessing, at this point, since God had clearly identified Himself to Gideon (to the extent that Gideon recognized His voice even after He disappeared), that from that point forward, it would have bode better for Gideon had he simply obeyed what he recognized as God's voice instead of continuing to want confirmation. All we have to go on however is how the story developed afterwards.
Fast forward to today. We are not having many instances of the angel of the LORD appearing to people. And when we do get reports of such encounters, are there miraculous events to confirm it?
That's a big deal, isn't it? To know the voice of God.
What if it isn't such a big deal though? What if we, like Gideon have all the evidence we need (that we just know when the LORD has spoken to us) but we doubt anyway?
Perhaps the problem is not so much in God speaking as it is in us listening and obeying.
What if we, unlike Gideon, threw caution to the wind and simply obeyed what we felt like the LORD spoke to us?
Has the LORD spoken? Have I obeyed? Or do I continue to want more 'signs'?
Father, I am challenged by Gideon's story today. I am challenged to simply obey what I know You have spoken (and are speaking) to me without repeatedly requiring additional confirmations... I also know from Gideon's story that You are patient with my doubt, but I also know that the big picture as far as I am concerned may not be as pretty as I would like if I continue to doubt.
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