Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Judges6:11-22thecallofgideon
1
The Call of Gideon
Judges 6:11-22
Overview
Lesson Introduction
Midian oppresses Israel, so the Lord raises up Gideon, the fifth deliverer. Gideon tears down the altar of Baal and calls together all those who will fight for Israel. Then he uses a fleece to check whether God has indeed called him to rescue Israel.
The account of Gideon, recorded in 6:1–8:35, is the first of several extended narratives focused on the career of a single leader. Gideon is the first major judge with an extended multi-scene story. Recognize in the account of Gideon’s rise to the office of deliverer for Israel, the way in which he is called.
Such callings typically consist of
(1) A confrontation with God and/or his messenger.
(2) An introductory address of the person being called.
(3) The divine commission.
(4) The raising of objections by the person called.
(5) Divine words of reassurance.
(6) A sign authenticating the call experience.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jdg 6:1–8:35.
Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & HH. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Jdg 6.olman Publishers, 1999), 257.
Outline
The angel of the Lord appears to a man named Gideon and tells him that he will rescue Israel from the Midianites.
A. The place (6:11): The angel appears to Gideon under an oak tree at Ophrah, where Gideon is secretly threshing wheat in a winepress.
B. The protest (6:12–13)
1. The greeting (6:12): The angel greets Gideon: “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!”
2. The grumbling (6:13): Gideon replies, “Why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?”
C. The promise (6:14–16)
1. The command (6:14): The angel tells Gideon, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites.”
2. The cowering (6:15): Gideon responds, “My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
3. The comfort (6:16): But the angel of the Lord assures Gideon, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
D. The proof (6:17–23): Gideon asks for a sign to be certain that he is to rescue Israel.
1. The meal (6:17–19): Gideon goes home to prepare a meal for the angel.
2. The miracle (6:20–23): When the angel touches the meal with his staff, fire flames up and consumes the food, convincing Gideon that the angel was sent from the Lord.
H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Jdg 6:11–23.
Significance
- Verse 11 provides the reader with vital background information for understanding the personality and mission of Gideon.
- First, it identifies him by name, Gideon, which means “hacker,” or “hewer,” a function he will soon be called upon to fulfill as he destroys the altar of Baal on his father’s property (vv. 25–27).
- Secondly, threshed wheat by the winepress, indicates the oppressive conditions of the time (see Judg 6:2–6) which are driving the Israelites to be secretive about food production and use unusual methods; a winepress would not be the normal place for processing wheat.
- Lord is with thee. The angel’s greeting is not in keeping with Gideon’s circumstances—notice his challenging response in the next verse.
- Notice that the conversation, within the text, presents the words, LORD and Lord. the distinction being: LORD=Yahweh, the divine name ; Lord=Adonai, lord, master; God.
- shew me a sign. Gideon asks for a sign. This corroborates Gideon’s surprise in v. 22 at having been in the presence of the Angel of Yahweh.
- Lord said unto him. Yahweh is still in the scene even though the angel has left. It seems that Yahweh and the Angel of Yahweh appeared to Gideon as two separate figures and that their identities are intentionally blurred.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jdg 6:11.
Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 257–258.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jdg 6:12.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jdg 6:17.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jdg 6:23.
Winepress
Threshing Floor
- God can use even the most unlikely of us.
- God knows/cares for us, and is raising up a deliverer.
- If God be for us, then He is more than the world against us.
- God is faithful even when we are unfaithful.
- God confirms us while commissioning.
- The word of God is sure.
- God is able to soothe even our doubts.
- God's plan is not limited to our lack of resources!