Gideon - Part 3

I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!

Judges 6v17-24

24^th July 2015

Because the Israelites had turned away from God, He executed judgement on them by sending the Midianites to invade their country, take over their cities, and steal their food. Eventually, the Israelites repented and cried out in prayer to God. He sent them a prophet to remind them of His faithfulness and their unfaithfulness. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, and called him to lead a resistance movement.

Gideon knew he wasn't equipped or qualified to do any such thing, but God assured him, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." (Judges 6v16).

Judges 6v17-18
Gideon replied, "If now I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the Lord said, "I will wait until you return."

Gideon was asking for two things here. Firstly, he asked for a sign that it really was the angel of the Lord (verse 11) speaking to him. Secondly, he asked for the privilege of showing hospitality to his visitor. It seems to me that, really, he knew it was the angel of the Lord, or he wouldn't have offered him a meal. If he thought it might have been a demon, or a Midianite, he would have run a mile. But he wanted reassurance.

How legitimate is it for us to ask God for a sign? I think it's a good idea if we're genuinely not sure if it's God or not, but it's a bad idea if, really, we know it is God. When Thomas asked Jesus to prove it really was Him (John 20v24-28) Jesus didn't criticise him, but showed him the marks in His hands and side. But then He said "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed". Asking for a sign is good. Not asking is better. But sometimes, we need the sign, because our faith is so weak.

Judges 6v19
Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

For someone who needs to thresh small amounts of grain in a wine press to avoid being discovered by an occupying army, this is a very generous meal. When the angel of the Lord visits, we should give Him the best welcome we can. And He visits each one of us every day.

Judges 6v20-21
The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.

Well, Gideon had asked for a sign, and he was given one. The fire would have reminded him of episodes in the life of Moses, another man God called to lead His people:

• God appeared to Moses in fire at the burning bush (Exodus 3v2).
• He led the people in a pillar of fire (Exodus 13v21).
• At the giving of the law, Mount Sinai was covered in smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire (Exodus19v18).
• To the Israelites, the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire (Exodus 24v17).
• When the priets began their ministry, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed their offering (Leviticus 9v24).
• When Nadab and Abuhu offered unauthorised fire before the Lord, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them (Leviticus 10v2).
• On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. (Numbers 9v15-16).
• When the people complained about how hard their lives were, fire from the Lord burned among them (Numbers 11v1).
• When 250 men rebelled against Moses, fire came out from the Lord and consumed them (Numbers 16v35).

Fire speaks powerfully about the holiness of the Lord. In Acts 2v3, when the Holy Spirit first came on the church, He came in tongues of fire.

The angel of the Lord performed this miracle as Gideon had asked. In doing so, he accepted Gideon's offering and signified the holiness and power of God. And then he disappeared, proving that he was not a human but a spirit.

Gideon was scared, as well he might be. The fear of the Lord came upon him. And that's a good thing. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111v10, Proverbs 9v10).

Judges 6v22
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, "Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!"

When we realise we've met with God (or the angel of the Lord, whom many believe was Jesus Himself) we become acutely aware of our own sinfulness. The same happened to Isaiah, who cried out "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." (Isaiah 6v5). The first part of our preparation to serve the living God is the realisation that we're sinners who need to be forgiven and puified.

Judges 6v23
But the Lord said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

Gideon had good reason to be afraid. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6v23). But God is merciful to those that fear him:

Psalm 85v9
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him.

Psalm 103v11
as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.

Luke 1v50
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

We can't be certain if the writer of Judges means "the angel of the Lord" who had just disappeared spoke to Gideon, or if God spoke from heaven, or if God spoke into Gideon's heart. By whatever means he chose, the Lord spoke comfort to Gideon. Yes, he had encountered God in His holiness, but he need not be afraid.

Judges 6v24
So Gideon built an altar to the Lord thee and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon worshipped God. When He has graciously met with us, wisely allowed us to discover our own sinfulness and instilled the fear of God in our hearts, and when He has spoken words of peace and security over us, what else can we do but worship the Lord of all? Truly, He is awesome, but truly The Lord is Peace.