It is probable that he did so in the present instance, though it is not expressly stated how he disappeared."[12].
"He was probably doing this with a rod or staff as often used for small quantities of grain.
As Bruce said, "We are here confronted with a situation in which the worship of Jehovah has been syncretized with Baalism, Jehovah perhaps being considered as one of the Baalim.
The true miracle is the REVERSE of the process, and that is what young Gideon required.[23]. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet him.".
`Baal Fighter' ... (C. F. Keil, Vol. “Democrat” vs. “Republican”: Where Did The Parties Get Their Names?
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal, or will ye save him? The Amalekites were historical enemies of Israel, and they would have seized upon every opportunity to raid the Chosen People, allying themselves here with Midian. It looks at life as a man sees it from his death-bed, and judges it without bitterness and without vain regrets. power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc. The word also stands for an image of this goddess. As Cundall said, "A secret known to ten men is no secret."[17]. Your journey has the LORD's approval.'" And Jehovah said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him, and said unto him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. The land had rest for forty years after the defeat of the Canaanites, but a new generation of the Chosen People repeated the mistakes of their fathers. If you want to put somebody to death, bring out the idiots who wish to contend for Baal and let's put them to death right this very minute!".
Commentary, p. 106). However, God had a great surprise in store for them! Israel's punishment by the Lord, following their excursions into idolatry had the same effect over and over. They turned to the seductive pleasures of the pagan fertility gods, and, again, God delivered the people into the hands of their enemies. 1 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. "And the Angel of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite; and Gideon his son was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Ashera that was by it. In our own times, we cannot ask God for a sign as did Moses and Gideon, because we have the "perfect" revelation from God already certified unto us in the sacred pages of the Holy Bible. "[11] Again, this is evidence of the universal consciousness in the nation of Israel of the Five Books of Moses. "[16] It cried out to God for the very destruction that Gideon executed upon it!
This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.". `May Baal give increase' ... Cundall (Tyndale's O.T. [20] This name appears later as Jerubbesheth (the equivalent of Jerubbosheth), thus using the word `shame' in the place of `Baal.' 2:8,1 Chronicles 8:33.
This was Gideon's response to the greeting of the Angel of Jehovah who had said, "Jehovah is with thee" (Judges 6:12), indicating that all Israelites were thoroughly familiar with all the wonders that God had wrought upon their behalf when He brought them up out of the land of Egypt. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.". Every one of them was used mightily of God, and yet each one had significant character flaws.
(of 12). We must therefore disagree with Boling who wrote that, "Gideon's Baal-name, of course, was given to him at birth,"[18] a view which was apparently also held by Bruce who explained Jerubbaal as merely, "The new significance"[19] of an old name, that is, a name given to Gideon at birth. "Gideon feared that the theophany, was an omen of his impending death. The Lord had heard the cries of His people and chose Gideon to free His desperate nation from the Midianite snare, and so the angel of the Lord came to Gideon as he was threshing some wheat in the winepress, in an attempt to save his family's crop from the Midianites.
"This demand by Gideon was a calculated reminiscence of the initial negotiations with Moses in Exodus 3:1-4:23.
His father had violated God's will by sponsoring the altar to Baal and the abominable Asherah that stood by it, and it was a stroke of God's own magnificent genius that ordered the Asherah cut up and used to fuel a burnt-offering to Jehovah! "In a very similar case of the angel who appeared to Manoah (Judges 13:15-20), the angel ascended in the flame of fire from the altar. The LORD said to him, "Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.". How we all delight to read through the chapter on faith in the book of Hebrews, and rejoice as we consider the exploits of so many godly men and women of faith. but now Jehovah hath cast us off and delivered us into the hand of Midian.
And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might and save Israel from the hand of Midian: Have not I sent thee? "And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Apparently, the only lesson that Israel had learned thus far in their history, was that when things became unbearable, they always called upon Jehovah and He rescued them. Before leaving this paragraph, it should be noted that Gideon seems to have had more power and resources than his earlier profession of insufficiency would indicate. GIDEON RALLIES ISRAEL AGAINST THE MIDIANITES, "Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together, and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!" the book of the Old Testament recounting the history of Israel under the warrior champions and national leaders known as judges from the death of Joshua to the birth of Samuel, The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise, A Reminder: Our Justices are Politicians in Robes, The Geography of Strabo, Volume II (of 3), The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. "And they passed over" (Judges 6:33).
`Adversary of Baal' ... (Moore, International Critical Commentary, p. 195). And His promise to Gideon, and to ALL who are willing to be used by God is, "Surely I will be with you - do not fear.
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
Only the power of God could have wrought the wonder which Gideon had just witnessed, and the full realization of what had happened swept over him chilling his heart with fear.
But ye have not hearkened unto my voice.". And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Jehovah; and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah forasmuch as I have seen the angel of Jehovah face to face. "In a very similar case of the angel who appeared to Manoah (Judges 13:15-20), the angel ascended in the flame of fire from the altar. "[9] The winepress with its buildings provided the means of keeping the operation secret from the Midianites. However, this scared little farmer was anything but a gallant fighting soldier. If God was able to use flawed people like Joshua, David, Esther, Paul, and Gideon, to do mighty things, do you not think that He is equally able to equip you? It is not known why only a few of the tribes of Israel were included in this call to arms, but it was probably some kind of a mistake due to the inexperience of Gideon.
One thing that had greatly aided the Midian invasion was the availability of camels for transporting supplies and equipment. When the citizens demanded that Gideon be put to death, Joash's answer was the ultimate in common sense: "What nonsense is this? The ruthless invaders with their myriads of armed men with their flocks, herds and camels were literally taking over the central region of Palestine, and the Israelites were sorely pressed even to make a living. Go to, To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, "When Israel had sown ... they came up against them", "They came in as locusts ... they and their camels were without number ... they came into the land to destroy it", "Israel was brought very low ... they cried unto Jehovah", "Ophrah ... Abiezrite ... Joash ... Gideon", "Gideon ... beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it", "Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian; have not I sent thee? `Let-Baal-Sue' ... (Boling, The Anchor Bible, p. 237).
The situation was absolutely pitiful. Joash appears here as the head of the community of Ophrah, and the indignation of the citizens of that place over the destruction of Baal's altar suggests that Joash had gone along with the community in the matter of Baal-worship and that he actually had no confidence whatever in Baal as any kind of a deity. This miracle must have astounded Gideon, leaving him no room whatever to doubt the identity of his celestial visitor. And he did so. "[10] Both Jeremiah and Moses expressed similar feelings of unworthiness and inadequacy when called to their mighty work. Scholars reject the idea that `an Asherah' was merely a post, and would translate `Asherah-image,' instead of `Asherah.'"[15]. Significantly, the very first assignment for Gideon was that of cleaning up his own residence. Gideon's response to this assurance was to erect an altar there to Jehovah, which he called Jehovah-shalom. You are contending for a so-called god. - Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man." "When Israel had sown ... they came up against them" (Judges 6:3). This is one of the great paragraphs of the O.T. The cycle which we have come to expect in Judges is repeated. "Ophrah ... Abiezrite ... Joash ... Gideon" (Judges 6:11). Then the angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight. "They left no sustenance in Israel" (Judges 6:4).
Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group. This was Gideon's commission from God Himself to deliver Israel, but Gideon, like many another great man who has been called to some tremendous task, hesitated from a strong feeling of humility and unworthiness. "Israel made them dens ... and caves ..." (Judges 6:2). But who could help it, when there were an hundred judges on the bench? Their home was in Ophrah. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid - I am your peace.".
"And the hand of Midian prevailed" (Judges 6:2).
But the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.
The Angel of Jehovah promised to wait until he returned. Judges 6:18, ESV: "Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.”And he said, “I will stay till you return.”" If that is the truth, how did it happen that the only name ever heard of for this Biblical character is Gideon (until the events of this chapter which resulted in the new name)? "Where are all his wondrous works ...?"
See 2Sam. "[6] We have frequently noted that the entire O.T. `Let-Baal-Plead' ... (Hervey, The Pulpit Commentary, p. 67). "And the children of Israel did evil" (Judges 6:1). All other rights reserved. And Jehovah said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. When Gideon realised the Angel of the Lord was God Himself, he cried out in fear and said, "Oh no, Lord God! And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.".