Fleecing God

A Character Study of Gideon

Gideon follows Deborah (Jdg 4:1-5:31) in the list of Judges. Our first encounter with Gideon (Jdg 6:11-8:35) has him involved in an agricultural pursuit that shows the need for “judgment” in Israel. He is covertly threshing wheat so the Midianite oppressors will not notice there is produce to confiscate. One may assume that Gideon is weary of such subjugation—as anyone would be. It is under this domination that God calls Gideon to free Israel. An angel appears as Gideon beats the wheat and calls him a “mighty man of valor” (Jdg 6:12 ESV)—a curious thing to call an untested farmer. Surely Gideon thought so, as his later distrust of God’s call will demonstrate.

Gideon’s first encounter with God through the angel exhibits his questioning of God’s care for Israel. “If the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (6:13) God does not defend his character but puts the responsibility in Gideon’s hands and perhaps sarcastically says to go in his “valor” and deliver Israel. Gideon complains again, saying he could not accomplish much since he is among the weakest of all the men of Israel. God seeks to overcome the objection by answering that he will be with Gideon so as to strike Midian as “one man” (6:16). This is a powerful reassurance that should cause Gideon to move forward in God’s call. He does not, evidently still distrusting God.

He asks for a validation of God’s promise. In an Elijah-like display (1Kg 18), God consumes a wetted sacrifice with fire. Gideon is convinced now that the call has come from God but not thoroughly convinced—or at least not confident. He goes by cover of night to strike the Midianites. He does so by striking at the cause of God’s judgment on Midian and Israel, as well as Gideon’s own family. Gideon and ten men pull down his father’s Baal altar and Asherah pole. The people demand the perpetrator’s life and it is here in defense of his son that his father gives the inspiration for Gideon’s new name. He is now called Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal contend against him,” (6:32) meaning if Baal is god, he can take Gideon’s life himself.

Gideon’s ten men seem pathetic against the amassing Midianites, Amalekites, and if that were not enough, all “the people of the East” (v33). They were gathering as one army for war against Israel. God, however, had also promised to stand with Gideon as “one man.” Still, Gideon sends out messengers to join his army. In spite of this, Gideon doubts God’s call and puts him to the test again. This time Gideon goes the opposite direction from a fiery test and asks God to verify his call by causing a fleece of wool to become wet with dew but the ground all around to remain dry. He does but Gideon then asks him to confirm the confirmation by doing the reverse. God complies. At this point, one expects Gideon to continue testing God but surprisingly, Jerubbaal/Gideon takes the now gathered army of Israel and makes camp for war.

God returns the “favor” and tests Gideon, telling him there are too many soldiers. 22,000 troops were sent home, followed by an additional 10,000, until only 300 men remained. It is ironic that this testing came by using water (7:4)—since his fleecing of God involved water. Though the enemy was abundant as locusts (7:12), Gideon, now fortified by various tests of God and by God, as well as by a comrade’s dream (vv13-15), takes his 300 men into battle. Again, he does so by night, evidence of continued mistrust. Wary or not, Jerubbaal is clever. He brings fear in the night by making it sound and look like his small company is much larger than it is (vv17ff). Gideon continues to deliver the land from subjugation with such success that the people wish to make him king. He declines their request, asking for gold instead. From this he makes a golden ephod, which diverts Israel’s attentions from God. Their “whoring after” Gideon’s golden ephod turns to whoring after the Baals again as soon as Gideon dies. In a life of testing, Gideon failed to lead Israel back to God.