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Gideon

Israel was sinning greatly against God by worshipping idols and doing all kinds of other sins. Because of this, He sent the Midianites to rule over them for seven years. Every time Israel planted crops the Midianites would destroy them by moving on to the land and trampling everything.

Israel built camps and moved into caves on nearby hills because there were so many Midianites in the valley. Finally, Israel could take it no longer and cried out to God, "Father, please save us from these people!"

A short time after, an angel of God descended from heaven to Israel. He sat under an old oak tree where a man named Gideon was working.

Gideon means destroyer or mighty warrior. Gideon was a judge of the Hebrews. He was the son of Joash from the Albrieznite clan. Gideon was also known as a man of fear and a man of faith. Israel suffered for many years of severe oppression at the hands of the Midians. One day Gideon was hiding out in the winepress threshing weed, so it wouldn’t be discovered by the Midianites. That day an angel of God appeared to Gideon. The angel told Gideon that the Lord was with him. Gideon’s response was “Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen on us? What happened to all the miracles our father told us about”? Gideon felt God had forsaken him and his people and delivered them into the hands of the Midianites.

At this point God tells Gideon of his will. Gideon was confused. How could he save Israel? Gideon asked God for a sign. God commands Gideon to tear down his father’s Asherah pole (a sacred pole or a tree that stood near Canaanite religious locations to honor the pagan goddess Asherah). Gideon did as God commanded. God showed Gideon a sign and sent out the neighboring tribes to bear arms. Gideon was still not convinced. Gideon asks God for yet another sign. God shows up and Gideon still asks for more proof. Then God shows himself again.

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