That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” Judges 6:25-26
Gideon found Himself in quite a predicament in Judges 6. God gave him instruction: "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down" (verses 25-26). What God was asking Gideon to do was significant. Israel had fallen under idol worship. They worshiped an idol; a false God named Baal. God wanted Gideon to tear down Baal's altar and build an altar to God, the one true God. Not only was this act going to make the people of Israel angry, but it was also going to defy his father, who built the altar. This instruction from God required great faith, which is obeying God even when it is hard and potentially risky.
With the difficult command God gave Gideon, we find that he immediately went and did exactly what God commanded Him to do. He did this at night, hoping no one would know it was he who had done this thing. He was fearful of how his father and the other Israelites might react. Notice that he was still fearful, but His faith in God trumped his fear. Unfortunately, the next day after Gideon tore down the altar of Baal and built one for God, someone found out he had done it, and the Israelites were furious. They wanted to kill him for what he had done. God protected Gideon through Gideon's father. His father spoke up and said, "Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!" (verse 31). With the words of Gideon's father, the people left him alone. Gideon obeyed God, and God protected him.
Gideon's story is a reminder to us that faith means obeying God even when it is hard. It is also a reminder that God protects His people. This protection may look different than we expect or hope, but God protects and defends those who are faithful to Him.
Is there something God has called you to do that seems scary or risky? Maybe He is calling you to share your faith with a friend or family member, and you do not know how they will respond. Maybe God is calling you to make a decision that you know will be unpopular. Whatever the case, find courage from the story of Gideon. Take one step today toward obeying God's call in your life. If you need help sharing your story, please take some time to review The Difference One Life Can Make page on our website. God wants to use you to reach others!
Read Judges 6:25-32 (NLT)
That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.”
So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town.
Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been broken down and that the Asherah pole beside it had been cut down. In their place a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed. The people said to each other, “Who did this?” And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.
“Bring out your son,” the men of the town demanded of Joash. “He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.”
But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!” From then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal defend himself,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.
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