Judges 6:25-32 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said to him, Take your father's young bullock… I. Observe GOD'S COMMAND TO GIDEON. 1. Gideon is commanded to destroy the altar of Baal. "God or Baal" — not "God and Baal" was the point to be settled before any deliverance could be expected. Now, throw New Testament light upon this, and what do we learn? The lesson is trumpet-tongued. No compromise — no halting between two opinions — is the language of the command. God hates a divided heart. He will not endure two altars. He will give no deliverance as long as Baal's altar stands. No sacrifice, however costly, is, or can be, accepted, which is offered upon the polluted altar of man's corrupt heart. A new altar must be built up — an altar of God's workmanship — of God, and for God, that is the only altar which will sanctify an acceptable gift. Any attempt to worship at Jehovah's altar on one day in seven, and to worship at the altar of Baal or Mammon on the other six days of the week, is not only vain, but suicidal. God will have a new heart, and a whole heart, or none. 2. The next thing Gideon was commanded to do was to cut down Baal's grove and make it fuel for the altar of God. Groves were not idolatrous — there was no harm in them — but they were occasions of sin, How many had been ruined, and ruined for ever, under the foliage of those groves! Perversion of nature's growth to the dishonour of nature's God! Many would plead for the harmless trees who would condemn both: Baal and his idolatrous worship. But God knows the heart of the sinner better than he knows it himself; and therefore He says, "Cut down the grove." Cut down the occasion of sin. Touch not, taste not, handle not that which causes men to perish with the using. Avoid the spot, shun the places, where Satan's seat is. Do more than this! God commanded Gideon to "offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove." This was turning the idolatrous grove to a good purpose. Let there be no waste — no useless destruction. Money, health, time, influence, example, all, once expended for Baal, now let them all be as fuel for the altar of God. 3. The third thing God commanded Gideon to do was to build an altar unto the Lord his God. But where was this altar to be reared? Was it to stand on the spot whereon Baal's altar stood? No! the place is polluted. On no unhallowed spot must this altar be raised. Build it, said the Lord, "upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place." Gideon must build it upon the rock already consecrated by the wondrous doings thereon of the angel of the covenant. May we not say of this rock what Paul said of the smitten rock in the wilderness, "That rock was Christ." He is indeed both altar and rock — yea, He is Himself the sacrifice. Standing on Him alone as our Rock, we ever hear the words, "Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt riot die." He only is the true Rock — higher than we — far above the flood which sweeps the impenitent into the depths of woe. He, too, only is the Rock on which we can with safety place the altar of our hearts. The old foundation will not do — it is polluted — it is defiling. No altar, no sacrifice will God accept if it be offered upon the site of Baal's altar. "Behold, I make all things new" — this is our hope to come. This must be the rule of our faith and practice now. II. And now we come to GIDEON'S OBEDIENCE. 1. His obedience was prompt. He did not give himself time to take counsel of his fears. He did it by night, lest he should be opposed and hindered. He had no fear on account of detection. He must have known that his deed would be proclaimed over the whole nation. His aim was to do the work out of hand, and leave the consequences with God. Duty was his, events were God's. Noble example. Half the shipwrecks of faith would be escaped were it followed. Procrastination is the bane of true godliness. 2. We observe, however, that Gideon's obedience was attended with personal danger. He needed courage and strong faith. Doubtless he sought for grace equal to that night of danger whence alone all strength cometh. The followers of Baal — the men of the city — were zealous for the worship of Baal. If idolaters be zealous for the honour of Baal, he will be no less zealous for the honour and glory of God. Now, it is just this zeal and this courage, in the face of danger and difficulties, which prove the character of the true Christian. If a man will venture nothing for Christ he is not worthy of Him. Ah, we need a Gideon to rise up in Israel! Rather we need that all the people of God should be as zealous for the true God, for His Word, for His day, for His worship, as idolaters are for the worship of Baal. 3. Mark, also, that Gideon's obedience was eminently successful and strikingly rewarded. He was for God, and God was for him. The Lord made his way prosperous. Gideon's ten servants did their work well. He was not left to do all the work himself. Doubtless they caught their master's spirit and zeal. It is astonishing how much influence for good or evil every master exercises over his own household. Eyes are upon him when he leasts suspects it. But Gideon was defended by one who of all others seemed pledged to oppose him. His father ceased to be an idolater that very night. Perhaps the bravery of his son, or his steady and consistent piety and zeal, convinced him of his sin, or perhaps the impotency of Baal to save himself was conclusive logic to his mind. Who can tell how many fathers and mothers in Israel, how many sons and daughters, relatives and friends, would be converted and saved, were Christian men and women as faithful to their God as was Gideon? You think to conciliate the world by concession, by connivance at their sinful principles and customs. Alas! your inconsistency only leads them to despise you. Be consistent, be uncompromising in serving the Lord; be courageous — obey God rather than man, and God will honour you, as he Has honoured many, and made them instruments in winning father and mother, brothers and sisters, to Christ. (G. A. Rogers, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: |
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