Weakness and Strength

Once again the Angel of the LORD comes into the world on a divine errand. This time He comes to Ophrah, a town overlooking the Jezreel Valley in the territory of the tribe of Manasseh. Specifically, He comes to Gideon, a descendant of Abiezer, one of Manasseh’s sons, who is cowering in a winepress and attempting to thresh a little wheat there out of sight of the Midianites.

The Angel comes with a great promise—“ ‘The LORD is with you’ ”—and a description of Gideon—“ ‘mighty man of valor’ ” (which seems strange given that he is in a hiding place). An attitude of modesty shines through as he overlooks the description, zeroing in instead on the promise. However, he mistakenly believes it is directed at the nation as a whole rather than himself, and that misunderstanding leaves him confused—he cannot see how the Angel can say God is with the people in light of all that has happened to them. He understands the sovereignty of God, for he recognizes that God has “ ‘delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.’ ” And it is clear to him that God is withholding deliverance, working no miracles as in the days of the Exodus. His conclusion, therefore, is that God not only is not with His people, He has forsaken them. But Gideon cannot understand why. He apparently has not heard the prophetic indictment we saw in yesterday’s study, which informed Israel that it had fallen under Midianite oppression because of its disobedience. And he does not know that God has sent both a prophet and now the Angel of the LORD to His people—wonderful acts of grace that prove God has not forsaken His people but is still striving with them by His Word.

The Angel does not repeat the words of the prophet. He simply commands Gideon to “ ‘go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.’ ” Now Gideon is listening more closely. “ ‘How can I save Israel?’ ” he asks. “ ‘Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’ ” These statements may well be true, but Gideon may be attempting to evade the mantle of leadership being thrust upon Him, as did Moses (Ex. 3). But God answers Gideon just as He answered Moses: “ ‘I will be with you.’ ” With the strength of God empowering him, the weak, insignificant Gideon will “ ‘defeat the Midianites as one man.’ ”