Pages

Tuesday 6 February 2024

Judges 6:29-32 - Who did this?

6:29,30

Despite Gideon’s efforts to do the deed in secret, the people soon discovered who was responsible. So they went to Gideon’s father, Joash, demanding that he hand Gideon over to be killed. They had a great attachment to their idols, despite all the trouble they were responsible for. We see a similar phenomenon in our society. The breakdown of family life, and the advocacy of transgender ideology are causing enormous problems. The effects of the breakdown of family life have been long documented, yet suggesting that these matters are important can bring down a whole load of opprobrium, or worse, on the person who does so.


6:31,32

Joash, however, calls for a more rational approach, supporting the idea that his involvement in idol worship was just a matter of expediency. Joash turns the tables, saying that anyone who fights for Baal will be killed. Then he says that if Baal really is a god he is well capable of fighting for himself. The crowd relent, and Gideon is given the name Jerub-Baal, which means “let Baal contend with him”. The Bible is consistently scathing of idols, with some of the Psalms being good examples. Far from being gullible, the Bible is very clear that idols are useless, unable to do anything at all.


No comments:

Post a Comment