Judges 6:33-40 - I will place a wool fleece

6:33-35

Israel’s enemies gathered together to fight against Israel. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. In Matt 10:18-20 Jesus said that His disciples should not worry when they are called before governors and kings for the Spirit would speak through them. Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to equip us for battle. Gideon blew the trumpet summoning the Abiezrites. They were one of the clans of Manasseh. Three other tribes were summoned as well.

6:36-40

Gideon then does his famous fleecing stuff. He is looking for further assurance that God is with him. Gideon is in essence doubting God, and seems to recognise that he is breaking the command not to put the Lord to the test (7:39). However, God goes along with Gideon’s requests and answers the two tests. We too can be like Gideon, demanding proof after proof. When Jesus was on the earth, the religious leaders were forever demanding a sign. 

Acts 13:20-25 - God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus

13:20-22

The period of 450 years covers the period that Israel was first in Egypt to the time of the Judges.  Then God sent a prophet, Samuel. The people asked for a king and got Saul. God removed Saul and made David their king. David was “ a man after my own heart”. He was a man who God wanted to be king. David did “everything I want him to do”. Now we know that David also sinned, but he was the most obedient king they ever had. The emphasis is on a king chosen by God who did what God wanted. Jesus said that He did only what He saw His Father do. We are all too keen to look for someone who will do what we want them to do. What God wants to do is the key thing.

13:23-25

Jesus was the promised saviour, and His human ancestry comes from the line of David, Most importantly He is “a man after God’s own heart”, doing only what God wants. Jesus is God’s chosen Messiah. Paul then jumps on to John the Baptist, and it seems that knowledge of John the Baptist spread far and wide. John was emphatic that his purpose was to point the way towards the Messiah, he himself was not the Messiah. Someone, namely Jesus, far greater than he was the one sent by God.

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.

Acts 13:16-19 - Listen to me!

13:16

Paul now speaks to the synagogue. Sometimes the messages recorded in Acts begin with Jesus, other times they give a broader sweep of Israel’s history. Stephen’s speech is the best example of the latter. Paul’s speech here is also an example of the latter. The recorded speech is much shorter than Stephen’s, though we must remember that what we have recorded is a very much condensed version. Paul could speak for a very long time (Acts 20:9). The audience consisted of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles.

13:17-19

Paul starts by reminding them that the God of Israel chose their ancestors. The emphasis throughout is that it is a God driven enterprise. We all do well to remember that. If we turn it into a man-centred enterprise then we very quickly go off the rails. Then he reminds them how God first prospered them in Egypt, and then used mighty power (i.e. the plagues and the Red Sea) to lead them out. After then God “endured their conduct in the wilderness”. The Israelites were never a particularly obedient bunch! After that God “overthrew seven nations in Canaan”. It was God who gave them the Promised Land. If we read Deuteronomy and Joshua there are repeated statements that it was God who gave their enemies into their hands. 

Judges 6:25-28 - Tear down your father's altar

6:25,26

There are some minor problems with 6:25. If you read the NIV then it seems there is one bull, but if you read ESV it seems there are two bulls. Anyway, this is not of great theological significance. Gideon’s father was involved in idol worship,though this was probably through expedience, rather than any true commitment. Gideon is told to tear down the altar to Baal and the Asherah pole. In their place he is to build an altar to the Lord, then using the wood from the Asherah pole he is to offer the bull as a sacrifice to the Lord. This was a declaration of war against idol worship in Israel, which was the root cause of their problems.

6:27,28

Gideon did as he was told, taking ten servants with him, this latter fact would indicate that he and his family weren’t quite the nobodies he made them out to be. However, Gideon did this at night, out of fear of the townspeople and his family. Still, the deed was done, and in the morning everyone could see the altar to Baal demolished, and the Asherah pole cut down, and the sacrificed bull.

Acts 13:12-15 - Please speak

13:12

Attention turns back to the proconsul. He saw what happened, and he believed. He was also “amazed”. Now, note that it was the “teaching about the Lord” that amazed him, rather than the blinding of Elymas itself. Signs and wonders should be part of the church’s ministry, but it is the word of God that convicts.

13:13-15

John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. No reason is given for his departure, but later on (Acts 15:36-41) it will be a source of conflict between Paul and Barnabas. There were several places called Antioch, and the next one is Pisidian Antioch. Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. As was the practice, the word of the Law and Prophets was read out, then the synagogue leaders asked Paul and Barnabas if they had a word of exhortation for the people. They must have had an air of authority about them for them to be asked. Or maybe Paul was known as a rabbi.

Judges 6:19-24 - Peace! Do not be afraid!

6:19-22

Gideon went away and prepared a goat as a sacrifice. The angel of the Lord then takes over and tells him what to do with the sacrifice. He is to place it on a rock. The angel then touched the meat and unleavened bread, and fire flared from the rock. This consumed the meat and bread, and the angel then disappeared. This proved beyond doubt that it was indeed an angel of the Lord. There was both the action of the angel, and the acceptance of the sacrifice. For us we should know that the Father accepted the sacrifice of His Son. 

6:23,24

Gideon was now in a dilemma because how could a man see the Lord and live? But God speaks to him saying “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die”. Jesus said similar words during His resurrection appearances. Men naturally fear God, even dread Him. But God chooses to meet with us, it is not His will to destroy those who repent and believe. In response Gideon built an altar calling it “The Lord is Peace”.