I hardly know where to start! Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Judges 6:2. Into this setting, The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” v. 11-12.

What was Gideon’s response and reaction to this amazing experience? Can we put ourselves into Gideon’s place? He talks back to God! “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” v. 13. Since we aren’t Gideon, sitting here in this place with this amazing opportunity to interact with God, lets jump ahead to get a better, clearer picture. “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. v. 25. So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than the daytime. In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! v. 27-28. The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” v. 30.

Pardon me?? The commentary from Judges 2:11-15: Baal was the god of the storm and rains; therefore, he was thought to control vegetation and agriculture. Ashtoreth was the mother goddess of love, war, and fertility (she was also called Astarte or Ishtar). Temple prostitution and child sacrifice were a part of the worship of these Canaanite idols.

With these idols on his own father’s land, Gideon blames God for God abandoning them to the people whose gods Israel is now following to their hurt.

And what does God say to Gideon? Does He blast him out of his shoes for his words? The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” v. 14.

Now begins a back and forth conversation and Gideon’s need to determine whether God has really spoken to him or not. Can you empathize with Gideon? Have you ever been in a position where you wondered if God had spoken to you in whatever way He found best? I have. You kind of question your sanity. We are talking about God. What if it’s just my or your or Gideon’s imagination? What then?

Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised – look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew – a bowlful of water. v. 36-38. Not just some dew…a bowlful of water.

Wow. But what if??? Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. v. 39-40.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:17-18.

The Midianites and now the Israelites and Gideon and his father were darkened in their understanding, ignorant of God because in turning away from Him they embraced idols and their hearts were hardened to God’s love and Presence.

Gideon blamed God for the troubles and despair they suffered. Do we? We may not be chosen to lead a nation in a specific time and place as was Gideon, but we are loved by God and He is ready always to speak to us. Are we ready to listen?

This morning His startling words to me? Dance with Me! Step out of doubt and take My hand and let us dance! I will be your lead. Join Me in a dance so beautiful you will soar! You know the steps – faith, hope, love, trust, joy, discovery, abundant life with Me. A dance of love given and received joyously.

Never be surprised when God speaks to your heart in a still, small voice. He is doing that for your good with Him leading you in a dance with Him so beautiful your heart will weep with joy! Will there still be problems and despair all around? Yes. Will there be problems so vast you can’t imagine how they will ever be fixed? Absolutely. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-28.

A new life with Him. Just as He is able to work with you and in you, He is able to work in every heart. Step out of doubt and trust Him! Let God be God for every person! I’m learning with Him that I cannot change the world into the way I want it to be and I praise and thank Him for that blessing for everyone! He has taken that burden away so we can dance together and I am letting Him lead in me. I can’t change the world but joy of joy…He can change me. Let’s dance Lord!!!