The name "Gideon" first appears only in the 6th chapter of Judges, in verse 11. Prior to this, it was NOT mentioned in any of the books at all. Nothing about him or his life or his character or his growing up years or his favourite food.
What made me puzzled, is how ordinary Gideon seemed.
Gideon was just threshing wheat in the winepress of his father, Joash, when an Angel of the Lord appeared, spoke to him, and proclaimed promises to him. Just like that. WHAM-BOM-BAM!
And so, after the question mark has hung in my head for days, I posed the question to a friend last night. "Gideon." he replied, "Least of the least. Chosen to be one of the judges to deliver the children of Israel. Showing, and using the weak to shame the strong, as long as one is willing to be used."
"Just like David...?" I clarified.
"Yah."
(Had wanted to ask how did he know Gideon was the least of the least. Lucky. Just found it in verse 15 this morning)
I went to bed later that night. Gideon, strangely, was still lingering in my mind. Since days have passed the last I read about Gid, I revisited the passages again. Having read though the passages not too long ago, this time round was relatively easier; because some parts of the passages still look familiar.
I skimmed through the passages, this time picking out the important gists in each. Then, I noticed something which I didn't the first time round.
Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress of his father, Joash, when an Angel of the Lord appeared and spoke to him. "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (verse 11 - 12)
Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." (verse 13)
Oh! How joyful and positive of Gideon. How merry he sounds.
Then the Lord replied, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" (verse 14)
I don't know about you. To me, this conversation sounds like a monologue; each in his own world. It sounds as though Gideon had not spoken at all. Either that, or God had chosen not to hear at all.
And what is this "might of yours" that God was referring to? Gideon sounded as optimistic as a withering flower and as hyped up as a hibernating bear. The total opposite of gung ho David.
Later on in the story, in verse 27, Gid. took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said (i.e. to tear down the altar of Baal). But because he feared his father's household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.
I took a double take. If it is written as "he did it by night because it was a wise decision to make" or something along that nature, it would sound so much more pleasant to the ears. BUT! Gideon did it by night because he FEARED the people. The reason behind the action was wrong in the first place.
Great. Now he sounds timid as well.
Soon, the people learned that Gid. was the culprit who tore down the altar, they were after his blood. Gid, then, asked God for His assurance and affirmations. Twice. And he received it. Twice, too.
The first time:
Gid. said, "If You will save Israel by my hands as You have said - look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said." And it was so. (verse 37 - 38)
WOW! This is like a confirm-guarantee-chop-chop answer from heaven. Totally amazing and miraculous, isn't it?
What then, did our dear Gideon do?
"Do not be angry with me," he said, "but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew." And God did so that night. (verse 39 - 40)
The profile portfolio?
Gideon: Pessimistic. Timid. And now? Doubtful as well.
Wonderful.
But, I realize, God doesn't see as we human do. Gideon sounds like a scardy cat. God looks beyond that.
When Gideon felt God has forsaken His people and doubted Him, God sees beyond that and still believed in Gideon. Why then, would God affirm him time and again ("mighty man of valour!", "Go in this might of yours")?
When Gideon, still full of doubt despite the first fleece of wool sign, God allowed Himself to be test yet again and fulfilled the second sign just as Gideon has requested. Not once, but twice.
It only sends one clear message: What we couldn't believe initially, God believes on our behalf. And draws us out slowly until we're ready.
Eventually? Gid defeated the Midianites, and led Israel for forty years. He had 70 sons, and died at a good old age.
David and Gideon. Loud and soft. Confident and uncertain. Brave and timid. Gung ho and fearful. Faith and doubt.
David and Gideon. Different as day and night.
One area they have in common?
Being the least of the least, humble, always seeking God, and willing to be used by Him.
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