Testing Gideon Again

This week I want to talk about the little known details around Gideon's testing of God through fleece. It's the story he's most known for. (Judges 6-8) But, do you notice God doesn't belittle Gideon for asking these things of him? Our God is a patient person, especially when asked. I take so much comfort in that.

So to catch us up from last week, let's review. Gideon tore down an idol worship center which made the Midianite men angry, so they sent for help in killing Gideon. Gideon has also sent word out to his tribe and the tribes surrounding his area. And while he's waiting for help to arrive Gideon realizes he must know without a doubt that his God is for him and going ahead of him. Which when you get further into the story is a good thing to know.

You may ask, "why fleece? Why did Gideon pick fleece and dew?" Here's an interesting fact; the Midianites thought Baal was the one who provided the dew and rain for their crops. I'm sure that's one of the reasons Gideon picked the fleece-dew requests. It was a great way to be shown that indeed his God was greater than any false god any day of the week.

Another interesting fact is that it's summer, when moist air from the Mediterranean Sea would cool off at night then settle on the land as heavy dew. But this effect didn't occur every night. And, according to A Visual Guide to Bible Events, the threshing floor where the fleece was placed would have been on or near a ridge where a constant wind blew. Between the heat from the rising sun and the wind the threshing floor would dry first before the rest of the ground.

So when Gideon asked to have the fleece wet with dew and the ground dry, it was actually an expected possibility. Fleece is naturally quite absorbent, so the dew would not have dried up as fast as the land. So even though he squeezed a large amount of water from the fleece, Gideon realizes he needs to change the request. And so he does.

But as the men arrive to help Gideon he is faced with another internal struggle. Surveying the valley filled with Midianites who've come to fight him, he views a sea of men and camels. He has to remind himself that God is on his side, especially when only 32,000 men have arrived to help him. Imagine his surprise when God tells him, "that's too many."

At least Gideon is told that God wants it clear who is delivering the nation from the Midianites. He reminds Gideon how men tend to think they alone had a hand in their victories. So Gideon sends the fearful men away. I know if it were me, I would have a sick feeling in my stomach when over two-thirds of the men left. But Gideon is told it's still too many.

I love this next step of weeding out the the men. God tells Gideon to have the men drink some water from the nearby spring. You have to read closely or you miss who God chooses to have fight this battle. Note, the kneelers are positioned to keep an eye out for what's going on around them as they drink the water; the lappers have their head down focused on the water they're drinking.

Who would you pick? The guys with one eye out, ready to stand and fight if need be, right? Well, that's not who God chooses. God chooses the ones who are focused on drinking the water as a dog laps.

No matter what people may think of Gideon and his 300 men, God worked a miracle through them. This is a perfect story to show God uses those whom he chooses, not always the people men think will get the job done.