“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, My own hand has saved me.'” Judges 7:2 (ESV)
Gideon considered his clan to be the weakest in Manasseh and himself the least of his father’s house. He did not feel qualified to lead the charge to defeat the Midianites. God confirmed His will through a fire, a fleece, and a formula. Gideon prepared a sacrifice and God sent an angel of the Lord. “Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes” (Judges 6:21 ESV).
Gideon asked for additional clarification by asking God to fill a wool fleece with dew while keeping all the ground dry. God performed the miracle and Gideon wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. The fleece was used again to test the validity of God’s will. This time, Gideon asked God to let the fleece remain dry while allowing there to be dew on all the ground. God performed that miracle.
The formula God chose for Gideon demonstrated God’s power in the midst of Gideon’s weaknesses. The formula involved reducing Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300. Gideon and his army of 300 won the victory!
God’s way to victory does not always line up with our logical thought process. In our humanity, we tend to judge our circumstances from our limited point of view. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).
The victory over our sin, our death, and our dilemma was won God’s way through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus!
Riding HIS Wave,
Stephen Trammell
Lead Pastor
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