Taking The First Step Of Obedience

Sure that It was God who called him to lead Israel and deliver them, Gideon had offered a sacrifice.  Later that same evening, God spoke to him again, in Judges 6:25-26.  “And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.”

 

The first thing God asked Gideon to do was to take a stand against the sin in his own family.  Doing so is hard for most people, because it may turns ones family against them, but everyone has to take such a stance if they are to be used mightily of God.  In Matthew 10:37, Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  If a person lacks the faith obey God in some minor matter, there is no reason to think he will be able to face bigger challenges.  -

 

Knowing that obeying God might make his own family mad, Gideon did what God said secretly, in Judges 6:27.  “Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.”

 

Gideon had been right about the way people would react to having their sin pointed out.  They called for him to be killed for standing against it, in Judges 6:28-30.  “And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.  And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.  Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.”  Christians today face similar threats for standing against abortion or homosexuality or other sins, and have to make a choice whether to obey God or maintain the status quo. 

 

Many times, even those who are involved with things that are wrong are not fully committed to them, and Gideon’s father cared more about his son than about worshipping Baal.  He pointed out that if Baal couldn’t defend himself against one man, he probably couldn’t do anything to help the people, in Judges 6:31-32.  “And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.   Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.”

 

All Israel knew God had forbidden worshipping other Gods, so Gideon’s actions attracted attention.  A fresh invasion by the Midianites and Amalekites stirred up more resentment by the Israelites, and when Gideon called for help to fight them, the Northern tribes came out to help.  Gideon’s concern that the people wouldn’t follow him because he was not well known had been overcome by his stance against the worship of Baal and anger at the Midianites, as Judges 6:33-35 describes.  “Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.  But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.” 

 

Taking that first step of obedience was vital if Gideon was to lead Israel against the Midianites.  Without it the people would never have been inspired to follow him.