Page 352 - The Beginning of the End (2007)

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348
The Beginning of the End
The Messenger of heaven replied, “Go in this might of yours,
and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I
not sent you?”
Gideon wanted some sign that the one now speaking to him
was the Covenant Angel, who had performed mighty miracles for
Israel in the past. Hurrying to his tent, from what little he had
Gideon prepared a kid and unleavened bread, which he brought out
and set before Him. But the Angel told him, “Take the meat and
the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the
broth.” Gideon did this, and then the sign he was looking for was
given—with the staff in His hand, the Angel touched the meat and
the unleavened bread, and a flame bursting from the rock consumed
the sacrifice. Then the Angel vanished.
Gideon’s father, Joash, who had participated in the apostasy of
Israel, had built a large altar to Baal at Ophrah. The Lord commanded
Gideon to destroy this altar and to set up an altar to Jehovah over the
rock where the offering had been consumed, and present a sacrifice to
the Lord there. The work of offering sacrifices had been committed
to the priests and restricted to the altar at Shiloh, but the One who had
established the ritual service had power to change its requirements.
Gideon must declare war on idolatry before going out to battle with
the enemies of his people.
Gideon performed the work in secret, accomplishing everything
in one night with the help of his servants. The men of Ophrah were
very angry when they came the next morning to offer their worship to
Baal. Joash, who had been told of the Angel’s visit, stood in defense
of his son. “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let
the one who will plead for him be put to death by morning!” If Baal
could not defend his own altar, how could he be trusted to protect
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his worshipers?
All thoughts of harming Gideon were put away. When he
sounded the trumpet of war, the men of Ophrah were among the first
to join him. Messengers were sent to his own tribe of Manasseh,
and also to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and all answered the call.