Earlier Judges
491
Gideon desired some token that the one now addressing him was
the Covenant Angel, who in time past had wrought for Israel. Angels
of God, who communed with Abraham, had once tarried to share his
hospitality; and Gideon now entreated the divine Messenger to remain
as his guest. Hastening to his tent, he prepared from his scanty store a
kid and unleavened cakes, which he brought forth and set before Him.
But the Angel bade him, “Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes,
and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth.” Gideon did so,
and then the sign which he had desired was given: with the staff in
His hand, the Angel touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and a
flame bursting from the rock consumed the sacrifice. Then the Angel
vanished from his sight.
Gideon’s father, Joash, who shared in the apostasy of his coun-
trymen, had erected at Ophrah, where he dwelt, a large altar to Baal,
at which the people of the town worshiped. Gideon was commanded
to destroy this altar and to erect an altar to Jehovah over the rock on
which the offering had been consumed, and there to present a sacrifice
to the Lord. The offering of sacrifice to God had been committed
to the priests, and had been restricted to the altar at Shiloh; but He
who had established the ritual service, and to whom all its offerings
pointed, had power to change its requirements. The deliverance of
Israel was to be preceded by a solemn protest against the worship of
Baal. Gideon must declare war upon idolatry before going out to battle
with the enemies of his people.
The divine direction was faithfully carried out. Knowing that he
would be opposed if it were attempted openly, Gideon performed the
work in secret; with the aid of his servants, accomplishing the whole
in one night. Great was the rage of the men of Ophrah when they
came next morning to pay their devotions to Baal. They would have
taken Gideon’s life had not Joash—who had been told of the Angel’s
visit—stood in defense of his son. “Will ye plead for Baal?” said
Joash. “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,
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because one hath cast down his altar.” If Baal could not defend his
own altar, how could he be trusted to protect his worshipers?
All thoughts of violence toward Gideon were dismissed; and when
he sounded the trumpet of war, the men of Ophrah were among the
first to gather to his standard. Heralds were dispatched to his own