Israel had turned their back on their God and the Lord allowed the Midianites to overtake them for seven years. When the angle of the Lord appeared to Gideon, He said; "I have chosen you to deliver Israel from the hands of the Midanites." Israel had been under great oppression and starvation from their enemy.
Gideon said; "But Lord my clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family. The Lord said; "I will be with you and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."
How is it that the Lord chooses the weakest to defeat the strongest? Too many times we forget that it's not our hand but rather it's the hand of the Lord that does the mighty work. Gideon would ask the Lord several times to confirm that this was the Lord speaking and not his own doings.
God confirms several times to Gideon this is the real deal. He then tells Gideon; "Build and altar and take the second bull from your father's herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it."
The next morning people saw where Baal had been pulled down, "Who did this, He must die." They learned that it was Gideon. Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him.
"Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar.
Have you realized that God is still choosing out men and women today to do His work? It's not about your gifts and talents and resources that you have. God chooses the weak things of the earth to confound the wise. "You did not chose me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain." (John 15:16)
God's not looking for your abilities but rather your availability. Gideon had to decide if he would follow the word of the Lord. This man would make a vast difference in a nation that had turned their back on God. When it's all said and done one day, what will you have contributed to the work of the Lord? Never forget, this life is not about our agenda, our wants, our whims, our will. Jesus prayed to the Father; "Not my will but thy will be done."
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