17. Lessons from Gideon

Lessons from Gideon The Lord had told Gideon that he was to save Israel out of the hand of the Midianites (Judges 6:1-40). Gideon seems to have been timid and did not want to proceed on his own. He had been told to destroy the altar of Baal and build an altar to the Lord and offer his father’s second bullock on that altar. He was obedient, but with ten of his servants did the job at night. In Gideon’s desire to know assuredly that God was to use him to save Israel, he asks God to do some very difficult things for him. As I look at what he asked, these do not seem to me to be requests of a doubter, but of a serious seeker of the mind of God.

First he said:

"Behold, I will put a fleece on the floor; and if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as Thou hast said."

Gideon was an outdoorsman. He knew that dew formed on some things, but not others and that there was more or less dew on various objects.

Things with high heat capacity collect more dew. For example, an automobile has a high heat capacity and as we all know when sitting in the sun can get very hot inside because its surface gets hot. Woolen garments (especially light coloured ones) do not get hot — in fact they are insulators. Now, when Gideon asks something of God, why not make the request difficult? After all, God is able to do what seems impossible to us. Gideon knew that in his own strength he could not deliver Israel. Deliverance had to come from God. So, too, must his assurance come from God. God was very willing to show Gideon that He could do the difficult things requested.

Gideon arose early the next morning, looking for God’s answer. He gathered the fleece together and it was full of water, but there was no dew anywhere else. To see how abundantly God answered, he wrung the water out of the fleece and found a bowl full of water! This was a wonderful answer. Those of us who have left garments outside overnight may have found them damp in the morning, but there was not a bowl full of water in them from the dew. And if they were damp, there was much more dew on other things!

Gideon desired additional assurance and asked for the opposite set of circumstances for the next morning. He wanted to prove with the fleece that God could keep the fleece dry and that there would be dew on all the ground. God answered exactly as Gideon requested. So Gideon went on to prepare a company for the battle.

Why is this story recorded for us? In addition to the interesting story, there are lessons for us. God certainly does want His own to be assured that He is leading them. But I believe He gave this lesson to be a beautiful type of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Remember, we have said that the dew is a type of the blessing of God for His people on earth. When our Lord Jesus came, was it not dry all around? He came as a root out of dry ground (Isaiah 53:2), but the blessing of God was on Him! God could say from heaven that He was His well beloved Son and that God was well pleased with Him. Wherever He went, He carried blessings from God. He demonstrated this with His miracles and gracious words and deeds. He was the "dew of heaven!" His pathway led him through this world and on to the cross. There He was made a curse when He took our sins upon Himself. There the dew was wrung from Him. He cried out: "I thirst." But now the dew is on all the ground. That ground which was cursed by sin can now receive the blessing of God! Everyone can now receive the “dew of heaven!” The good news of the gospel is available to all. Those who accept it come into the blessing of God. The blessing is for us now here on earth and will continue throughout the ages of eternity!

Why did Gideon find a bowl full of water in the fleece? May I suggest that God would give him just what he needed for that moment? Did he need a drink? Did he need water for cleansing? Whatever his need was, there was just enough for him. Gideon had his bowl full that morning! We may come often to Him and we can always find our bowl full to meet our need!