God's Exceptional Choice
Out of Slavery - Into Nationhood
The Call of Gideon
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
Judges 6:1-2,7-16 The Voice6 When the people of Israel again did what the Eternal One considered evil, He made them serve the Midianites for seven years. 2 The power of Midian prevailed over Israel so that the Israelites built for themselves hiding places in the mountains, in caves, and in safe strongholds. Gideon6 1-6 Yet again the People of Israel went back to doing evil in God’s sight. God put them under the domination of Midian for seven years. Midian overpowered Israel. Because of Midian, the People of Israel made for themselves hideouts in the mountains—caves and forts. When Israel planted its crops, Midian and Amalek, the easterners, would invade them, camp in their fields, and destroy their crops all the way down to Gaza. They left nothing for them to live on, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. Bringing their cattle and tents, they came in and took over like an invasion of locusts. And their camels—past counting! They marched in and devastated the country. The People of Israel, reduced to grinding poverty by Midian, cried out to God for help. 7 When the people of Israel cried to the Eternal for relief from the Midianites, 8 He sent a prophet to them. Prophet: Here are the words of the Eternal God of Israel: “I brought you out from slavery in Egypt. 9 I delivered you from the Egyptians, from all who would have oppressed you. I drove the Canaanitesout before you and delivered their land into your care. 10 But I said to you, ‘I am the Eternal One, your True God, and you must not worship the gods of the Amorites, those people in whose land you settle.’ And you have not listened to Me.” 11 Now in Ophrah, the Eternal’s messenger sat under an oak tree that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. Gideon, the son of Joash, was beating out wheat in the winepress so that the Midianites could not see what he was doing. 12 The Eternal’s messenger appeared to Gideon. Times are so bad that even when processing the wheat, one has to be quiet about it so that the Midianites do not notice and seize the food. Messenger of the Eternal One: The Eternal One is with you, mighty warrior. Gideon: 13 Sir, if He is with us, then why has all this misfortune come on us? Where are all the miracles that our ancestors told us about? They said, “Didn’t the Eternal deliver us out of Egypt?” But now He has left us. He has made us servants of the Midianites. 14 The Eternal turned to Gideon and addressed him. Eternal One (speaking through His messenger): Go out with your strength and rescue Israel from the oppression of Midian. Do you understand that I am the one sending you? Gideon: 15 But, Lord, how am I supposed to deliver Israel? My family is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least of my family. Eternal One: 16 Go. I will be with you, and you will totally destroy the forces of Midian as one man.
For Reflection
The irony in Gideon's call is that although Gideon does not consider himself an inspiring leader, God describes him as a "mighty warrior." But it is God's way of calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Like most of us, Gideon is reluctant to accept God's invitation.
Time and time again, God turns to ordinary people, inviting them to participate in God's plans. The Church is filled with ordinary people who, if they answer God's call, can do extraordinary things PrayPray for the courage to answer God's call to do extraordinary things.
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