The Day of Midian

Judges 6:15-24 (NKJV) 

Seven long years of impoverishment had been endured by the Israelites as the Midianites and other eastern tribes destroyed their very livelihood by desolating their crops. 

As the people cried out to the Lord, they were reminded through prophets of their turning from God to worship gods of the Amorites.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, son of Joash. “The Lord is with you mighty man of valor!” Judges 6:12  (NKJV)

The call was for Gideon to raise an army to defeat the Midianites.  In Gideon’s timidity, the angel of the Lord assured him that all would go well.  

Gideon like many before and after him, (and so like us,) didn’t take the call without protest.  “But Lord, how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  I hear my own protests through Gideon’s.  “But Lord, I am not ready, I am not adequate and I’m afraid.”

As Gideon’s confidence and courage grew in the Lord, he became that mighty man of valor spoken over him by the angel of the Lord.  Gideon prevailed as he led a charge of warriors to defeat the Midianites.  With the blast of three hundred trumpets the Lord caused the enemy to turn on each other with their swords. 

Oh what reluctant people can do when trusting the Lord becomes greater than our excuses, our fear of leaving safe harbors to launch out into the deep with our pilot at the helm.

Tomorrow, in the strength of the Lord, I’m going to do something that scares me.

Noteworthy:   The Old Testament records several appearances of a mysterious and godlike angel.  No references are made to the angel of the Lord in the Word after the incarnation of Jesus the Messiah.