Shalom Dear Brothers and Sisters Gideon and the Angel of the Lord I love the conversation and interaction between Gideon and the "Angel of the Lord". The Lord reaffirms to Gideon once again that he shall go in his might and save Israel from the Midianites. Gideon goes on to explain how he belongs to the least tribe and he himself is the weakest of them all. The "Angel of the Lord" asks him have, "I not sent you?" So Gideon says if you are for rea,l let me go and get you something to eat wait for me here, (my paraphrase) and he goes and prepares the meal and brings it back. All of a sudden this "Angel of the Lord" consumes the food offering with fire and Gideon's eyes our opened. He realizes he is speaking with the Lord and he fears for his life but the Lord reassures him so he built an altar to the Lord there. Then the Lord gives him clear instructions to first destroy his father's idol and to make a sacrifice there. Notice when the Lord asks us to do something He always gives us clear instructions! Especially concerning tearing down altars made to other gods! This was the beginning of Gideon acting obediently. He goes ahead and does what the Lord instructed him to do, he doesn't even check with his father or tell him what has happened, however he was wise in taking 10 other men with him for he feared his father's household. This spoke volumes to me, the "Angel of the Lord", who I believe was the pre-incarnate Yeshua, told Gideon that He would be with him. Gideon did not hesitate once he realized who the Angel was and he had the full confidence that God was going to be with him. Also because Gideon had the courage to destroy the altar to baal his father came to his senses and stood up for Gideon in front of all the other people! Inside each one of us is a mighty warrior. We need to hold fast and recognize that God is with us, He dwells within us and we to should be walking in that confidence! We need to seek the Lord in all things and see what He would have us to do and how to do it. If we stay in His Word it will surely be a light unto our path (Psalm 12:6). We also need to make sure that we have not set up idols in our lives! As Gideon had said, his tribe was the least so because of the fear of the ungodly people's around them they had allowed the them to set up idols to their gods and they too have fallen into worshiping them. But God is so jealous for His people and he wants us to be His and His alone that He will do what ever it takes to bring us back to a deep and intimate relationship with Him. We need not fear man, we need to fear God. He is faithful and just and shows us if we have put up idols in our hearts or lives and He will help us remove them! He must be first.
B'Shem Yeshua Hamashiach, Amen In His Love, Theresa
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