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Weekly Devotion
Judges 6:36-40
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
In the sixth chapter of the Book of Judges, just before this well-known passage, Gideon was called by God to be Israel's deliverer (6:14). And so, conditioned by the accounts previous to this one, after 6:35, we expect Gideon to lead Israel's army against their oppressors. Afterall, that is what happened in the Othniel, Ehud, and Barak cycles. This story, however, takes (another) detour and what occurs next is an interesting exchange between God and Gideon involving a fleece of wool.
In a sense, the sign of the fleece was unnecessary. God had already appeared to Gideon (6:12). God had already conveyed to Gideon what he wanted from him (6:14). God had already assured him of the victory (6:16). And yet, Gideon hesitates and requests for additional confirmation.
What's amazing about this passage is the grace of God that subtly runs through it. Take note of the audacity of Gideon, as he dictates the parameters in which God must prove himself. Take note of his obstinacy. God already told him that he would defeat the Midianites (6:16) but he does not trust God's word. Take note of how he is the one (not God) who is not true to his word. He swore to God, after the first request, that if God did what he asked, it would be enough for him (6:37). It wasn't, and so, he asks for a second sign.
The comfort that we, modern believers, can take from this passage is that the God who graciously met Gideon in his fear, inconsistency, and weakness is the same God who meets us in our fear, inconsistency, and weakness. As Paul wrote, "God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Cor. 1:27) so that all glory may go to him. In terms of this story and our salvation, God's glory is his grace that covers our weakness.