ESV Chronological Plan, Day 83 | Judges 6-8

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Judges 6:1-8:35

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

(A) The second appearance of the Angel of the Lord in Judges 6. This strange figure shows up again in this passage, for the second out of three appearances in the book of Judges. This messenger (the word "angel" means "messenger") seems to appear in the form of a man. He sits (v. 11), speaks (v. 12), and has a hand in which he carries a walking staff (v. 21). However, both his words and the text identify him as God. More subtle than his usual references, he says to Gideon "I send you... I will be with you..." (v. 14-16), taking on himself personally the sending and equipping authority of God. But if that is not as convincing, the text itself goes on to identify him directly as "the LORD" (v. 14, 16). Gideon also seems to understand that this is God in the form of a man because he worries about whether he can really have seen his face and still live (v. 22), which was a common fear of those who believed they had beheld God in some form of theophany, or "God appearance" (see Jacob's amazement at still being alive after a similar encounter in Genesis 32:30). The translators of the Hebrew Bible into Greek before Jesus also understood the implications of this reference--the ESV footnote for verse 14 says that the translators of the Greek Septuagint changed "the LORD" to instead read "the angel of the LORD," very likely because they recognized that the text appears to be calling this seemingly human figure "God," and they wanted to correct this. By attempting to alter the passage in translation, the Jewish translators of the Septuagint in the days before Jesus (approximately 3rd-2nd century BC) have actually witnessed that this passage seems to be talking about God appearing to Gideon in human form. The next mention of the angel of the Lord Judges 13 will be even more clear than this. But for us, I believe that this recurring pattern of appearances by the angel of the Lord--who comes as God in a physical appearance, and both refers to God in third person and yet clearly identifies as God, is one of the ways in which the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus.

(B) Gideon's character weakness. Gideon seems to start off well, with the caveat that he takes a lot of convincing to fulfill his God-chosen role as judge, and initially is only willing to do even the smallest acts for God by secret at night. His acceptance of God's summons comes after a lot of questioning, a lot of half obedience, and a lot of testing (Judges 6). Then, immediately after that is concluded, we see that he publicly is known by the name "Jerubbaal" which means "Baal shall contend"--Baal being the name of a false deity (Judges 7:1). After winning a victorious battle, he then seems to have Israelite men killed at Penuel for having earlier denied to give his army bread (8:4-17). He does things out of cruelty and anger (8:18-21). He first makes a show of saying that he will not be king over his people, but this is false humility, as he later has many wives and concubines and names his son Abimelech, which means "my dad is the king" (Judges 8:29-31). In the same chapter, he also leads his people into idolatry. He is a terrible Judge all around, as we see increasingly through the narrative. God can use someone who is deficient in character. In fact, to show his own glory through weak vessels, he may often do so. But we should not confuse success or skill or fruitfulness with godliness. We can glorify God in providing those things. But the person to whom it is provided can only show that they are genuine over time, through many different little decisions.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? In our worship we can see God already descending to make himself knowable to man through the appearances of the angel of the Lord (only clearly in the books of Genesis-Judges, so far as I can tell). He desires relationship with us. In our attitudes we should look for anything in us that, given the opportunity, could show itself in ways that would bring sadness to the heart of God.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS LEAD US TO CONNECT WITH GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or something else in your reading, take some time before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God.