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Gideon was startled by the appearance of the angel of the Lord. He was astonished when he heard the message of the Lord. He was convinced that a mistake had been made. Surely the Lord could not be thinking of using - him! Not Gideon!

The Lord dealt patiently with His servant. He repeatedly sought to give Gideon assurance and encouragement. Particularly as He spoke His Word of power.

He was seeking to confirm that He had not made any mistake. That Gideon was the man whom He had chosen to use! What a challenge! What a privilege! What a responsibility!

The Lord had brought His servant to the realization in which he was convinced. There was now only one acceptable response to the Lord. He must submit in genuine and humble surrender.

He must yield to the requirements of the Word and the will of the Lord!

Having reached that decision, Gideon immediately moved to express his commitment in a sincere act of worship.

It is so crucial to take careful note of a vital aspect of this development. This offering was:

"Gideon's Choice!" It was good as far as it went. But, it was only a beginning!

We have no reason to question either the sincerity nor the reality of what Gideon was attempting to do at this point. He had fully accepted the fact that the Lord had intervened in his life. He was beginning to grasp the significant results of that development.

Having heard the clear call of God, in true sincerity he was responding in an act of worship. Such worship was the most appropriate response.

His response is both a challenge and an inspiration to us. Is that the way we respond to the Lord? When He calls us to some special task? Or commands and commissions us to a specific area of service? Do we respond in a similar act of genuine and sincere worship?

Whenever the Lord does speak His Word of challenge and command to us, there is only one acceptable response. That worship which is the expression of humble thanksgiving and great praise.

In his act of worship Gideon was also seeking something from the Lord. He wanted, and anticipated a confirmation from Him.

Gideon did not see his act of worship as either one sided or one way. God had come to him. He himself was now approaching God in worship. God would respond.

In that understanding we see the true spirit of communion and fellowship which marks true worship. The humble worshipper discovers that God chooses to come to him. In His amazing Grace, God is fully committed to respond to the sincere worship and praise of His people.

In his consideration of the offering which he could bring to the Lord, Gideon did what most people do. He made his decision according to what he believed to be most appropriate.

Having made his decision according to his own best judgment, he began to prepare his offering. Then he offered that prepared sacrifice.

There is a most significant emphasis in this, which will become quite clear as we consider that series of events. This whole process revolved around Gideon himself. The offering took into account his ideas, his evaluations, his understanding.

He was so totally sincere. Yet everything flowed from his own thinking.

That is the kind of mistake that we can make far too often. Although we are completely sincere, yet we still bring to the Lord the offering that we decide is most appropriate.

Gideon's offering was a good beginning. But, it was only a beginning.

As he went on with the Lord, the Lord would proceed to take him much further than that beginning. We can expect the Lord to deal with us in exactly the same way, as we humbly, sincerely allow Him to speak to us.

When Gideon brought the offering which he had prepared, and brought it to present it to the Lord, he found himself confronted with:-

He was instructed to place the offering on the rock. He immediately obeyed that command. Then, the angel of the Lord touched the offering with the tip of his staff. Gideon would watch these events very closely. He was amazed to see what happened.

Fire flared up from the rock! Fire which consumed the entire offering. As the fire incinerated the sacrifice, the angel disappeared.

What had Gideon been expecting to happen? We do not know. We do know that what he saw startled him. He was thrown into real confusion.

He had responded to the Lord on the level of his own understanding. He, being a normal man, fully expected that things would stay on that level. They did not!

No wonder he was so confused. It is for the identical reason that we are so often greatly confused.

We want to keep everything simple. Which is, down on the level of our own understanding. We discover that when we are involved with God, all too often things do not stay on that level.

God has other plans! God was taking Gideon to a higher level of both understanding and fellowship. God is always seeking opportunities to be able to lift us to that higher level also. Up to a closer fellowship with Him. To a richer fuller understanding of all that He is seeking to accomplish.

Lifting us up closer to: His level! He will do it! If we let Him!

Gideon was startled and afraid. God knew it! God immediately responded by giving to him:-

"And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face."

Gideon's reaction to God's response was so very human. Gideon expected the worst! How true that is of human nature.

How true it is of our reaction. Especially when we are confronted by an unexpected challenge from the Lord. Why do we always react to God's unexpected activity so negatively?

This kind of reaction is so completely false to the gracious nature of the Lord. It is utterly alien to His character as He has revealed it to us.

It is so foolish to go on ignoring His constant, unvarying commitment to that which is always the highest and best for our lives.

In His grace and love the Lord came to Gideon. He calmed all his fears. Answered all of his false and negative apprehensions.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee!" (Isaiah 26: 3).

"Be careful (anxious!) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts, and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4: 6 - 7).

"Thou shalt not die!" No! Rather: exactly the opposite! You are going to live in power and victory!

God was on the move to accomplish His glorious purposes. Those purposes involved the most exciting plans for Gideon. Plans which were full of the most wonderful and thrilling potential.

The Lord is on the move - today! He still moves in power and victory! He moves to bring to glorious culmination His most glorious plans.

He still is seeking to fully involve us in His thrilling plans. In the successful implementation of His plans.

For us, that is life at its fullest! At its highest! It involves dynamic power far beyond our wildest imagination. It guarantees victory!

Again, Gideon responds in adoration and worship. He built an altar of remembrance. An altar that was to be a constant witness to the exciting assurance of the Word of God.

Gideon called the altar: "JEHOVAH SHALOM (THE LORD IS PEACE)!" The name is the genuine personal testimony of the servant of the Lord. Expressing the strongest possible note of praise and thanksgiving.

Gideon was surrendering himself more and more to the Lord. His willingness to do so inevitably brought joy to the heart of the Lord.

Such an experience should both inspire and challenge us. Especially in the area of our response to the Lord.

While all this was true, the Lord was still not fully satisfied! Not yet!

From the offering which was freely brought by Gideon, the offering that was Gideon's personal choice, which proved to be only a beginning.

This was: "God's Choice!" It was going to cost Gideon: everything!

Having brought the offering that he felt was most appropriate, Gideon was confronted by:

It was as if God was saying to Gideon, "In an act of sincere worship you have willingly brought the offering of your choice. Now, I require from you the offering of My choice!"

There are vital spiritual principles involved in this development. Gideon's actions were good, as far as they went. Gideon was satisfied that he had done the right thing. But, it was not enough - for God!

That which satisfies God is the offering that God Himself requires, not that which we choose for ourselves.

"The LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:"

"And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down."

Before Gideon could actually offer the sacrifice that God commanded, there were preparations required. Preparations which God stated as being absolutely necessary.

Those preparations included acts of open and decisive: Renunciation!

The Lord insisted, "Throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove (the Asherah image) that is by it!"

What a demand to make of this young man! The Lord specifically emphasized that it was a heathen altar. Set up for the pagan worship of Baal. That beside it was the obscene, vilely immoral image of Baal's female consort, Asherah. These had been set in place by Gideon's father! They were used by Gideon's family for worship!

God's Word required: "You MUST take a stand! You must be willing, if it proves to be necessary, to go against your own father!"

It was necessary! The Lord said so! To please the Lord he had to take a stand, even against his father!

What a stark tragedy that was. Gideon's father had led his family and his community into the practice of vile paganism. Yet, he was not, is not alone in that. Even today there are far too many parents whose influence on their families is most detrimental.

Many who profess to love and serve the Lord fail at this crucial point. Such failure may not be as open. Nor as obviously pagan.

Many may want to justify or excuse themselves and their conduct. Yet God knows, and we also should know, that others are being adversely effected. By our conduct. By our compromises, and our attitudes. By our habits and by our carelessness. By materialistic values.

It is so urgent that we maintain constant alertness and vigilance. This is most important when all that we are and do impacts on our own children.

Gideon: you must take a stand! A very obvious stand! An irrevocable stand! Against all of the pagan and heathen practices which have been introduced. God Himself requires it. Otherwise you can proceed no further with the Lord.

To prepare to offer the sacrifice which the Lord requires demands this. No less than a complete and unreserved break with all compromise. The total renunciation of everything which is in conflict with the Word and the will of God.

By his obedience Gideon would demonstrate that the Lord had first place in his life. That His Word had first priority in everything. First, regardless of anything or anyone else!

This must be equally true of our response to the Lord. The Lord Jesus did say, "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10: 37). He said it! He meant it!

The Lord's instruction to Gideon was unmistakably clear. "Once you have removed that idolatrous altar, your must built the right kind of altar to the Lord your God!"

"The right kind of altar!" - is not one that would fit in with your own ideas or design. It must be according to the requirements of the Word of God.

Another vital spiritual principle is introduced at this point. The principle: The altar of true spiritual sacrifice has been designed by God. He will permit no variation or modification of any kind. There can be no substitution at any point, no matter how great such a substitution may appeal to man.

That is true in all areas. It is due to foolish carelessness on this issue that we become confused. Suffering failure and defeat. We have not learned to be disciplined in faithfully applying this essential principle.

Next, Gideon was instructed, Cut down the grove, the Asherah pole. Use that for firewood. The fuel to be used in offering your sacrifice!

How effectively this instruction demonstrated the utter futility and worthlessness of that object of pagan worship. It was fit only to be burned. To be reduced to ashes.

So many things Christians value are no better. The things which involve compromise. Those questionable habits and associations which are so easily condoned. They are no better. They deserve to be reduced to ashes.

Are we really listening to the Lord? Anything, which would in any way divert us from true and total loyalty to the Lord: burn it!

Is that too strong? Did not He say, "If thy right hand offend thee (causes you to stumble), cut it off!" (Matthew 5: 30).

Once you have met those essential conditions, proceed to the sacrifice. "Take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice!"

It was this sacrifice which was: "God's choice!" Not Gideon's choice!

When the Lord brings us to this point, we must listen very carefully to Him. We must make sure that we do hear Him clearly. That we do understand fully all that He is seeking to say to us.

It is only thus that we will really know what is: "God's choice!" Know it in contrast to what is merely: our choice!

We are not really serious about doing the will of the Lord, if we insist on doing it our way. Yet there are too many who imagine that they can walk that road.

Is it any wonder their lives are empty and devoid of both meaning and fruitfulness?

The Lord was calling for a public statement of spiritual renewal. Gideon responded with:

The Commitment - which he freely made in his sincere rededication of his all to the Lord.

The statement is so simple. Yet it is so very full of meaning. Gideon did exactly as the Lord told him!

He did it all! He carried out every aspect of the Word of the Lord. He tore down the altar of Baal. He cut down the Asherah image that was by the altar, using the wood as fuel for the fire. He faithfully carried out every detail of the Word of the Lord.

In that most significant moment Gideon could have said: "All there is of me, Lord: ... On Thine altar here I lay, All there is of me!" He could have said it. He meant it. The Lord knew that he meant it!

That is all the Lord requires of us today. The same level of total and devoted obedience in us. In our lives. In our service. In our response to His Word.

Some may attempt to advertise their greater "spirituality" by critically pointing out that when Gideon obeyed the Word of the Lord:

"Because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night!"

Some may want to imagine that that suggests weakness on the part of Gideon. There is no substance whatsoever to any such criticism.

There is no suggestion that the time Gideon chose was in conflict with the Word of God. The Word of God did not require him to do this during the hours of daylight.

Gideon acted as he did to make sure that there would be no interference with his obedience! Such a decision was not only reasonable. It was very wise. Demonstrating his genuine commitment to fully obey the Lord.

It is important to note this fact. The Lord did not criticize him for that decision. The Lord is the One who matters. The only One who matters.

So often people are quick to indulge in such criticism for ulterior motives. They want to divert attention from themselves. Compared to Gideon, they are less than spiritual midgets!

Such people hide their immaturity by splitting hairs. It is their futile attempt to justify their failure to be as fully obedient to the Word of God as Gideon proved to be.

"All there is!" Gideon gave it! God honored his faithful obedience and loyalty to His Word.

His complete loyalty to the Lord and His Word inevitably stirred:

In this we have: "Joash's Choice!" Which was total and humble identification with the Lord's will!

The morning following Gideon's public statement of commitment to the Lord brought out:

The Angry Antagonism - of the people of the town. They had discovered all that had taken place during the night.

Three things very quickly caught their attention. First, the altar of Baal had been thrown down! Second, the Asherah pole had been cut down and used for fuel. Third, The altar of the Lord had been rebuilt and a sacrifice to the Lord had been offered on it.

There was the obvious attack on their chosen religious practices. Practices that they embraced as attractive and desirable, even if they were vile and pagan.

In their place, the worship of the Lord had been restored. Reinstituted in all its purity.

Those people did not appreciate being confronted with such an unexpected development. They wanted no part of it. In fact, they were extremely angry! So angry, they determined to express their anger by taking vengeance on the one who had perpetrated these things.

Their extreme response should not surprise us. Fallen sinful nature must be expected to act and react in such a manner.

Those people of God who are genuinely true to the Lord do arouse antagonism. Their loyalty to Biblical principles and values will anger and agitate others.

People are made to feel uncomfortable when their compromise is challenged. When their willingness to condone sin is brought out into the light. Expect them to get angry when their true nature is revealed for what it is.

The same type of reaction must be expected from "Christians" who are attempting to maintain a facade of spirituality. A facade which attempts to conceal where their true allegiance lies. With the world, rather than with the Lord.

Attack the facade, and they react most angrily. Being determined to defend their blatant hypocrisy. In their reactionary response they blindly attack. While ignoring the need to evaluate their own lives in the light of the Word of God.

Those people knew who had committed the acts that so antagonized them. Gideon did it! Gideon must die!

How tragic it was that they were totally blind to what was actually happening. That it was God Himself who was actually and personally seeking to intervene.

They were totally insensitive to the fact that God was involved for the purpose of bringing salvation to the nation.

Sadly that is so often the problem today. People are so determined to have their own way, that they remain completely unaware that God seeks to intervene to bring salvation. They are so insensitive to the stirrings of His love and grace in their very midst!

Such was the cold, hard, insensitive attitude when the Lord Jesus came to bring salvation. His love and grace was so callously trampled into the mud as they hastened to get rid of Him. All, to be able to do all they wanted to do, their way!

He said to His disciples, "If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you!" (John 15: 20). It is inevitable!

To faithfully move in humble obedience to the Word of God will have this effect. Antagonism will be aroused. Opposition will be stirred. Expect it.

"And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar!"

This is the first victory that the Lord was to give to Gideon. The first of so many! What an exciting victory it is!

Faced with this strong negative response which appeared to be so overwhelming. This very exciting development. Joash, Gideon's father, immediately rose in his son's defense!

We need to pause and take in the full significance of this! Gideon had responded to the challenge of the Lord. He faithfully obeyed the Word of the Lord. He willingly offered the sacrifice that the Lord required.

He did all this, knowing that in doing so , he was taking an open stand against his father and his father's public actions.

Yet, his faithful stand in open loyalty to the Lord resulted in his own father making the public commitment to stand with him!

What an inspiration that should be to us today. To see such exciting evidence that the Lord was at work in effective power! The Lord was confirming the faith of His servant. Encouraging, inspiring and deepening his faith!

The Lord is only too ready to do for us today all that he did for Gideon. If we will let Him do so!

This spiritual principle is still in effect today. For all those who will openly demonstrate their love for and loyalty to the Lord. Who do so in loving and willing obedience. They continue to experience the Lord's response in similar exciting demonstrations of both His love and His sufficiency.

At last Joash had been brought to see the complete foolishness of his actions. The futility of the pagan practices which he had adopted. That he was so wrong in leading his family in heathen worship.

At last he accepted the fact that everything he had been doing had been leading people away from the Lord. Away from the blessing of the Lord. Bringing them under the judgment and condemnation of the Lord.

He recognized that he must renounce the old way so as to be able to stand with his son, Gideon. He himself must prove that he was equally renewing his commitment to the Lord. That he would prove to be faithful to the Word of the Lord.

It happened then! Thank the Lord, such exciting things still happen today!

It all started with one man then. It may still only be one or two today. But God is in the business of giving such significant victories today, wherever He can find even one person who will demonstrate that he, or she, will take the Lord at His Word!

Joash had come a long way. He announced his decision concerning that pagan idolatry which he had once embraced: "Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him?"

What kind of god needs man to save it? Of what value is such a futile god that it cannot save itself?

Joash was able to see just how useless and worthless Baal and his worship was.

Have we really come to see that any and every alternative to God and His Word is utterly worthless?

Totally useless? Such alternatives are empty and completely unsatisfying.

How could anyone be so foolish as to live and act as though God's way is not always the best way? Not only the best way, in the ultimate reality, the only way!

Gideon willingly put his all on the altar to honor and obey the Lord. In doing so, he discovered the exciting truth: God matched his sacrifice. God gave Himself to Gideon. He did so to honor the faithful obedience of His servant.

It was not because Gideon was a special favorite of the Lord that he was treated in this way. God seeks to do exactly the same for each one of us today. He will, when we give Him the opportunity to do so.

Meet His condition! Put your all on the altar of sacrificial service to honor and glorify Him. Then, be excited and thrilled to see the wonder of the gracious response of the Lord.