“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘ “I will never leave you nor forsake you” ‘ ” (Hebrews 13:5, emphasis supplied).
We thank You dear loving Heavenly Father, for taking into consideration our individuality, and for dealing with us accordingly, as You help us to grow in faith! We thank You for this in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.
We are now in chapter 7 of the Judges. I am sure you will agree with me, as we study together, that this is perhaps the most interesting part of Gideon’s journey!
There are two things I would like to bring to our attention at this time:
First. Whenever God gives Gideon an assignment, immediately after God assures him that the mandate is coming from the Lord, Gideon is off on God’s errand! Today is no exception! God gives him the two signs with the fleece that he requested, and that night, after the second sign was fulfilled, we read,
“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley” (Judges 7:1).
The following day bright and early Gideon and those who had answered the clarion call were up and ready for battle!
Second. “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon).” The name change. Remember it was Joash, Gideon’s father, who gave him that name. Hebrew parents would oftentimes name their children according to the tendencies they observed in them.
I went searching for meanings to the name Gideon. I found two meanings that caught my attention:
“In Biblical names the meaning of the name Gideon is: “He that bruises or breaks; a destroyer” (sheknows.com).
“In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Gideon is: Destroyer One who has a stump in place of a hand” (Ibid).
I found both of these name meanings rather interesting in light of Gideon’s story. Did Gideon’s father see something in the life of his toddler, that inspired the name? Was he instructed to name his son Gideon?
When he decided to call him Jerubbaal, was it because Gideon’s putting an end to Baal worship, and cutting down the Asherah image during his leadership, a fulfillment of the meaning of his name (Judges 6:25, 26)? All of these things came to mind when I remembered this scene:
“But Joash said to all who stood against him (Gideon), ‘ “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” ‘ Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar” ‘ ” (Judges 6:31-32)!
What an amazing change of heart Joash experienced because his son was willing to stand for God and the right, even if it meant going against his will! It almost sounded as if Joash was saying, “the God of my son is greater than Baal!
It is a wonderful testimony for youth, or anyone, who may come to know the Lord after they are grown, and who have been reared without any real spiritual guidance, and are willing to stand firm in their new found faith! It can represent a whole new beginning for an entire family! Who knows? Maybe an entire generation!
There may be some Gideons reading this story who needed to hear this to take a stand. Be brave! God will stand by you, and with you; after all, He has promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you!”
Our conversation continues!