[Pastor Ralph]

Q4. (Judges 6:25-27) What is the strategic significance of God's command for Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? What positive thing is he to erect in their place? What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is this night mission a sign of weakness or of faith?

[Chris]

Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27)

God asked Gideon to tear down the altar in order that the people should be reminded that it was He who they should be worshipping not Baal and that the Asherah pole being a symbol of the Goddess should be removed for that same purpose. Just by accepting the altar for Baal and the Asherah pole was evidence of who their allegiances were to.

Gideon was asked to build an altar for worship to the Lord only and to sacrifice the second bull from his fathers herd that was seven years old. He was to use the wood from the Asherah pole to sacrifice the bull.

The fact that Gideon did this at night proved his fear not of God but of the people's reaction to what he was about to do and at that time he would have no way of knowing what the reaction of his father and family would be and whether they would stand beside him in favour of his actions and of God. He also knew that if it was ever known that he was responsible for this then his life could be in danger - hence he decided to do this at night as opposed to during the day. I do also feel drawn towards the feeling that he carried this out at night rather than during the day in order that none of his family would have been aware or have been connected with his actions so that it would be known that his family knew nothing about his actions. Whereas if he had carried it out during daylight then he would have been in full view and the people would probably not have allowed him to complete God's request in full and it would have put his father in the more difficult position of stopping Gideon from carrying out God's orders. I don't personally feel that his choice to carry out God's request by night rather than day were a sign of weakness or faith. On the one hand we could be excused if we did think he should have had enough faith and trust in God to have carried out God's will during the day but let us put ourselves in his position and ask "how we would have reacted in the same situation"and let us all be totally honest in our answer - I think in this light the majority of us will think differently and not be too critical of Gideon.

[Darleen Nelson]

Gideon was asked to follow God's directions to get rid of false worship and return the people to the worship of the one true God. This was a great test of Gideon's faith and commitment. Their religion was very political, so an attack on a god was often seen as an attack on the local government. It would resuslt in serious social problems for Gideon and even a physical attack. He also was to build an altar to God. I believe this was an act of faith and was done at night so Gideon was able to complete the assigned tasks. He never could have finished what God had told him to do while the worshippers of the god were there. He even had to hide what he was doing from his family which we could not have done during the day. The fact he did what God told him to do showed great faith. Doing it at night made it possible for him to finish the task as God told him to.

[Hobie]

When you are about to embark on something new and different (e.g. following God's path for you) it often starts with (and he often starts you out with) a small step. Now, tearing down the alter might not seem like a small step but it is certainly a lot smaller than his next task (kicking the Midianites out of their land).

Why at night? I don't think it was necessarily either a step of faith or cowardice. It may have been the only time he could do it. Think of the opposition he would have confronted if he had tried to destroy it during the day light hours. Yes, God could have made it happen anyway. However, this was Gideon's test.

Father, fill my faith cup so that I may step onto your path with courage and deliberate conviction, knowing that you are right there with me.

S.

[Mario Angel]

Quote

Q1. Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27)

God ask Gideon to tear down the Baal altar because in first place was an offense against God, this was one of the reason why the Israelites were falling away from God (the worshipping of false gods), at the same time was the reason why they were being oppressed by the Midianites.
God cannot cohabit with false Gods, we can't worship God and false gods at the same time. Gideon was order by God to destroy this false god's altar and in its place to build an altar to the true God. Gideon was afraid that his family and the men of the town will kill him for destroying the altar of Baal, so he did it at night. He was taking a big risk by obeying God.
I believe that by doing this task by night he again trusted in his own strength and saw himself weak and unable to face those who worshipped Baal. He again failed to see that God was with him and God will not allow any evil come upon him. No matter this weakness he obeyed God and fullfilled the task ordered by God.

[Marilyn Rivington]

The Canaanite religion was very political, so an attack on a god was seen as an attack on the local government supporting that god. If caught, Gideon would face serious social problems and physical harm. Gideon took a great risk by following God’s higher law, which specifically forbids idol worship (Exodus 20:1-5).

After learning what Gideon had done, the townspeople wanted to kill him. Many of these people were fellow Israelites. This shows how immoral God’s people had become. In Dueteronomy (13:6-11) God said that idolaters must be stoned to death. But these Israelites wanted to stone Gideon for tearing down an idol and worshiping God!

I think that Gideon's night mission was a sign of faith. He did what God asked of him, but at a time that was safe for him.

Marilyn

[Andrew]

God wants Gideon to get rid of all idols to other gods so the people would remember Him and worship the one God. The positive thing is to turn back to worship of God but Gideon does the sacrificing to God at night not as weakness in faith but as a means to accomplish what God wants him to do. Gideon stays focused on the worshipping of God and he knows to reach this end he must do his task at night.

[Joyce Hart]

1. God's first commandment was "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Yet, the Israelites were worshipping other gods and forgetting the one true God to whom all their allegiance was to be bestowed. Therefore, it was essential that anything that represented other gods be destroyed. The positive thing that he was to do was to build a proper altar to God and he was to "take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. and using the wood of the Asherah pole, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."
He takes the risk of angering his father and the people. He did this at night because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town. I think Gideon was like the rest of us human beings. He wanted to please God, but he feared the people; in order to accomplish God's instructions, he chose to work at night.

[DebChats]

There is more than one reason to tear down the Baal altar. I believe it has to come down because of the first two commandments. But, also it makes Joash take a stand on whom to worship .. Baal or God. Gideon is to erect an altar for GOd in it's place. Gideon runs the risk of being killed. Gideon thinks it is better to do at night because his father's household is sleeping (they must be very near the altar) and he fears them seeing him. In verse 25 Gideon is told to do this at night. God knew of Gideon's reluctance and fear and He respected this. I believe it is a sign of faith because Gideon was feeling fear, but did as he was told.

[Linda Stanley]

Pastor Ralph, on Jan 17 2003, 08:54 AM, said:

Q1. Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27) See Exposition.

This was Gideon's assignment from God.God told Gideon to tear down the altar and build a proper kind of alrat to the Lord God.The risks involved in this action was ,he could have been killed as thge men of the city looked for the one wha had broken down the altar and cut down the asherah pole that was beside it.When they found out it was Joash son they said "bring out thy son so that he may die,his risk from his own father and the town men.Gideon did this act at night because he was afraid of his family ant the town men.The night mission was not a sign of weakness of faith,it took courage to do what he did,as he abeyed the Lord,in what he was sure the Lord told him to do.

[leo]

The Lord tells Gideon to tear down the altars to make a point -- a point that Gideon's father clearly mentions while he was defending his son -- that no matter what you do to those altars, the gods that they represent couldn't care less...mainly because they do not exist. Which is also the main difference between their pagan gods and the God of Gideon. This is a way for God to show His people that He is willing to help them with their problems but only if they will give Him their undivided attention and devotion.

But even if that's the case, the story shows us the fact that we should not be too hasty and careless. Gideon tore down the altars in the middle of the night not because it was a sign of weakness but because he knew that if he did it during the day, the worshippers of Baal and Asherah would have killed him the moment they saw him tearing down their altar. God understood the fact that for Gideon to fulfill his deed, some care was needed to be exercised rather than risk the life of his servant unneccessarily. In fact, for Gideon to even consider doing this already shows his great faith in the Lord for he knew that even though he is greatly outnumbered by the worshipers of Baal and Asherah, God will and did find a way for him to fulfill his assignment.

[Kat]

God tells Gideon to tear down the altar to Baal and the Asherah pole. What is our modern day Baal? TV? Sports? Video games? Shopping malls? What if God asked us to destroy these? How would that be viewed in our world? In what ways do we compromise our faith just like the Israelites did in Gideon's time? What choices must we make? (My son's big hockey game is on Sunday morning... He'll let the team down if he isn't there, but he'll be missing worship...) When should we take a stand?

Gideon is to build an altar to God in its place--as usual, God is turning bad into good. Getting rid of what we are worshipping instead of God is not enough...we are to replace those things with a sacrifice of worship that is pleasing to God.

At night...Gideon DOES obey God. However, the Bible says that he was afraid--which means He didn't completely trust God to protect Him. Like all of us, Gideon is human and fortunately, God loves us anyway and has mercy on our fears and doubts. So, yes it is a sign of weakness, but God is not only merciful on this weakness, He also turns it into something good: an opportunity for Joash to defend his son and choose God over Baal.

[KITTY MILLS]

Gideon's obedience to remove the objects of idol worship and to replace them with symbols of worship of the covenant keeping God of Israel is evidence of his willingness to be obedient to the call of God on his life. According to these verses, he probably was aware that Baal's worshippers would desire to kill him. Therefore, his night mission(I believe) was a sign of fear of the community. He wanted to do what God wanted him to do but he didn't want any resistance. (HELLO CHURCH OF TODAY).

[Helen Spaulding]

Q1. Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What
positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does
Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27)

God is wanting to use Gideon to do His will. To do this, Gideon must show he will obey God in all
things, especially in worshipping Him and Him only! These are for idol worship. God will only lead
a people dedicated to Him. Therefore, the symbols of idol worship must be destroyed. He used the Asherah pole to sacrifice the second bull of his father's herd on an altar he built according to God's orders. If the people knew what he was doing, they would kill him for it, possibly even his own family. So, he did it under cover of the night. Maybe it was a sign that he was afraid, but the fact that he did it, afraid or not, shows His faith that this is something he must do in order to be used by God. God did not tell him he had to do it in the sight of all His enemies. Therefore, he was being obedient in doing it, day or night. And, courage is going ahead and doing a dangerous thing that is right--in spite of fear! I don't think it is weakness.
Helen Spaulding

[Lois Turley]

The most important reason he tore down the altar is because God said to him "Tear down your father's altar to Baal." It was a direct command of God.

But speaking from a human standpoint, I am wondering if there was much difference in appearance of an altar to idols and an altar to the true and living God. (Some of you Biblical history students or scholars may have an answer for me.) Looking at the photo, the thought crossed my mind, seems a lot of work to tear down something just to build another one that looks almost the same. Isn't it the sacrifice, and the God to whom we sacrifice in our hearts, the important thing?

Of course the answer is obvious. It would be a desecration against God to tarnish sacrifice to him by sacrificing on a pagan altar. It would be the lazy way to do it. True sacrifice is willing to provide a proper altar upon which to present the sacrifice.

Then I am brought to consider my own "sacrifices." This week I've read about Jesus' warnings to not put new wine in old wine skins. Isn't this what we so often try to do? We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, yet we compromise so easily. We want to keep the old altars, yet we just cannot present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God upon a pagan altar.

My altars are not "pagan." They are "respectable" in the Christian community. Yet when they interfere with my consecration to God, they become other God's before him. He has been helping me to tear them down this year, and the freedom of not being bound to them is such a joy.

[Vickie]

By tearing down the altar, Gideon is showing whom he chooses to follow. In building an altar to the True God, and using the wood from the altar of the false gods, the Lord was showing Gideon that He is true and just, and will judge that which is not!


Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith?

I think at this point Gideon was still in doubt. He had been raised to worship the gods of Baal and Ashtoreth, and did not really know the One True God. But, he was willing to obey, albeit cautiously. His willingness was overshadowed by this lack of boldness. It was a baby step for him, rather than a leap of faith. But, in his obedience, God proved he had reason to go forth boldly!

Unfortunately, I have a tendency to be like Gideon. I sometimes hide my lamp under the bed. LORD, PLEASE GIVE ME THE BOLDNESS OF DAVID, THE HEART OF JOB, AND THE WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST! AMEN!

[Mike Dickinson]

Pastor Ralph, on Jan 17 2003, 08:54 AM, said:

Q1. Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27) See Exposition.

God tells Gideon to tear down the altar and Asherah pole to the false gods because He wants His children to have, not only the very best but, that which is truthful. However, He never asks us to give up anything that is harmful in our lives without replacing it with that which is good and wholesome. Gideon’s obedience in carrying out God’s commands to rebuild a ‘Proper kind of Altar’ came with not a little risk attached. After all, he wouldn’t only be upsetting the local community by his actions, he also risked rebuke from his father, the creator of the baal altar. As if to add further insult to injury, Gideon takes one of his father’s mature bulls for the sacrifice. I believe it was in wisdom that Gideon went about God’s business in the dead of the night. Had he attempted to destroy the baal altar and Asherah pole in daylight he would have had all kinds of opposition to deal with.

[gripofhisgrace]

Gideon was told to bash the altars of Baal because they were an affront to the One true Living God. Gideon was told the same thing that the generations before him had been told- and ignored.

We look back with a bit of smugness and say "how dumb can they be ?" "How many times do they have to be told ?" But as Kat so aptly put it, we are no better off than Old Testament times as we have our own idols.

Gideon complete the mission at night because that was the only way he could finish the project. A finished project makes a statement that invokes contemplation. A project in progess is easy to oppose and divert.

The good that came out of this was a new relationship between Gideon and his father. A new understanding and new direction for Gideons people. And a new strength and determination when they overtook the Midannites.

susan

[gail m]

God tells Gideon to tear down the altar and pole because the people should not be worshipping false Gods. He asks Gideon to build a proper altar on the same spot and to use the pole for a burnt offering.

Gideon is risking the wrath of not only the town but mainly of his own family..especially his father. (Since the altar was his fathers.)

I think Gideon does this at night so he can finish the task. During the day people may have tried to stop him.

Is that weakness? I don't think so. What difference does it make when he does it as long as he has done what God asked him to do. I think as humans we fall short of doing what God asks..whether it is day or night..at least Gideon followed what the Lord told him to do. Can the rest of say it is a weakness when we have trouble listening?

[Glenn Bohlander]

God tells Gideon to tear down the symbols of idol worship to establish his allegiance to the Almighty God of Israel. In their place he burns a sacrifice on a new altar in honor and worship to God. He uses the wood from the pole and Baal altar to burn this sacrifice to God. The risks are getting caught and getting killed. I think Gideon did this at night because he knew he would be seen and stopped. At first sight this night mission seems to be a sign of weakness instead of faith. But I consider doing it at all an act of faith, a mustard seed of faith that will grow.

Glenn