The book of Judges chapter 6
and we're looking at this verse 21, but I would like to go over
it again because there's something very interesting happens in this
verse. Gideon has been requested to
go prepare food or to some meat and He does that, he prepares
a kid and some bread and he comes out with these items and the
angel of the Lord requests that he put it on this rock and he
does that. And now we read, then the angel
of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his
hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes and there
rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the
unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed
out of his sight. 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. And
verse 23, it says, And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto
you, unto thee. Fear not, thou shalt not die.
Well, I'd like to look at a few things in these verses as we
travel down through them. And we notice that fire from
this rock, this was a token of God's acceptance of that sacrifice,
that he was pleased with it. And we find that he does this
a number of times in scripture to share with us that that's
how he does his business, particularly with a sacrifice like this. I'm convinced that all through
the book of Leviticus, all of those sacrifices were done the
same way. But here in the book of 1 Kings
chapter 18, in the book of 1 Kings chapter 18, we have the incident
where Elijah is there and he is having Well, he's going to
demonstrate who God is. He's not the God of Baal. And
we're dealing with that same thing here in this book of Judges. Baal is going to be quite prominent
in just a few verses. But here in the book of 1 Kings
18, if you turn there with me, 1 Kings 18, I used to use the term about
this. It was a contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal.
Well, in reality, there was no contest at all. There was no
possibility that the other group of people, those prophets of
Baal, was going to get anything done except themselves cut up
and crying and moaning and groaning. So 1 Kings chapter 18, and in
verse 23, these words are recorded for us. Let them therefore give
us two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves,
and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under. And I'll dress the other bullock,
and lay it on wood, and put no fire under." And then in verse
33 of that same chapter, we read these words where it says, And
he put the wood in order. This is Elijah after the prophets
of Baal have went through their incantations and nothing has
happened. And it says here, and he put
the wood in order and cut the bullet in pieces and laid him
on the wood and said, fill four barrels with water and pour it
on the burnt sacrifice. and on the wood and they're in
verse 34. And he said, do it the second
time. And they did it the second time.
And he said, do it the third time. And they did it a third
time. Now, if you had the opportunity one time of looking at a map,
how far it was from where they were and where the water was.
So it was quite a business that those folks had of bringing that
much water up to this important on that sacrifice. But Elijah
wanted everybody around to know exactly that it was God that
did the business and not him. He made sure that there was no
fire under it. And he made sure that there was no fire over it.
And he had gallons and gallons of water poured on it. And then
there was even a ditch filled with water as it goes around
there. And the water ran round about the altar and he filled
the trench also with water. And there in verse 36, it came
to pass at the time of the evening sacrifice that Elijah the prophet
came near and said, Lord God of Abraham. Now we've mentioned
many times over the years that that word there, Lord, with the
capitals is Jehovah. And that's who we'll be dealing
with over here in the book of Judges in just a moment. Jehovah,
God of Abraham, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Let it be known
this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant
and that I have done all these things at thy word. So there's
been quite an instruction process that Elijah's gone through to
make sure that nobody is going to think that Elijah pulled the
wool over their eyes or that this was just something that
happened. And then it says in verse 37, hear me, O Lord, hear
me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and
that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of
the Lord fell. So the consumption of the sacrifice
is in the hands of God. The fire of the Lord fell and
consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and
the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench. Now,
to people that have any understanding of how God does His business,
could quickly understand God did this. There was no shenanigans,
there was no thought about having it done in any other way except
a demonstration. God accepted that sacrifice by
sending fire from heaven. In the book of 1 Chronicles,
we find that David, 1 Chronicles chapter 21, we find that David
had an experience here, a situation. In 1 Chronicles chapter 21, And
there in verse 24, we read these words that the Lord left us.
First Chronicles chapter 21, and there in verse 24, it says,
and King David said unto Ornan, nay, but I will verily buy it
for the full price, for I will not take that which is thine
for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost." Such
a statement, really, about the Lord. He's going to pay the cost. So David gave to Ornand for the
place 600 shekels of gold by weight, and David built there
an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings,
and called upon the Lord, and he answered him from heaven by
fire upon the altar of burnt offerings. So the Lord answered
this way, it is a sign that he is pleased with the sacrifice.
He would not have touched it if he hadn't. And so we find
with the Lord Jesus, he was pleased with the sacrifice in such a
manner that he, as we read in the book of Isaiah chapter 53,
he oppressed him, he bruised him. He brought him to the end
by, he was pleased to do that. He was pleased to bruise him.
Now, going back to the book of Genesis chapter 4, if you would
there for just a moment, we find just two or three verses that
are brought up here with regard to Cain and Abel. In Genesis
chapter 4, verses 3, 4, and 5. Genesis chapter 4, verses 3,
4, and 5. Instructions have been given.
There's no way that this could have taken place without some
instructions. And we find that someone who knew something about
the gospel had brought it to their attention And there's only
one person, two people, that could have done that. And that
was their parents. It says, in the process of time, it came
to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering
unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of
the firstling of the flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord
had respect unto Abel and to his offering. Now I'm just convinced
that he showed that he had respect for it or he honored it or was
pleased with it by having fire come down and consume it. That
Abel didn't have to go through that process. He didn't have
to build a place under there in that altar and have some wood
and then have some tinder and light it with a match and get
it to go. That the Lord did that very thing and that's why he
didn't have respect upon Cain, but upon Cain and to his offering
he had no respect. There was no fire because there
was nothing there that demonstrated that he needed a substitute. There was no bloodshed. There
was nothing done in accordance to what God purposed to demonstrate
at the sacrifice of a lamb. So Cain was not, had no respect. God had no respect. There's no
fire there. Now, we do find in the scripture that there was
a couple of boys, sons of Aaron that did something with strange
fire. Now, I was trying to find someone
who knew something about what that strange fire was. And most
of them says, we just don't know what it was, but we know this.
When they offered strange fire, I wonder if they weren't trying
to ignite things on their own. I don't know. But anyway, they
paid a dear price. Numbers chapter three, verse
four, it tells us about Nadab and Abihu and they died because
they offered strange fire. God consumed them. They were turned to toast and
they died. And Aaron was told, don't you
mourn about this. So Nadab and Abihu offered strange
fire and God killed them on the spot. So God has a way of symbolizing
the sacrifices that he accepts. And he's not going to put up
with people putting gas on the sacrifice and try to get it going
on their own. And that's really what we find
in religion all through time. They're trying to get something
done on their own. Well, as we go back to the book
of Judges here, and we see that the The principles here are very
evident. Let's go back to the book of
Judges chapter 6. Judges chapter 6. Judges chapter 6, down there
at verse 21. We read that and it says, and
we see here this principle very evident in the great sacrifice. The great lamb, the great kinsman
redeemer is pictured in this sacrifice. There is an altar
and we find in the scripture that there's only two altars
that God ever accepted. One of them was an altar of earth
and the other one is an altar of unhewn stones. Don't touch it with a hammer.
Leave it as it is and build that altar. As we look at this, we
find the sacrifice of the One that all the Old Testament sacrifices
spoke of, that is the Son of God. In the book of Hebrews,
it says, He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Let's just go over there and
read that in the book of Hebrews, chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9
and verse... 26 the book of Hebrews chapter 9
as we see some of these Old Testament Sacrifices are pictured here
in the book of Hebrews and we see the truth behind it That
it was the sacrifice of the Sun here in the book of Hebrews chapter
9 and there in verse 26 the scriptures share this it says and then for
then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world
if he was as an Old Testament priest and But now once in the
end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. He went through that process.
He was chosen by God. He was consumed by the Father. All of the things that are found
in those sacrifices in the Old Testament are summed up in this
one person, the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice, the perfect
substitute. Blood was shed. Substitution
was made. Kinsman, Redeemer stepped into
our on our behalf and we have that fulfilled in this one sacrifice
of the Lord. Well, the sacrifice that we witnessed
with regard to what Gideon brought is a picture, it's typical, pictorial
of all of that, but it was the angel of the Lord that produced
the fire that consumed that sacrifice. It was not him building the fire.
And so that just teaches us a lot about soul winning, preaching the gospel, who's in
charge, who's seat it is, where it goes, who's ordered it to
take place to where it goes. As we find God has sent some
down to Papua New Guinea. God's grace has been evident
there among those people. God saved many of them, and we're
thankful for it. And so it is the sacrifice of
the Lord Jesus Christ that has brought this about. Well, they're
going back to the book of Judges now, and there's something that
is shared with us in this book of Judges, chapter 6, there in
verse 22. Chapter 6 and verse 22. This
is not common. This is uncommon. This is a gracious
act of God when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord,
when he perceived, when he understood, when he saw, whatever that means
to you, it is God revealing something to us. And there is no understanding
that has ever been granted by God That is because we studied
it out. It is always because God has
revealed it to us. So he perceived that he was an
angel of the Lord. And what a blessing it was. It
was all of grace. This is an angel of the Lord.
In fact, we're going to find out it's the Lord himself that
came in that visible form. pre-incarnate, just like he appeared
unto Adam, as he appeared unto Moses, as he appeared to other
of the Old Testament people, he appeared unto them pre-incarnate
before he came and was born of a virgin. Gideon was certain
when Gideon realized this is the angel of the Lord. The Lord,
he perceived that he was the angel. Gideon said, alas, O Lord
God, for I, because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to
face. And we get there to verse 23,
and we find that the Lord said unto him, the Lord said unto
him, not the angel of the Lord, he shares who he is now. The Lord said unto him, peace
be unto thee. Fear not, thou shalt not die. how that happened because the
Lord has disappeared and the Lord has removed himself. But
some way, either by secret or upon the Spirit or a voice from
heaven, he was told, peace be unto thee. Now that word peace
has a very interesting meaning. as we find peace only comes to
us when we're brought to, and this is what this word means,
to be in a state of wholeness. Now we're born unwhole and unholy. We're not complete. We are not
all together. We are dead in trespass and sin. And when the Lord saves us, He
said, I give you peace. And He only does that when He
has made us whole, when we can worship Him in spirit and in
truth. When we are in our sin, when
we're without Christ, when we're not saved, we do not have peace
because we're not whole. And the only time that we come
up with some semblance of it is we've created ourself. But
the Lord shares with us that this is an item that God provides. It is peace. I give you peace. Mike read this some time ago,
it's beginning of the study of Daniel, but I need to read three
or four verses over here in the book of Jeremiah. Because this
same word is brought up here in the book of Jeremiah chapter
29. A very interesting chapter that Jeremiah brings up, covers
a lot of historical evidence about why Israel is in Babylonian
captivity. And yet the Lord says here, there's
some peace in this. There are going to be some people
that are made whole. They have wholeness. A state
of being whole or complete or full. So only when the Lord tells
us this, peace. He is the Prince of Peace. He
is the one that makes us whole. Here in the book of Jeremiah
chapter 29 and verse 10, The scriptures say, for thus saith
the Lord, that after 70 years being accomplished at Babylon,
I will visit you and perform my good word toward you in causing
you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that
I think toward you. That's an interesting phrase.
I know the thoughts that I think toward you. Well known unto God
are all his works from the beginning of the world. My thoughts, they're
my thoughts, and I will carry them out. Never a thought of
God is not carried to completion. If he thought something and didn't
carry it out, then that's not God. We do that all the time. But he says, therefore, I know
the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts
of wholeness, peace, being in a state of wholeness. His work
towards us, His work towards these people, those that were
saved, are whole. That's how Daniel, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego had peace in great times of peril, because
He had made them whole. They were in oneness with God. They're in oneness with the Lord.
Their salvation is based upon the Lord and His great purpose
of grace. So they are whole. And when He
gives us peace, it is because He has made us whole or complete. We're complete in Him. We have no completeness at all.
We're like scrambled eggs by nature. But He has brought us
wholeness, oneness, unity with Him. In John chapter 14, turn
over there with me if you would. John chapter 14. This is such
an important verse of scripture when we talk about peace because
he looks at the peace that he gives and the peace that the
world gives in two different things. Peace that God gives
is permanent. Peace that God gives is everlasting.
Peace that God gives is to those he has made whole. Peace be unto
you. You are whole, therefore I can
give you complete peace. There's no longer any... warfare
between you and God. You're at peace. You've been
taught of God. And everyone that is taught of
God will come to Christ. That's the promise. Here in the
book of John chapter 14 verse 27. Peace I leave with you. My
peace I give unto you. And then he compares it. Not
as the world giveth. Now the world gives such a terrible
peace. There hasn't been a peace treaty
won that's ever been honored by everybody. Just look at World
War I's peace treaty brought on World War II. Peace treaties,
to most people, are made to be broken. He said, I don't give
that kind of peace. I don't renege on it. I don't
back off of it. I don't take it away from you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you, not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let it be afraid. You are whole. You are made whole. I have made you whole, therefore
I can give you peace. My peace, not as the world give
it. So when the Lord spoke to Gideon
and spoke about peace, he's sharing with Gideon that there is something
about him that God has brought him from the pit. God has brought
him out. I'm convinced that Gideon was
a worshiper of Baal just like his father was. But God brought
him out of that nonsense. God redeemed him out of that
nonsense. God brought him peace, wholeness. He no longer was attracted by
that stuff anymore. Peace I leave with you, peace
I give unto you. And so he gives a peace that
gives us wholeness or completeness that nowhere else can be found. It is a complete, Complete wholeness,
peace, settleness. You're at peace with God through
the Lord Jesus Christ. You're made whole. I've made
you whole. I didn't bring you out of the
tomb of death to give you more death. I brought you out of death
to give you wholeness. Life, and life more abundant. All right, as we follow this,
we find that in verse 24, going back to the book of Judges now,
going back to the book of Judges, this man has been called of God
twice. You know, God, I heard a message
the other day that said, most preachers put themselves into
the ministry. God puts his ministers in the
ministry. It's not a choice they make.
He puts them into the ministry. Well, that's what we're gonna
find here with regard to Gideon. Going back to the book of Judges
chapter six, we read this about this man Gideon. It tells us
there in verse 24 of this chapter. Verse 24 of the book of Judges
chapter six, then Gideon built an altar. there unto the Lord, unto Jehovah,
and called it Jehovah Shalom, which is interpreted, Jehovah
is peace. That's where our peace comes
from. And to this day, it is, yes, an orphan of the Abizrites. So at the writing of this, it
was still there, but he was moved on. He perceived, he was given
the information that this is the Lord. And the Lord spoke
peace to him. And now he has called on, he
builds an altar unto the Lord and calls it by a name that could
only mean Jehovah. That's one thing we find, the
name Jehovah in the Bible only and always applies to only one
being, and that is the God of heaven. All the other words can
be applied to any false God, any God, but this one applies
only to the God of heaven, to God, the Lord Jesus. Gideon built
an alder and called it. Now this is just one time out
of, the internet's wonderful. I went to the internet and printed
off, there are 42 Jehovah names in the Bible. Now they're all not started with
Jehovah, there's only three of them that are, this is one of
them. The rest of them always have the Lord, Jehovah. And this one, Jehovah Shalom,
but let's look over here in the book of Genesis chapter 22. Genesis
chapter 22, we find another one that has this Jehovah name and
the word Jehovah is mentioned there. In the book of Genesis
chapter 22 verse 14, so, Gideon is on good ground. He has been made whole. He has
offered a sacrifice and it was consumed by the fire from God. He has now an altar and he calls
it Jehovah Shalom. Jehovah my peace. And here in
the book of Genesis chapter 22 and there in verse 14 we find
Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh. Now we know the account there.
He was asked to go up and take his son and offer him up. God
called him his only son, but we have another son, but he's
not part of the covenant. And he was asked to offer, and
the Lord provided a ram. And so Abraham brings this up
in this, to call the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh, as
it is said to this day in the Mount of the Lord, it shall be
seen. Jehovah-Jireh, he shall provide. That's God's business to provide
all our spiritual needs and all of our physical needs. He's not
skimping. He takes care of his people.
All right. And then we find over in the
book of Exodus chapter 17, that Moses is brought up to say something
like this. In Exodus chapter 17 and verse
15, Moses built an altar and called it this. Exodus chapter
17 and verse 15, another one of those Jehovah names, Jehovah
Jireh. Jehovah Shalom. And here we read
about Jehovah Nisai. Jehovah Nisai built an altar
and called it Jehovah Nisai. The Lord had sworn that the Lord
will have war with the Amalek from generation to generation.
What a statement that the Lord makes here through the prophet
Moses. Jehovah Nisai or Jehovah is my
banner. His banner over us is His love. What a statement. Well, that
study could go on and on. No doubt Gideon built this altar
on the rock which he put that kid and the flesh and the leavened
bread and the broth and the fire consumed it. And then we find
in verses 25 through 27 of this book of Judges, chapter six,
that there's some instructions that are given to this judge,
to Gideon. Judges chapter six, we read this
as we follow on through here, verse 25. And the scriptures
share this. It came to pass the same night
that the Lord said unto him, take thy father's young bullock
even the second bullock of seven years, and throw down the altar
of Baal that thy father hath." Now, this Baal has really taken
root in Israel over these seven years. And we see that they've
had a problem in the past. They'll have a problem after
this. If you don't believe anything, you'll fall for anything. And
so many of these Israelites who said their God was Jehovah, they
go out and worship a stone idol or a gold idol. And in the Psalm
115, it shares, and the people who worship them are just as
dumb as the people, as that stone that they made. have ears and
can't hear, eyes that can't see, feet that can't move, hands that
can't do anything, and so is everyone that worships him. So,
he is going to tear down, he's being instructed by the Lord.
You know, that's something that God does for us. Over there,
as we read this, take thy father's young bullet, even the second
bullet 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 that grove had to do with a female god that was comparable
to Baal. There was a pole in there that
had her name on it and several things. But there was enough
wood there that was going to be used to consume this sacrifice.
Build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this
rock. Now, this rock is made out of
natural stone. It doesn't have a hammer on it.
It hasn't been carved. It hasn't been made into something
else. It is the rock that belongs to the Lord. And it's ordered
to place and take the second bullet and offer the burnt sacrifice
and the wood of the grove, which thou shall cut down. And as we
look at this, we find that this, the instructions that the Lord
gave are very explicit. And he tells him exactly what
to do. And we find out that as a result,
we learn a lot about Gideon's father. It's his offering or
altar to Baal. And it just appears so, as we
read through here, that this is exactly what Baal, or excuse
me, Gideon, worshiped at one time. You know, we look into
the scriptures and we find that Joshua brought up a lot of real
rottenness about Father Abraham. Abraham was not, oh, walking
with God all of his life. Abraham was not serving God all
of his life. He's just like the rest of us,
worshiping idols. As we read, it's reported that
Gideon's father had promoted this altar. Gideon's father is
involved in this, but it's gonna be Gideon's father who says,
if Baal can't take care of himself, That's the thing about these
idols. They can't take care of themselves. We read about an
idol that fell over, broke its arms off, couldn't get up. Well,
that's just the way idols are. They fall over, they can't get
up. I'll never forget watching YouTube one time and it was a
great ceremony of a bunch of old men carrying a great big
idol of Mary and they get to under the weight of that burden,
they drop her. And oh, talk about the problems that their little
community was gonna have because they dropped and broke Mary's
idol. Well, that's what happens when
you have an idol of stone or clay or paper mache. So Joshua shares with us, let's
go over to the book of Joshua for just a moment. Joshua shares
with us some things about Abraham. He wasn't afraid to bring it
up. He didn't say that he was perfect. He said this is where
he started. He started in the pit. He started in a great pit. He started in a very black pit.
And it took God to bring him out of that pit. Oh, Joshua tells
us here in Joshua 24, verses 1 and 2, it says here, and Joshua
gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem. and called for the
elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges,
and for their officers, and they presented themselves before the
Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, thus saith the Lord
God of Israel, your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood
in old time. Now it's not talking prior to
the flood at Noah's time, it's talking about a river, the Euphrates
River. Even Terah, the father of Abraham,
and the father of Napor, and they served other gods. This
was their normal thing to do. That's what they did in the country
that they lived in. And that's what they did in the
country of Israel at this time. They worshiped Baal. They had
altars and groves all over. And we find that Gideon is required,
requested and required to cut that down, move that, tear up
that altar and offer a sacrifice on it. Well, in the 15th verse
of that same chapter of the book of Joshua, verse 15, We read
these words, verse 15 of Joshua chapter 24. He says, and if it
seemed evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day
whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, whether the gods which your fathers
served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods
of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and
my house, We are whole. We will be at peace. We will
serve the Lord. Now over in the book of 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1 verse 9, one of my favorite chapters of the New
Testament along with all the other several hundred chapters,
but in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, First Thessalonians chapter
one, it brings up idolatry in this verse of scripture. First
Thessalonians chapter one, verse nine. The scriptures share this. So much had been done by God
to these people when he saved them by his grace. We just go
down through there. They spoke of the Lord. Their hope was in the Lord. and
their fame was in the Lord. And here in verse nine it says,
for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we
had unto you and how they turned to God from idols to serve the
living and true God. Now, the people I run into today
are not so much worshiping gold and silver and that sort of thing,
but their idol is the worst idol of all, and that is they worship
free will. That's the worst idol of all.
It can't get anything done, and yet people depend on it to get
something done. Well, these people, they turn. God turned them, and they were
turned, and they quit serving idols and serve the true and
the living God. I just want to read a couple
of verses out of that Psalm 115. If you would join me there, Psalm
115. We read these words about these
idols that they were worshiping. Astroth, all the gods of the,
all the Canaanites, they were worshiped. It was like a plague.
It's just there. We find it everywhere. What is,
what are the Greek gods and goddesses? What are the Roman gods and goddesses?
Just idols that they worship. You go up to Greece to the great
Acropolis there. Paul said, you've got so many
here. And that's a big place up there.
That's a huge platform for having all kinds of altars to the gods. And then he said, I'm gonna talk
to you about this one right here, the unknown God. Well, here in
the book of Psalms, Psalm 115, we read this about what the Lord
has done, and he points out this subject, and you know what? The
church agrees with God. God's people agree with God and
they agree that he's telling us the truth right here in Psalm
115 verse 3. Psalm 115 verse 3, but our God
is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased. And the church agrees with it.
There's no argument. And if we argue, we're not worshiping
the true and the living God. We're not worshiping the God
of heaven. We're worshiping an idol. And then it says, their
idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have
mouths, but they speak not. Eyes have they, but they see
not. And you know what? Gideon can say the very same
thing about this bale. has eyes but can't see, ears
it can't hear, they have ears but they hear not, noses have
they but they smell not, they have hands but they handle not,
feet they have, Have they, but they walk not, neither speak
they through their throat. They that make them are likened
to them, so is everyone that trusts in them. So we have Gideon
in his previous state and Gideon's father and everybody else down
there is in exactly the same position here. No one is exempt
from idols as a result of the fall. We all worship idols. We're idolaters. We worship ourself,
our own self-righteousness, we worship our will, our own self-will,
but we will not worship God on our own. That has to be brought
to us. And that's what we're gonna find
out here in the book of Judges. Let's go back to the book of
Judges chapter six, and we just read two or three more verses
and make a couple comments here. And the Lord is imposing upon
us Gideon, chapter six, verse 25. Chapter six, verse 25. It says,
it came to pass that same night that the Lord said unto him,
take thy father's young bullock even out of 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. That rock that's mentioned there
is a high rock. It's like a fortress type of
rock. Uncut. In order, place and take
the second bullock and offer a burnt sacrifice of wood of
the grove which thou shalt cut down. And then verse 27, and
Gideon took 10 men of his servants and did as the Lord had said
unto him. What a statement is made here
about my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. He did exactly
what he was told. He took ten servants and it says
the men of the city that he could not do it by day. that he did it by night. Ten
helpers at night accomplished this task. Well, we're going
to stop there for tonight and we'll pick this up because there's
going to be problems in River City because there is a threat
on Gideon's life for doing this thing. They hated him because
he did what God told him to do. He destroyed their sacred cow.