One goal of Christ is partially revealed to us in Judges 6, so we'll be reading it together with a little commentary.
But first, let's recap: Israel was backsliding into idol-worship again and Yahweh allowed the Midianites to become their oppressors in order to chasten them.
Pretty soon the prayers of the people were lifted up to heaven, and the time came for Yahweh to raise up a hero from among His people in order to save them.
This is the situation we find unsuspecting Gideon in as he's approached by an angel of Yahweh:
Judges 6:
(Wait. Did you notice there was a change in who's speaking to Gideon?)
(So it is Yahweh Himself speaking to Gideon now, and not just the angel.)
(But how can Gideon be so doubtful? How can he not be sure he was speaking with Yahweh?)
(So he didn't even know he was speaking with an angel! Much less Yahweh Himself. But now the angel has left and Gideon no longer doubts and...)
(Gideon can still hear Yahweh speaking, even though the angel is gone.)
"Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man."
You see, Yahweh was with the angel.
And Yahweh was with Gideon.
John 17:
Luke 20:
Matthew 22:
Amen יהוה!
But first, let's recap: Israel was backsliding into idol-worship again and Yahweh allowed the Midianites to become their oppressors in order to chasten them.
Pretty soon the prayers of the people were lifted up to heaven, and the time came for Yahweh to raise up a hero from among His people in order to save them.
This is the situation we find unsuspecting Gideon in as he's approached by an angel of Yahweh:
Judges 6:
11 And there came an angel of Yahweh, and sat under an oak..and..Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him, and said unto him, Yahweh is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if Yahweh be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 And Yahweh looked upon him, and said,
12 And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him, and said unto him, Yahweh is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if Yahweh be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 And Yahweh looked upon him, and said,
(Wait. Did you notice there was a change in who's speaking to Gideon?)
14 ..Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16 And Yahweh said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16 And Yahweh said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
(So it is Yahweh Himself speaking to Gideon now, and not just the angel.)
17 And he [Gideon] said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
(But how can Gideon be so doubtful? How can he not be sure he was speaking with Yahweh?)
19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 Then the angel of Yahweh 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 Yahweh departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of Yahweh, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Yahweh! for because I have seen an angel of Yahweh face to face!
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 Then the angel of Yahweh 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 Yahweh departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of Yahweh, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Yahweh! for because I have seen an angel of Yahweh face to face!
(So he didn't even know he was speaking with an angel! Much less Yahweh Himself. But now the angel has left and Gideon no longer doubts and...)
23 ..Yahweh said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
(Gideon can still hear Yahweh speaking, even though the angel is gone.)
"Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man."
You see, Yahweh was with the angel.
And Yahweh was with Gideon.
John 17:
21 ..may [they] be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us..
Luke 20:
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Matthew 22:
30 For in the resurrection they..are as the angels of God in heaven.
Amen יהוה!
