46. THEOPHANY --Gideon and Moses: God’s Patience with a Fearful Servant

Judges 6:36–40

I like to test things and people before I invest in them.

• Some tests are objective, like a writing sample.

• Others are emotional, simply spending time with someone and sensing a connection.

• These tests work with people, but Gideon tried a big one with God!

• I am not the LORD; I would not have performed for him.

But God loved Gideon and saw his heart. He sees your heart, too. He loves you even when you test Him.

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Introduction: When God Does Not Withdraw

The focus of this theophany is not the fleece itself, but the character of God revealed through it. In Judges 6:36–40, the LORD does something extraordinary: He patiently responds—twice—to a fearful servant who is struggling to trust Him.

This moment belongs alongside God’s dealings with Moses, another reluctant deliverer who repeatedly questioned his calling. In both lives, we see not a God who abandons hesitant servants, but One who remains present, reassures, and continues to speak.

Gideon and Moses: Reluctant Servants, Patient God

Moses at the burning bush asked, “Who am I?”Gideon asks, “Wherewith shall I save Israel?”

Both men:

• Feel inadequate

• Fear failure

• Ask for reassurance

• Receive divine patience rather than rebuke

  
  

The Fleece: Weak Faith Met with Mercy

Judges 6:36–40

Gideon asks for confirmation:

• First, a fleece wet while the ground is dry

• Then, a fleece dry while the ground is wet

This is not exemplary faith. It is fearful obedience. Yet Scripture simply says:

No rebuke. No withdrawal.

Only patient confirmation.

This is the heart of the theophany: God remains with Gideon.

The Story Continues: What the Patience of God Produces (Judges 7)

The LORD’s patience in Judges 6 bears fruit immediately in Judges 7.

God Reduces the Army

Gideon gathers 32,000 men. God reduces them to 300, ensuring that the coming victory cannot be attributed to human strength.

God Strengthens the Fearful Leader

Knowing Gideon still fears, the LORD sends him into the enemy camp to overhear a confirming dream. Gideon responds, for the first time, with worship.

God Wins the Battle

Without swords at first—only trumpets, torches, and pitchers—the LORD routs the Midianites. The victory belongs unmistakably to God.

Judges 7 is not another theophany, but it is the evidence of this one.

Why This Matters

The LORD did not ask Gideon to become fearless. He asked him to be obedient.

God’s patience did not weaken His power; it revealed it. Just as with Moses, the LORD proved that His strength is made perfect in weakness.

The same God who spoke patiently to Gideon speaks to us through Christ:

Closing Prayer

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Twelve thou­sand stand on Gi­le­ad,

Yea, twice twelve thou­sand say!

They flocked at sil­ver trum­pet’s call,

All men of Is­ra­el they.

But faith­ful Gi­de­on cried aloud,

If crav­en heart there be,

Return, faint-heart­ed, to your tents,

Not yours the vic­to­ry!

Ten thou­sand stand at Gi­le­ad!

No crav­en hearts are these;

But will they speed at du­ty’s call,

Or love they sloth­ful ease?

In wea­ri­ness, in watch­ings oft,

The sol­dier’s lot must stand:

Can these ten thou­sand hard­ness bear,

And march at God’s com­mand?

See! Har­od’s spark­ling waters

Flow flash­ing thro’ the plain!

The Lord will try His war­ri­ors

Again and yet again.

Down to the mar­gin of the stream

The thirst­ing sol­diers press,

Their parch­èd lips ap­proach the stream,

The leap­ing tor­rent kiss.

Some yield to wea­ri­ness and thirst,

And, kneel­ing on the sod,

Forget awhile the trum­pet’s call,

Their coun­try and their God!

Some on­ly bend in man­ly grace

With hand dipped in the ford,

And mar­tial stand, the sword in hand,

To heark­en Gi­de­on’s word.

By these, by these, cried Gi­de­on,

The Lord shall Is­ra­el save;

By prov­en men and chos­en,

Three hun­dred war­ri­ors brave;

Lest Is­ra­el’s host should vaunt it­self,

And dream that its pow­er and might,

Or pru­dence of the wise and skilled,

Had con­quered in the fight.

Three hun­dred stand on Gi­le­ad,

Obedient men—but lo!

More than a hun­dred thou­sand

In Mi­di­an’s tents be­low!

What wea­pons for the war­fare?

A trum­pet and a light!

The shout of a king among them

Ringing thro’ Mi­di­an’s night!

O Lord, arise! Thy war­ri­ors choose,

As erst at Har­od’s well,

And prove them at the wa­ters—

Thy faith­ful Is­ra­el!

Swift as the ea­gle may they bear

Love’s em­bas­sy abroad!

Send out Thy sons of va­lor

To war, the wars of God!

They will not pause, those ea­ger souls,

Where plea­sure’s waves glide by,

Nor, heed­less of the Mas­ter’s call,

In ease­ful lang­uor lie.

They hear the call of na­tions,

The Mas­ter’s high com­mand,

And pure re­solve and zeal in­spire

The mis­sion­ary band.

O flash the torch of truth athwart

The gloom of hea­then night!

And cheer ye with a song of faith,

And trum­pet sound of might!

The bat­tle is not yours, but God’s;

Ring out the bat­tle cry!

The sword of God and Gi­de­on

Shall bring the vic­to­ry!

Words: Cla­ra H. Thwaites, 1885