Judges 6:12-13
And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The angel calls Gideon a "mighty man of valor" before he's actually done anything mighty. This isn't just a description; it's God's declaration of who Gideon will be through His power, revealing that true valor comes not from our own strength but from God's presence.
Israel is suffering under severe oppression by the Midianites, forcing Gideon to thresh wheat in secret to hide it from their raids. Into this desperate situation, an angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, not just as a visitor, but with a divine declaration of God's presence and a bold affirmation of Gideon's own latent strength. This encounter immediately follows Israel's cry to the Lord and sets the stage for Gideon's reluctant call to deliver his people.
Gideon is found threshing wheat by the winepress, trying to hide his grain from the enemy. What does this scene reveal about Israel's condition and Gideon's own state?
The book of Judges paints a grim picture of Israel's spiritual and national decline. They had "did evil in the sight of the LORD," leading God to deliver them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years.
This oppression was so severe that the Israelites were reduced to hiding their crops. Gideon, the man God calls to deliver them, is found not in a position of power or leadership, but secretly threshing wheat near a winepress—an unusual and vulnerable location. This wasn't just about hiding grain; it was a desperate act born out of extreme fear.
This scene highlights two things:
The angel of the Lord appears and addresses Gideon with powerful words. What is the significance of this greeting and the title given to Gideon?
When the angel of the Lord finds Gideon, he doesn't greet him based on his current circumstances – hiding, fearful, and desperate. Instead, he speaks a profound truth about Gideon's identity and destiny:
'The LORD is with you'
This isn't just a comforting phrase; it's a declaration of divine presence and empowerment. It means God is actively present to guide, strengthen, and support Gideon in the task ahead.
'O mighty man of valor'
This title is striking because Gideon is currently acting like anything but a 'mighty man of valor.' He's threshing wheat in secret! The angel uses this title not to describe Gideon's present actions, but to reveal God's perspective and the potential God has placed within him. God sees the hero within, even when Gideon himself cannot.
Understand the original words
gibbor chayil · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A phrase describing a person of strength, capability, and heroic courage, often used in military or leadership contexts to designate one gifted for a divine task.
niphla'ah · Hebrew Noun
Divine actions or miracles that display God's power, glory, and intervention on behalf of His people, often in the context of salvation or judgment.
natash · Hebrew Verb
The theological condition or human perception of being abandoned or rejected by God, often occurring in response to national sin, disobedience, or covenant unfaithfulness.
Gideon threshed wheat in secret, hiding it from the oppressors, highlighting Israel's dire circumstances. The angel's greeting, 'The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor,' directly contrasts with Gideon's hidden, fearful actions and Israel's perceived abandonment.
c. 1400 BC
Israel enters the Promised Land
Following their exodus from Egypt and wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, conquer and settle in Canaan. This marks the beginning of their history as a nation in the land God promised them.
Post-Joshua
Cycle of Disobedience and Oppression Begins
After Joshua's death, the Israelites repeatedly turn away from God to worship local deities. In response, God allows neighboring nations to oppress them, leading to periods of hardship.
Post-Deborah
Period of Prosperity and Complacency
Following a period of deliverance under Deborah, the Israelites enjoy relative peace and prosperity. However, this comfort leads them back into complacency and intermingling with Canaanite culture and worship.
c. 11th Century BC
Midianite Raids Intensify
Nomadic tribes from the eastern desert, particularly the Midianites, begin launching increasingly devastating raids on Israelite farmlands during harvest time.
This passage shows God assuring Moses of His presence and empowerment for a difficult mission, mirroring the divine affirmation given to Gideon.
Joshua 1:9God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, emphasizing His presence as the source of his strength, similar to the angel's words to Gideon.
Isaiah 41:10This prophetic promise declares God's presence, strength, and support for His chosen servant, echoing the message given to Gideon as a 'mighty man of valor'.
Matthew 28:20Jesus promises His disciples His constant presence, highlighting that divine accompaniment is key to their mission and courage, much like the angel's declaration to Gideon.
Romans 8:31This passage powerfully asserts that if God is for us, nothing can stand against us, a theological parallel to the angel's affirmation of God's presence with Gideon, empowering him for battle.
jfbJudges 6:11-16: "And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites."
Jud 6:11-16. An Angel Sends Gideon to Deliver Them.11. there came an angel of the Lord—He appeared in the character and equipments of a traveller (Jud 6:21), who sat down in the shade to enjoy a little refreshment and repose. Entering into conversation on the engrossing topic…
expositorsJudges 6:1-14: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years."
THE DESERT HORDES; AND THE MAN AT OPHRAHJdg 6:1-14 JABIN king of Canaan defeated and his nine hundred chariots turned into ploughshares, we might expect Israel to make at last a start in its true career. The tribes have had their third lesson and should know the peril of infidelity. Without God they are weak as water. Will they not bind themselves now i…
The angel calls Gideon a "mighty man of valor" before he's actually done anything mighty. This isn't just a description; it's God's declaration of who Gideon will be through His power, revealing that true valor comes not from our own strength but from God's presence.
Israel is suffering under severe oppression by the Midianites, forcing Gideon to thresh wheat in secret to hide it from their raids. Into this desperate situation, an angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, not just as a visitor, but with a divine declaration of God's presence and a bold affirmation of Gideon's own latent strength. This encounter immediately follows Israel's cry to the Lord and sets the stage for Gideon's reluctant call to deliver his people.
Israel is suffering under severe oppression by the Midianites, forcing Gideon to thresh wheat in secret to hide it from their raids. Into this desperate situation, an angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, not just as a visitor, but with a divine declaration of God's presence and a bold affirmation of Gideon's own latent strength. This encounter immediately follows Israel's cry to the Lord and sets the stage for Gideon's reluctant call to deliver his people.
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This greeting serves as God's commissioning. He's calling Gideon to action by affirming His presence and Gideon's inherent strength, setting the stage for Gideon's transformation from a fearful man into a deliverer.
c. 11th Century BC
Israel's Desperate Situation
The Midianites, along with Amalekites and other eastern peoples, sweep through the land, destroying crops, stealing livestock, and forcing Israelites into hiding in caves and mountains. Israel becomes impoverished and desperate.
c. 11th Century BC— this verse
Angel Appears to Gideon
While Gideon is secretly threshing wheat to hide it from the Midianites, an angel of the Lord appears to him, calling him a mighty man of valor and assuring him that the Lord is with him.
"And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderf…" — The angel calls Gideon a "mighty man of valor" before he's actually done anything mighty. This isn't just a description; it's God's declaration of who Gideon will be through His power, revealing…
