Gideon's Fleece

By Mary Vee

Judges 6

Gideon’s Thoughts

Not long after I’d destroyed Dad’s Baal altar, Midianites and Amalekites swarmed to the Valley of Jezreel where we lived. 

Good grief. One altar destroyed and those armies thought they needed to come pound us?

And did thousands of soldiers need to come? Are we so important? 

The Midianites moved about setting up tents and their battlefield like bees in a hive. One jostle and the armies might have gone crazy-buzzing out of their camp to attack. I must admit all those tents scared the confidence right out of me.

Still, the Angel of the Lord recently spoke to me. He sat under the terebinth tree over there and called me a mighty man of valor. It surprised me. He caused me to believe He’d rescue us from this mess. 

I grabbed my trumpet to call every warrior in hearing range then sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali requesting their warriors to help. Thousands of Israelite soldiers met on our mountain within a day, ready to go to war.

I had an army and the battlefield, but I didn’t have assurances from the Lord. Without Him we’d lose this battle. I needed to know if He'd really help us win.

I stepped away from the men to be alone with God. In a nearby field I looked toward the heavens. “Lord, I need to know Your will. If it is OK with You, I’d like to set a piece of wool on the threshing floor. If there's dew on the fleece only, and the ground is dry, then I’ll know You’ll save Israel by my hand as You’ve said.”

I went back to my cave, grabbed a fleece and set it on the threshing floor before going to bed.

The next morning I grabbed a bowl and ran to the threshing floor. Even before I reached the fleece it looked soaked. I squeezed the wool and filled the bowl with water then touched the ground, it felt desert dry. 

Still, I didn’t feel sure of myself. I asked the Lord again, “Please don’t be angry with me, Lord. I want to make sure I know Your will. Would You show me again? This time if the fleece is dry and the ground is wet, I’ll know You’ll save Israel by my hand as You’ve said.”

I set the fleece back on the threshing floor and went to bed. 

The next morning I ran to the threshing floor and found the fleece desert dry, and the ground-soaking wet.  I turned the fleece around in my hands; not a drop of water on it anywhere. I touched the water soaked ground. Only God could have done this.

“OK, Lord, I now know You’ll give us the victory.

I called the soldiers to gather around for instructions.

Come back to see what happens next.

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Who came to the Valley of Jezreel?

Why did this scare Gideon?

Who did Gideon call? Why?

What did Gideon ask God?

What did God do?

What did Gideon ask the second time?

What did God do?’’

Why do you think God did this for Gideon?