Signs of disgrace …

Signs of disgrace…

The Bible is a book, that doesn’t powder reality, but shows us how things were. Some shudder when they read about battles, murder, circumcision, deception, idolatry, and betrayal. I think there is no need to flinch, this is human life. God comes to us in these situations, gives us a choice, encourages us, works on us. Sometimes human outbursts end badly, sometimes people convert to God, sometimes our lives make sense, after wandering, when we find the way.

In the era of the Judges , preceding the era of the kings of Israel, then the Judean kings, we meet people who are God’s intervention in a given situation, most often Israel they were departing from God, and God was raising up a leader / leader for them to return to grace, to God’s mercy. What happened that so often Israel became disobedient, built altars to other gods, their faith became only a vague memory? We see so often in this book that there was no daily living relationship with God. This seems to have led the people to idolatry, why should we try to look at it.

The era of judges continued for about 200 years, we remember that in 1030 B.C. Saul was crowned, so it was 1230-1030 BC. Let us look at Gideon, who as a young boy, along with others and his family, was tested by the tribes of nomads – the Midianites. Their policy was that they were not people-minded, they wanted animal feed and goods that others had. These were not murderers like the kings of Babylon. Rather, other nations served as their supplies. We read that in Gideon’s day this tribulation lasted seven years, it was God’s work to convert Israel.

Probably it would be hard for us, if we toil, work, and someone would come and take ours, we would be left with nothing, despite the work we have done, despite the fact that we were about to use the goods. Midianites would come before harvest and graze the ripening grain, it was probably very unpleasant. That is why we probably meet Gideon at a wine press, where he threshes the grain so that it does not appear. He was probably not a brave one, although he was probably cunning. My consideration, however, will not concern the classic course of Gideon’s revival, but rather, I would like to ask some questions that may encourage us to reflect.

First is why Gideon’s father erected a pillar for Baal (god of lightning) and another wooden Ashtart (goddess of fertility)? How was it possible that this nation turned to pagan deities? Or maybe it was an extensive theology, after all, some Christians also attribute some abilities to people who lived and are considered or defined as saints today. The one for the fire, the one for lost things, the one for the family, other than fertility. Is it not such a natural human inclination to seek intermediaries for our ordinary human affairs, so as not to bother God? Perhaps then people did not have a relationship with God, because they treated Him like Santa, who showers us with gifts, and not God, who works on our character, guides and changes us. We do not want anyone to influence our life, this is our life, our decisions, I live for myself, for my comfort, good and glory.

The Way with God is a way of learning, often biblical authors refer to it to grow into God in all knowledge and experience. Fil. 1.9-11. Probably also in Gideon’s day it was God’s intention to educate his people and to lead them in the knowledge of God. Did they want to, you can see that they don’t. Do we want today? Do we only satisfy ourselves with what we once heard, or with occasional gusts, such as WYD in Krakow, or some conferences, evangelizations. Perhaps we too live by memories, as if God were just history. Perhaps we have reduced our knowledge of God to liturgy, pious expressions, poses, participation. Perhaps we left the matter of God and the relationship with Him to specialists, because who we are? The story of Gideon refutes these myths, God enters the life of the common man and calls him to change.

Awakening was preceded by speaking of a prophet, he was not named by name, he showed them the problem that they were worshiping the gods of the Amorites. Anyone care about this? Rather not, it is evidenced by the reaction of the people, after the statues were overturned and destroyed by Gideon. Rage and anger at Gideon, it is terrible that despite these statues they were not protected by them, but so much the people defended them. What was this power behind them? What infatuation. Let’s collect the trouble, God says through the prophet that it is bad, they know from history that it is bad, God prompts Gideon to destroy them, because they were bad, because they did not get anything good from these deities. What else do you need? We get a gloomy picture of a man who has departed from God, and perhaps this is also the case in our lives. We want something so much that we don’t care what God says, God’s people, God’s Word, but we stubbornly stand by our suffering.

One must also ask, why it was most important for God to destroy these monuments, so important that the action had just begun Divine. Not only that, on the ruins of these monuments, Gideon made sacrifices to God, showed that faith in idols must be burned, destroyed, and destroyed, and on its ashes true faith, a true relationship with the true God, not the god of their imaginations, is to be created. The blunt statement of Father Gideon, who had set up these idols, was a sign of transformation and sobriety. Let Baal defend himself – this is the key, if he is a god let him defend himself. Only then did the understanding come to the hearts of people, to know what they were doing? They made idols for themselves, turning away from God, because others did, because the peoples around them believed so, and yet they were to be a special property of God. Friend, you don’t have to do these things because others do.

Mental change, caused Israel to wake up again, agreed with Gideon, and this brought God’s favor and deliverance. Unnatural, miraculous, great victory for 300 people, but only because God was with them. Seven years of drought, harassment and hunger were forgotten as the people destroyed faith in other gods and their symbols. Like an unfaithful wife he returned to his husband and listened to him. Such a change must take place in our minds if we are to experience God in our lives. You will not have gods next to me is always relevant, but these deities can be many things in our lives. Let us not allow our needs to make us choose gods to fulfill them, but let us accept the will of the One who is One and Loving – Christ the Lord every day.

Yours in Mr. Kazik J.

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