In response to the suffering of his people, Yahweh spoke
surprising words to Gideon. Yahweh called this weakest man of the weakest clan a
“mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Yahweh then commissioned Gideon to deliver Israel from Midianite
control (6:14). When Gideon understandably doubted his own ability to do so,
Yahwe assured him, “I will be with you” (6:16).
Their conversation ended when Gideon affirmed his call (6:22-24).
Now that Gideon has affirmed the surprising words which Yahweh has spoken to him, Yahweh can launch Gideon on a series of unexpected adventures.
For his entire life, Gideon had been one member of the
people of Yahweh. Yet his life had been perfectly conventional; that is, a sloppy mixture of devotion to the Olympian gods combined with lip service to
Yahweh.
Then, suddenly, his life changed radically and permanently.
It changed because, for reasons known only to himself, Yahweh chose to speak
surprising words to him. Once that happened, and Gideon affirmed them, there
was no going back. Everything was different. He was as unconventional now as the new point
of view Yahweh had given him.
As with Gideon, we too may understand ourselves as people of
Yahweh and yet live a perfectly conventional life. We too may effortlessly
combine devotion to the Olympian gods with lip service to Jesus.
As with Gideon, our surprising adventures begin when we too
affirm Yahweh’s surprising words to us. Then we too never see things the same
conventional way again.
That very night, Yahweh tells Gideon to commit challenging
acts. He tells him to pull down the town altar his father had built to honor
Jupiter. He tells him to cut down the town pole, beside that altar, his father
had raised to honor Venus. He tells him to build an altar dedicated him, Yahweh,
take a bull of his father’s, then sacrifice it on that altar as a burnt
offering using the Venus pole as firewood. Gideon did as he was told but because he was too afraid of his family
and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it at night (6:27).
Today, Jesus again calls us as Christians to act in ways which meaningfully challenge the
devotion of Christians to the gods of
Olympianity. Yahweh told Gideon to tear down the altar of Jupiter and cut down
the pole of Venus. Jesus would have us do the same by removing the American
flag (or any other national flag) from our church buildings. If we even suggest
doing that, then we too should fear the rage of conventionally Christian Olympians.
Gideon was right to be afraid. The next morning, when
Gideon’s neighbors discovered the town altar to Jupiter destroyed, the town
pole of Venus cut down, and a bull sacrificed on an altar dedicated to Yahweh,
they were furious. When they found out that Gideon had done all this, they said
to his father, “Bring out your son, so
that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal [Jupiter], and cut
down the sacred pole [of Venus] beside it” (6:30).
Gideon’s father made an unexpected response to all this
excitement. When his neighbors wanted him the hand over Gideon so that they
could execute him for this outrage against their Olympian gods, Gideon’s father
said, “Will you contend for
[Jupiter]?...If he is a god, let him contend for himself” (6:31). Strangely
enough, their murderous rage against Gideon evaporated and they left vengeance
against him to Jupiter.
Today Jesus calls us prophetic witnesses, together, to ask
for the removal of national flags from our church buildings, nationalism from
our worship, Olympian holidays from our church calendars, and partisan politics
from our sermons and prayers. When conventional Christians respond to us with
rage, let us join Gideon’s father in telling them that, if Jupiter is the
mighty god his followers insist that he is, then let him contend for himself.
Copyright © 2015 by
Steven Farsaci.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
