Thursday, October 21, 2004
The Venerable Hilarion the Great
Kellia: Judges 6:25-40 Epistle: Colossians 1:24-29 Gospel: St. Luke 9:7-11
Judges 6:25-40, especially vs. 27: "So Gideon took ten men of
his servants, and did as the Lord had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and
the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night." Throughout the accounts concerning
Gideon, one can observe the Lord strengthening the quavering faith of this famous judge. During
Gideon's first encounter with the angel of the Lord, although he was called, "you mighty man of
valor" (Jdgs. 6:12), he reacted not with faith but frank skepticism: "Pray, sir, if the Lord is with
us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all His wonderful deeds which our fathers
recounted to us?" (Jdgs 6:13). When the angel told him to "Go in this might of yours and deliver
Israel" (Jdg. 6:14), he asked, "how can I deliver Israel?" (Jdg. 6:15). Even when God promised to
be with him in accomplishing the deliverance, he sought a corroborative "sign" (Jdg. 6:17).
On the very night following the first appearance of the angel to Gideon, the Lord began the
process of destroying the stranglehold of the Midianites over Israel. As a first step, He directed
Gideon to carry out a public act visibly attacking the underlying reason why "the hand of Midian
prevailed over Israel" (Jdg. 6:2). Gideon was to "pull down the altar of Baal which your father
has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God" (Jdg.
6:25,26). This was to be an affront to the idolatry of the people. Their pagan altar was to be
destroyed, an altar to the Lord constructed, "with stones laid in due order" (vs. 26), and one of his
father's bulls sacrificed there "as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah" (vs. 26). At the
very least, Gideon was a man of some degree of faith, for he obeyed the Lord (vs. 27).
Still, the task was nothing one man could accomplish in single, quick strike, so Gideon used "ten
men of his servants, and did as the Lord had told him" (vs. 27). Notice that the text calls our
attention to his quavering faith. Being too afraid of family and neighbors, "he did it by night"
(vs. 27), a kind of covert action, yet nothing that finally could be hidden from his outraged
neighbors (vs. 29). Notice that Gideon's father displayed more boldness before the angry crowd
than his son had under the cloak of night (vss. 30,31). Much to the point, his father challenged
the neighbors for defending the pagan god, Baal (vs. 31). Gideon's public reputation, however,
was now established with a new "nickname," Jerubbaal, that is, "Baal struggles" (vs. 32).
The Midianites set off the next round of the resistance by invading the best farm land in Israel,
the Valley of Jezreel, the heart of the tribal territory of Manasseh, the tribe of which the clan of
the Abiezrites was part. Having awakened Gideon's faith in Himself, "the Spirit of the Lord
took possession" of him (vs. 34), and his clansmen now were ready to follow this man they
whom perceived as a staunch opponent of pagan encroachment. In fact, so were all the men from
the tribe of Manasseh and their neighbors to the north. Again, we see God giving Gideon the
faith to act by filling him with His own Spirit. Still, the same spiritual hesitancy emerges in
Gideon, and the Lord again patiently meets his reluctance and the double test with fleece (see vss.
36-40).
We who are struggling to grow in faith should reflect thoughtfully on God's persistent efforts at
developing Gideon's faith. The point must not be lost on any of us, His children. God has filled
us with His Spirit in our Baptism and Chrismation. As we seek to obey His commands, we shall
surely know moments of quavering faith within. Let us beseech the Lord to build our faith,
knowing it is His desire for us to overcome the enemies who constantly are invading our spiritual
life to turn us away from Him. Glory to God for all things!
Keep us, O Christ our God, ever as warriors invincible in every attack of those who assail us,
and make us victors, even unto the end, for Thine it is to show mercy and to save us.
