Gideon has much to fear as he hides in the wine press threshing wheat. He fears the fierce Midianites, Amalekites, and other armies who invade their land, “like swarms of locusts” leaving nothing behind (Judges 6:5). It isn’t until he encounters the angel of the LORD that he begins to shift from the fear of man to fear of God. After realizing that he speaks to and sees the LORD face-to-face, he feels genuine terror. Yet God assures him that he will not die but instead be transformed into a mighty warrior who will destroy all his enemies (Judges 6:16). This change begins with a heartfelt prayer for help, leading to an encounter with God’s truth, a revelation of His plan for rescue, a call to repentance, and empowerment by the Spirit to serve in humility.
Cries to the Lord for Help
The story of Gideon opens with a summary of the discipline Israel experiences because of their rebellion against God. Due to the oppression by their enemies, they “cry out to the LORD for help” (Judges 6:6). As seen throughout Scripture, when they call out to the Lord, He answers (Judges 6:7). He sends a prophet to remind them of God’s covenant faithfulness in rescuing them from slavery in Egypt and delivering them from their enemies. His message reminds them—and us—that their current suffering is not an accident or coincidence but the result of their sin and idolatry since they refuse to worship God alone. Through this message, they are once again reminded that God is the sovereign LORD, who rules and reigns over all people and situations. He not only has the power to protect and deliver them from oppressors but can use the same oppressors to discipline them when needed.
God Encounters Gideon
The scene shifts to Ophrah, where the angel of the LORD comes to speak with and commission Gideon. He begins by addressing Gideon as one who is accompanied by the LORD and, as a result, is a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Gideon feels like anything but a fierce warrior and reminds God of the reality of his situation—that he is from the weakest clan in his tribe and the “least” of his family (Judges 6:15). He pours out his heart, showing that while he receives the prophetic word about their discipline, he misunderstands the heart and character of God. He views the LORD’s discipline as evidence that He has “abandoned” Israel (Judges 6:13), rather than seeing it as designed by God to turn them from idolatry to true worship. By seeking Gideon in his place of fear and unbelief, the LORD is revealing his character as the covenant-keeping God who disciplines those he loves but will not forsake his beloved (Psalm 37:28).
Promise to Rescue and Bring Victory
In addressing Gideon’s false assumption that they have been forsaken by God, the angel of the LORD states the truth: that the Lord will be with him to help him fight against and destroy all the Midianites, “leaving none alive” (Judges 6:17). To overcome Gideon’s fear and unbelief, God provides a powerful display—sending fire from the staff of the angel of the LORD to consume the wet sacrifice, and later providing two signs with the fleece. These miracles turn Gideon’s gaze from his people’s helpless estate back to God, who has the power to accomplish all things (Luke 1:37).
Call to Repent
Before God can use Gideon to lead his people to freedom, he has to turn from idolatry, fear, and unbelief to begin walking in trust again. God instructs him to tear down and destroy the Asherah pole and the altar of Baal that his father has built. Taking it a step further, he is to use the wood from the pole to burn a sacrifice to God and then “build a proper kind of altar to the LORD” (Judges 6:26). These steps require Gideon to renounce idol worship and shift from fearing man to fearing and standing in awe of God. This process marks another important part of his transformation. By obeying God over man, Gideon demonstrates his commitment to the LORD’s ways and is ready to serve as the spiritual and military leader under the Commander of the angel armies.
Empowered by the Spirit
The next scene shows the enemies joining together to attack Israel. In the past, everyone runs in fear, hiding to preserve their lives and resources. But here we see Gideon beginning to live out his new identity as a “mighty warrior.” His encounter with God’s truth and repentance paves the way for the Spirit to work, who comes upon Gideon and empowers him (Judges 6:34) to rally the troops to fight the same enemies they have always feared. Instead of hiding in the wine press, he stands and encourages others to also stand and fight. This new bravery and leadership from Gideon encourages the Israelites to face their fears and join together to fight their enemies. They are also being transformed from terrified men to mighty warriors who serve the LORD.
Fighting in the Strength of His Might
Before the battle begins, God steps in again as the commander of the army to reestablish the parameters of the fight. Now that Gideon has been empowered by the Spirit and the troops have gained courage, God wants them and all of Israel to remember that He alone is responsible for the outcome of this battle. To prevent them from boasting when they win, He reduces their troop from 22,000 men to 300 (Judges 7:1-8). He then commands them to “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands” (Judges 7:9). He provides another miraculous sign—a prophetic dream given to the enemy and overheard by the Israelite spies—to further encourage the soldiers who are afraid and remind them that He will be with them (Judges 7:10-15). When they blow the trumpet for battle, the LORD fights for them, causing their enemies to turn on each other and kill one another (Judges 7:22).
What Can We Learn from This?
God establishes a clear pattern for rescue and deliverance from fear in this passage that can be applied to our lives. When we encounter fierce opposition and become intimidated and afraid, we need to cry out to the LORD in humility, asking Him to help and deliver us. When He answers, as He always does, we need to be prepared for a truth encounter with His Word by the Spirit as He reveals our true identity, along with the lies we believe about Him that have kept us in bondage to fear. This revelation should lead us to take specific steps of repentance as we turn away from idolatry, fear, and unbelief to trust in the LORD alone for everything. As we turn away from sin and fear and embrace trust in the Lord, we begin to experience a fresh filling and empowering of His Spirit to stand against the enemies of our souls. This standing is not in our strength but in the strength of His might as we put on the whole armor of God and then go out in Gospel peace to fulfill His Great Commission (Ephesians 6:10).
What wine press are you hiding out in today? Like me, have you forgotten that you are a “mighty warrior” in the LORD, called to turn away from the fear of man and self-protection so that you can serve him wholeheartedly? God’s transforming encounter with Gideon takes place over a matter of days and completely reverses his situation from one of defeat to victory. He remembers who he is and gains fresh confidence in God’s power, presence, and goodness. As a result, God becomes bigger, and his fear of man shrinks and diminishes almost overnight. He can do the same for us when we humble ourselves and cry out for help, submit to His truth, repent of our idolatry, and then stand in His strength to do all that He commands.
“Therefore go and disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
