Context No. 3461 of 4322 · Judges

Judges 6:30-35: in context

30Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.” 31Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!” 32Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.” 33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 34But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

After Gideon tears down the altar of Baal, the townsmen demand his death, but his father Joash answers with unexpected wisdom: will you contend for Baal? Will you save him? If he is really a god, let him defend himself when someone tears down his altar.

The logic is devastating. A god who needs human beings to rush to his defense is no god at all; a real god could contend for himself. The very fact that Baal's worshipers must scramble to protect him exposes the emptiness of the idol. And then the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Gideon, clothing him, and the timid young man who had threshed wheat in hiding now blows the trumpet and gathers an army to follow him. God takes a fearful man and makes him a leader by his Spirit. Here is the great contrast: the false gods must be defended by their worshipers and prove empty when tested, while the true God defends and strengthens his servants and works through them.

Do I trust the true God who defends and strengthens his servants, rather than the false "gods" that need my defending and prove empty when tested?

Sources

Judges 6:31: "If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!"
Judges 6:34: "But the LORD's Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him."
Isaiah 46:7: "They bear it on the shoulder... Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer."