Scripture Daily

Context No. 4202 of 4322 · Judges

Context · Reflection

Judges 6:19-23: in context

19Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it. 20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” He did so. 21Then the LORD’s angel stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. Then the LORD’s angel departed out of his sight. 22Gideon saw that he was the LORD’s angel; and Gideon said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Because I have seen the LORD’s angel face to face!” 23The LORD said to him, “Peace be to you! Don’t be afraid. You shall not die.”

Gideon prepares an offering for the mysterious visitor at the oak, and when the angel touches it with his staff, fire springs from the rock and consumes it, and the angel vanishes. Suddenly Gideon realizes he has been face to face with the angel of the LORD, and he is terrified: Alas, Lord GOD, he cries, for I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face. He fears he will die for having encountered the holy.

But God's response is not judgment; it is reassurance. Peace be to you, the LORD says; do not be afraid. You shall not die. Where Gideon expected to be undone by his encounter with holiness, God meets his fear with peace and a word of comfort. The God whose holiness Gideon rightly feared speaks peace to him rather than terror.

It is right to sense the awesomeness of God, to feel our smallness and unworthiness before him. Yet God does not meet the fearful heart that turns to him with condemnation but with peace. To Gideon, undone at having seen the holy, God said, peace be to you; do not be afraid. That same word of peace God speaks to all who come to him trembling, through Christ our peace.

When I tremble before God's holiness, sensing my smallness and unworthiness, do I hear the word God spoke to the fearful Gideon, peace be to you, do not be afraid, trusting that God meets the heart that turns to him not with terror but with peace?

Sources