Misjudging Gideon's Fleece
If You ReallyWant Me To …
What Christianhasn’t followed Gideon’s example at some point in his or her life? Who hasn’t “putout a fleece” to determine God’s will and to make an important decision?
It goes likethis. Joe Christian has a difficult choice before him. Before he decides whatto do, he asks God to give him a sign. “If you really want me to buy this car,then let it be on sale for exactly X amount of dollars.” “If you really want meto marry this person, then have her call me today before lunchtime.” “If youreally want me to change jobs, then have three new employers email me all onthe same day.”
For whatever reason,we view this as a good way to make decisions because we claim that Gideon did soto find out what God wanted him to do. But is this true?
A closer lookat the Old Testament (OT) episode of Gideon and his fleece reveals twoimportant facts. To begin with, this isn’t what Gideon did at all. What’s more,the Bible merely tells us what happened without endorsing Gideon’s approach or encouragingothers to follow suit.
A VeryDifferent Situation Indeed
Consider thefollowing observations that demonstrate how Gideon’s “fleece” episode does not resemblewhat we call “putting out a fleece” today.
He Already Knew
Gideon alreadyknew that the LORD has spoken to him and he already knew what the LORDhas said (Judg 6:12-16, esp. vv. 22-24 and 36). Unlike Gideon, we do notencounter the Angel of the LORD (or God in a personified, angelic form), nor dowe hear God’s voice in an audible way.
He Already Had a Sign
Gideon hadalready asked for a sign before he requested a sign with the fleece (6:17-18).In response, God had already provided a sign – bringing fire out from a rock(6:19-21). When Gideon requested a sign with his fleece, he was not at a disadvantagebecause he somehow lacked a miraculous sign. He already had one! So for his “puttingout a fleece” to be a biblical pattern for determining God’ will, the patternshould begin with the first sign (the first from the rock), not the second one(the dew and the fleece).
He Had Already Obeyed (Partially)
Gideon hadalready obeyed the LORD by demolishing an altar and statue to Baal, erecting analtar for the LORD, and offering an expensive sacrifice to the LORD (6:25-32).This demonstrates that Gideon knew God’s will in this case and did not needfurther clarity. To demonstrate this point even further, Gideon had alreadyobeyed the LORD as well by assembling an army for battle (6:33-35).
He Requested Multiple Signs, not Just One
Gideonrequested a sign not just once more, but twice more (6:36-38, then 6:39-40). Thefirst time he asked for dry ground and a wet fleece; the second time hereversed the order and asked for wet ground and a dry fleece. To follow hisapproach today, then, would entail putting out a series of fleeces, notjust one.
He Asked for Miracles, not Coincidental Occurrences
All three signsthat Gideon requested (and that the LORD performed) were entirely miraculous innature. These were not the coincidental kind of things that we often ask fortoday, like a car being on sale, a person calling you at a certain time, ormultiple people emailing you, etc. To follow Gideon’s example today would requirethat we ask God for full-out miracles that alter the laws of nature, not merelycircumstances playing out in interesting or advantageous ways.
A Book of Non-Patternsor (Anti-Patterns)
Even if these fivedetails were not the case and even if Gideon’s approach resembled our normalrequests for circumstantial or coincidental occurrences to happen, it wouldstill be questionable to take this as an exemplary pattern. Why? Because thebook of Judges does not provide patterns for good behavior, whether for believersin the OT or in the New. It provides a pattern of bad behavior instead.
This bookrecords the behavior of a generation of Israelites who lived in Palestine afterMoses and Joshua had died (1:10). These people consistently rebelled againstGod and followed pagan gods (1:11-23). In fact, rather than follow the LORD’s guidance,“everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6; 21:25).
Indeed, Gideon’stwo-stage experiment with dew and fleece demonstrates how poorly the Israelitesknew their God. After all, Gideon did not put out his fleece to know what heshould do or not. He did it for a very different reason. Though he knew thatGod had promised to rescue Israel through his (Gideon’s) leadership, he wantedGod to prove that he could fulfill his promise (6:36-37).
Questioning theCharacter of God
This important observation reveals that by asking God for the miracle of a wet fleece on dry ground and then of a dry fleece on wet ground, Gideon was not trying to figure out the will of God. He was questioning the character of God. He doubted that God would be able to do what he had promised.
Gideon was not trying to figure out the will of God. He was questioning the character of God.
He already knewthat God was speaking to him (audibly!). He even addressed God by his personalname, Yahweh (or LORD). He even knew that he was behaving foolishly towards theLORD and risking God’s anger (6:39).
Yet in the end,how did God respond? Did he condemn Gideon? No, he did not. He graciouslygranted his requests, though he never commended them. Even so, God’s graciousresponse should not encourage you and I to follow Gideon’s example.
Is It StillOkay?
Perhaps thereare instances from your own life when you asked God to show you a sign that wouldhelp you make the right decision about something, and perhaps God gave you thesign you requested. Does that justify this approach? Not really.
- First,you should never ask God for a sign when you have refused to give seriousattention to what the Bible may already say about the decision that you face.
- Second,when you do know what he wants you to do, then you should certainly not ask fora sign. Which is more foolish? To refuse to find out what God says? Or toquestion what he says once you find out?
- Third,if you don’t find any clear guidance in Scripture, then through prayer, wisecounsel, and responsible decision-making skills, you can make a good decision.God may even arrange circumstances to help you out. But even then – and even ifhe performs a flat-out miracle! – it may not be enough to satisfy your doubts.Consider how Gideon asked for not only one sign, and not just two, but threesigns altogether.
There is nofirm justification in Scripture for following the example of Gideon in any formwhatsoever to determine God’s will for your life. God may graciously intervenedespite your weakness, but you should not expect him to do so.
The far betterapproach is to know the Word of God and the character of God so well that youare confident that he is directing your paths (Prov 3:5-6), that your desiresalign with his own and that he is intervening in your life accordingly (Psa37:4-5).
