Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Al Campbell:
Judges 6:36-40 (NIV)
36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Yesterday’s sermon talked about the Apostle John’s command to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). In this passage, Gideon does this in a very literal way. Why? He wanted to be sure that God would actually do what He promised. Wouldn’t it be nice to do this when we have problems or life decisions? But let’s remember two things: 1) Jesus had not come yet and 2) most of the Bible was not written yet. If we tried this, God might tell us to start by reading the Bible! But the important thing is that God not only allows Gideon’s test but seems to think that it is perfectly alright! And Gideon actually tested God twice! We know that God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus and his anger will not “burn against” us. That means that we can approach God with our doubts, our indecision, our fears and anxieties and know that He loves and cares for us. What is on your heart? What might you be wanting to test just like Gideon? Our answer is not a wet fleece, but a cross and an empty tomb!