Gideon the Revolutionary

Judges 6:25-27 says this:

That LORD said to Gideon, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering." 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him.

What is a Revolutionary? A general definition might be “one who advocates and organizes extreme change from the current status-quo.” Apply this to a Christian context and you find someone who is radical in their commitment to Christ and organizes extreme change that challenges people to move toward God.

Gideon was a revolutionary. Although he originally had misperceptions about God (Judges 6:13), he quickly obeyed God’s command to tear down the altar of Baal and build an altar to the Lord.

Gideon lived in a day when the hearts of God’s people turned to other gods. The worship of Baal was openly practiced and socially accepted. Tearing down an altar not only challenged the status-quo but made a bold statement about the sin of God’s people.

Gideon’s actions were so offensive that the men of the town demanded that he be put to death (Judg 6:30). (These people were serious about their religion weren’t they?) Gideon started a revolution. As a result, the power of God was displayed in magnificent ways and a nation was set free from oppression.

But where did Gideon’s revolution begin? It began at home. Notice what Judges 6:25 says, “Tear down your father's altar.” Before Gideon could get a nation right he had to get his own family right. This is biblical. What does 2 Chron 7:14 say? “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Do you want to start a revolution? It starts at home. Do we as Salvationists want to turn a nation back to God? Then it begins with the Army.

Here are some questions for us to ponder: What altars exist in our lives? I don’t doubt that many of us have erected altars to God. The question is have we destroyed the altars built to other gods? As Salvationists we hold high the banner of Christ. But are we not guilty of holding our own flag just as high? Maybe even higher?

One God; one altar; one purpose; one mission.