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The Lord’s reassurance to be with Gideon led him to tear down the altar to Baal. Baal never stood a chance against the love of God.

BibleGateway: Judges 6:11-32

ESV Text: Judges 6:11-32


KJV Text:

The section starts at about 1:37 and ends at about 6:6

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     11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. 17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. 18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. 20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

     25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.(KJV)


Hymn: TLH 17 (LSB 804):
Oh Worship the King

Hymnary.org — Organ Audio

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1. Oh, worship the King 
All glorious above: 
Oh, gratefully sing 
His power and His love, 
Our Shield and Defender, 
The Ancient of Days, 
Pavilioned in splendor 
And girded with praise! 

2. Oh, tell of His might, 
Oh, sing of His grace, 
Whose robe is the light, 
Whose canopy space! 
His chariots of wrath 
The deep thunder-clouds form, 
And dark is His path 
On the wings of the storm. 

3. This earth, with its store 
Of wonders untold, 
Almighty, Thy power 
Hath founded of old, 
Hath stablished it fast 
By a changeless decree, 
And round it hath cast, 
Like a mantle, the sea. 

4. Thy bountiful care 
What tongues can recite? 
It breathes in the air, 
It shines in the light, 
It streams from the hills, 
It descends to the plain, 
And sweetly distills 
In the dew and the rain. 

5. Frail children of dust 
And feeble as frail, 
In Thee do we trust 
Nor find Thee to fail. 
Thy mercies, how tender, 
How firm to the end, 
Our maker, Defender, 
Redeemer, and Friend! 

6. O measureless Might, 
Ineffable Love, 
While angels delight 
To hymn Thee above, 
Thy humbler creation, 
Though feeble their lays, 
With true adoration 
Shall sing to Thy praise.