The God Who Steps into the Mess

Intro

Context. This chapter tells the story of one of Israel’s most well-known judges: Gideon.

The Judge. Gideon’s fame does not rest on extraordinary talent or personal ability, but on the powerful work of God’s Spirit in his life. In fact, every judge in Israel was marked by weakness and dysfunction:

Samson was driven by uncontrolled desire.

Jephthah spoke rashly and without restraint.

Barak lacked courage and initiative.

Gideon fell into religious syncretism, blending faith in YHWH with pagan practices.

Yet God chose to use these weak and insignificant men, transforming them into instruments of deliverance—as Hebrews 11:32–34 reminds us:

Hebrews 11:32–34 NIV

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

God does not use us because we are the best or because we have proven ourselves superior. Rather, He works through our weakness, so that His holy name may be glorified.

The Enemy. Chapter 6 introduces us not only to the deliverer, but also to Israel’s enemies: the Midianites. Unlike the Philistines, the Midianites were nomadic and transient. For seven years, at harvest time, they would invade the land, seize Israel’s food and resources, and then withdraw. In a matter of hours, an entire year of labor was reduced to nothing.

If the Philistines represent sin, what do the Midianites represent? Their sudden, destructive raids resemble demonic attacks.

When we let our guard down—when Scripture remains closed, prayer is neglected, and we begin to think and live like the world—we enter what may be called the spiritual Canaanization of God’s people.

Such spiritual decline opens the door to the enemy, who attacks suddenly and ruthlessly, devouring what we have inherited in Christ.

Jesus Himself describes this dynamic in Luke:

Luke 11:24–26 NIV

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

If we desire to stop the enemy’s incursions today, we must resist spiritual Canaanization. With the apostle Paul, we declare: “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27).

Sermon Outline. In this chapter—one of the most detailed battle narratives in the book of Judges—we will examine how God:

Stepping in Israel.

Stepping in Ophrah.

Stepping in the heart of Gideon

N.1 - Stepping in Israel

The people of Israel. Let us consider how God responds to Israel’s apostasy by highlighting two aspects of the Lord’s actions.

1A. Is God my enemy? (Judges 6:1). In the opening 10 verses of Judges 6, we observe a striking reality: God appears hostile toward His own people.

At first glance, Israel’s enemy seems to be the Midianites. Yet the text makes it clear that Israel’s true adversary is YHWH Himself.

God disciplines Israel by allowing the Midianite invasion (Judges 6:1–6), and then He confronts them sharply through the words of His prophet (Judges 6:7–10).

This raises a troubling question: Is God an enemy of Israel? Is He truly concerned about the fate of His people?

Application. At times, we too experience what feels like divine hostility, and we begin to ask ourselves: Is God really for me? Or has He turned against me?

The answer is clear. God is not a “permissive parent”—to use Warren W. Wiersbe’s phrase—God is not a father who looks the other way while his children destroy themselves.

Example: I once knew a father who, after a bitter argument with his fifteen-year-old son about smoking, attempted to make peace by taking him out to buy a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. That is not love; that is surrender.

If we choose to destroy our lives and families through sin, God will not stand by passively. He will intervene—sometimes painfully.

As Charles Spurgeon famously said: “The Lord does not permit His children to sin successfully.”

Do you want to ruin your life? You are free to choose that path. But know this: God will do everything necessary to rescue you—even if that means becoming, for a time, what feels like your greatest adversary.

1B. An Incomprehensible God (Judges 6:7–8). God’s actions often appear incomprehensible to Israel. After the people cry out for deliverance, God does not immediately rescue them. Instead, He sends a prophet to expose their sin and confront the causes of their suffering.

God does not act at once to free them; He first reveals their rebellion. He responds to their tears not with a deliverer, but with a rebuke.

Illustration: It is almost as if a Tesla owner calls customer service because his car is malfunctioning, and instead of sending a mechanic, the company sends Elon Musk to lecture him on how Tesla vehicles work.

Israel wanted action—deliverance, salvation, healing—not a sermon.

Application. Like Israel, we long for relief. When we are surrounded by darkness, our single desire is for God to bring immediate light.

Yet Jesus treats His disciples in the storm exactly as God treated Israel. Before calming the sea, Jesus first rebukes them: “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26). Only then does He still the storm.

Perhaps we are waiting desperately for a way out, while God is determined to ensure that we do not repeat the same mistakes. As Dale Ralph Davis wisely observes: “God means to instruct us, not pacify us.”

N.2 - Stepping in Ophrah

The city of Ophrah. In the city of Ophrah, the hometown of the future judge Gideon, YHWH encounters the same apostasy found throughout Israel. Yet here the situation is even more serious: in Gideon’s own city there stands an altar dedicated to the pagan god Baal.

Let us consider how God confronts idolatry in Ophrah.

2A. A Jealous God (Judges 6:24–25). In verse 24, Gideon builds an altar to the LORD in Ophrah. Yet in verse 25, we are told that an altar to Baal already exists in that same city—an altar that God commands Gideon to tear down.

The message is unmistakable: two altars cannot coexist in the same city. The presence of one necessarily excludes the other.

Application. This city with two altars confronts us with a searching truth: we cannot have two altars in our lives. God does not accept divided worship, 50% consacration.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord reveals Himself as a jealous God—not insecure, but passionately committed to the exclusive devotion of His people. Scripture declares:

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).

“I am very jealous for Zion” (Zechariah 8:2).

The world, sin, and false gods can tolerate divided loyalties. The God of Israel cannot. As Jesus Himself warned: “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).

God will not share His glory, His throne, or our hearts.

The jealousy of God is nothing else but the vehemence and ardour of his paternal love.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

2B. A God Who Defends Himself (Judges 6:31). When the altar of Baal is destroyed, the men of Ophrah demand Gideon’s death. Surprisingly, it is Gideon’s own father who intervenes, defending his son with a powerful and ironic argument: “If Baal really is a god, let Baal contend for himself.”

Reading the rest of the chapter, we quickly discover that Baal never responds. He does not strike back. He does not act. He does nothing—because Baal is no god at all.

Baal’s silence stands in sharp contrast to the living God, who speaks, acts, saves, and defends His own honor. There is only one God who is truly alive: YHWH.

Application. God does not need us to defend Him. He is fully capable of defending Himself.

In 1 Samuel 5, the Ark of the LORD is captured by the Philistines and placed in the temple of Dagon. Yet God needs no human assistance. Overnight, Dagon falls before the Ark, shattered and humiliated:

1 Samuel 5:4 NIV

But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

Our God is omnipotent. He does not depend on our strength, our arguments, or our protection. What He seeks from us is not defense—but faithful obedience and exclusive worship.

N.3 - Stepping in the heart of Gideon

The judge Gideon. Isn’t it remarkable to consider that God is able to relate to humanity not only collectively, but also personally and individually?

In this intimate and glorious encounter between the Angel of the LORD and the future judge Gideon, I would like to highlight two key aspects of God’s character.

3A. He Is Your God Despite Your “But ifs” (Judges 6:13). Gideon responds to the Angel of the LORD with disbelief. In fact, he openly challenges everything the Lord declares about him and about Israel’s future.

His skepticism is introduced by a seemingly small and harmless phrase: “But if…?” “But if the LORD is with us?” “But if He truly delivered our ancestors?”

Yet despite Gideon’s doubts, despite his questions and resistance, the Lord chooses to work in his life.

Application. Like Gideon, when confronted with God’s word—His promises, His calling, His encouragement—we often respond with ifs, buts, and doubts. We hesitate. We question. We resist. We oppose. We criticize.

And yet, despite our uncertainty, God does not abandon us. He continues to work with us. He chooses to be our God, and He calls us to be His instruments, even when our faith is fragile.

3B. Your God, Even Though You Are Not a Hero (Judges 6:27). Gideon obeys God’s command to tear down the altar of Baal—but he does so at night. Judges 6:27 tells us plainly that Gideon was afraid.

God commanded Gideon to destroy the altar, but not when. Gideon obeyed imperfectly, yet genuinely.

Application. Gideon’s obedience reminds us that God does not require heroism—He requires obedience. Even when that obedience is hesitant, fearful, or incomplete, God can still use it.

Many people never take the first step of faith because they want to begin their Christian journey as heroes, as spiritual champions. But Scripture teaches us something different: obedience comes before heroism.

Take the small steps. They may be taken at night, in fear, and with trembling—but if the altar that is destroying your life is removed, God can begin His work.

Illustration: Think about learning to ride a bicycle. Do we begin by riding perfectly? Of course not. We learn through awkward, clumsy, and imperfect attempts.

God is ready to be your God—even if you are not a hero.

Conclusion

Disaster and Grace. Judges chapter 6 presents a threefold disaster, a three dimensional mess:

a national spiritual collapse in Israel,

a local corruption in Ophrah,

and an individual struggle in Gideon’s heart.

Yet in the midst of this national, local, and personal disaster, the Lord steps in and declares: I will be your God.

No matter the chaos around you, no matter the weakness within you, God remains willing to meet you, call you, and work through you.