The Israelites were being oppressed by their enemies, but God called a deliverer to save them. Gideon doubted that he could save Israel as he felt weak and alone. God assured Gideon that he would defeat Israel's enemies as if they were one man because God would be with him. To confirm this, God performed a sign by consuming a sacrifice with fire from a rock. Though frightened by his encounter with an angel of God, Gideon built an altar and worshipped God as the God of peace.

1. Israel sinned and was under the oppression of the Canaanites. God sent a prophet to remind them of God's Goodness, and call them to repentance.

2. The Israelites must have listened to the prophet of God, because He then called a deliverer . 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.

3. 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. Have you ever asked why ? Oh Lord, why has this befallen me? Why have You forsaken me ? I feel so totally alone ; where are You?

4. Oh Lord: You used to be with us. You once worked miracles among us. You used to shower us with blessings. The prophet had already told them the problem . Now God is calling a leader to deliver the people: First from their own sins . Then from the oppression of their enemies.

5. If we find ourselves under the oppression of the devil, seek God's Face. We draw nigh unto God through repentance. Then we can resist the devil and he will flee from us.

6. Gideon didn't feel brave, although the Lord had called him brave . He felt weak and alone and fearful . He had seen no evidence of God's blessings, and had probably begun to think the stories of the old folks were just that -- stories .

7. 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 ? When God calls us and sends us, We can go in confidence. It's not about who we are , or our abilities . It's all about the One Who called us. If God is for us , none can stand against us .

8. 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. Isaiah 6 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me .

9. Gideon did not yet understand that he wasn't called because he was somebody . God would demonstrate that He can use anybody, a nobody to do His Work. Zechariah 4 6 … Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

10. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man . My family ain't much, and I'm the sorriest of the bunch. With God on his side, Gideon would defeat the Midianite nation As if they were only one man.

11. 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. Gideon wanted to know for certain that it was God with Whom he was talking . God makes no mistakes, But people do.

12. 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 . Extravagant hospitality in a time of hardship. Generous

13. 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.

14. 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. That he had actually been in the Lord's Presence , Scared him . He thought he was going to die .

15. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. God is on the scene; worship Him as God of Peace .

16. Points to Ponder 1 First things first: If we find ourselves feeling alone, weak, and ineffectual, Draw near to God through sincere repentance, And then we can resist the oppression of the devil. 2 When God calls us and sends us, We can go in confidence. It's not about who we ar e; It's all about Who He is .

17. Don't hold back. Generous