IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Remove the Idols; Worship the Lord

Date: Nov. 9, 2017

Passage

Judges 6:25-40  (ESV)

25 That night the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.

28 When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.

33 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 6:25b-26a

That night the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.”

1. Smashing idols (25-32)

The Lord told Gideon to replace his father's idol-altars and worship the Lord properly with an altar to the Lord and a bull sacrifice from his father's herd. Gideon did it at night, knowing it would cause a fury with pro-Baal worshipers. They wanted to kill Gideon. But his father realized the truth and said, "Let Baal defend himself, if he really is a god." So they nicknamed Gideon "Jerub-Baal" which means, "Let Baal contend with him." The Lord God alone is worthy of our worship, not other things.

2. Gideon's fleece (33-40).

The enemies joined forces. The Spirit came on. Gideon and he rallied Israel. But he still had fear and doubt. So he asked God for two signs involving a wool fleece and dew. He didn't have to do this because he already had God's promise twice that he would save Israel (14,16). God's promise is always enough.

Prayer: Lord, rid and cleanse my heart and household of all idols that we may worship you alone properly in Jesus' name.

One Word: Remove the idols and worship the Lord alone

Daily Bread

Worship Him Who is Forever and Ever

Revelation 4:1-11

Key Verse: 4:11

  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
  for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

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