Taking Down the Idols

Judges 6:25–27 (ESV) 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.

Gideon has seen the face of God and not died. He has heard God call him to save Israel out of the hand of Midian. He has thrown up the common excuses we all make when it comes to doing something great for God, and now the Lord tells him to take down the altar of Baal his father set up and build an altar to the Lord. 


Why is this important? Because its God's Word teaching us that we must first deal with the idols among us before we take on the enemy around us. Baal was an agricultural deity in the ancient world. You sacrificed to him in order to have a bumper crop that year. The Israelites knew their history and understood their land was from God but we find that they believed their prosperity was in their hands and accomplished through idolatrous service to "other gods". 

Before you think the ancient Israelites were silly, take note that idolatry of the ancient world simply has new faces in the modern one. We don't erect wooden poles to ensure a good tomato crop but we serve the gods (ideas/goals/dreams/fulfillment) of prosperity by idolizing the "almighty dollar" or "fame", "independence" or "self-actualization."

Still, society gives us example after example that those things do not satisfy. I write these words on the sad passing of two incredibly gifted celebrities through suicide in this past week. People who strove to reach the top of their respective fields and got there suddenly ended their lives so senselessly. It is the human condition to serve false gods that ultimately do not save. I can't remember who said it, they weren't a Christian, but it was something to the idea of "if God wanted to play a really mean joke on you, He'd give you everything you ever wanted." Those words ring somewhat true for today's world. 


God will not have his people victorious and idolatrous at the same time. Why? Because He more than any knows how destructive those idols will ultimately be in the end. At first, an idol is something we long for, then it becomes something that overcomes us and kills us. 

The story here points to another important truth God's people must grasp. God does not want part of your life. God, by definition, CANNOT be an "addon" to your happiness plan. Gideon cannot fight for God with this idol still in his life. God wants all of Gideon and God wants all of you. You have to make Him Lord in all areas.

For Gideon, this area of growth started at home. He calls on ten of his servants to tear down this altar. Think of the fact that Gideon has enough servants to take only 10 of them for the job! We get a clearer picture of Gideon than we may at first have had. He is rich. He comes from a wealthy family. He is notable and his father is well known in the city. We see the men immediately react when the idol is gone.


Judges 6:28–29 (ESV) 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.”

Notice also their immediate response:

Judges 6:30 (ESV) 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.”

The clearest identifier of a corrupted culture is the breakdown of the family and a disregard for the value of those relationships. Consider that we have both here. A father is called upon to turn in his son for revenge of an idol! How crazy. If you look closely enough, you'll see those same forms in our culture today. And what do we get for it? Sadness, oppression, and despair - just as the Midianites caused to Israel. Remember the beginning of the story: Judges 6:6 (ESV) And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. 

There is hope. It is found in stouthearted trust in God who calls you. Gideon has a few more steps to get there and we can learn many things from Him but his story is intended to point us to the One who trusted His Father perfectly and yet was put to death for OUR idolatry. By faith in Him, we can root out those inward idols and grow to trust deeply in God.