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Jdg_6:24-32
The very night after the Divine appearance, a message came to Gideon, well calculated to test his faith, and the extent of his obedience. He is commanded to throw down the altar of Baal that his father had, and to cut down “the grove” that was by it. The altar, it seems, although belonging to Gideon’s father, whose name was Joash, as being in his grounds, was destined for the common service of the town. But for the part he eventually took, one would suppose that Joash was a prime leader, if not the actual priest, of this idolatry; and it is not clear from the part he did take, that he was not. Under new influences, and the excitements of other circumstances, or under the action of Divine grace, the most active promoters of a cause or an invention, often become its most vehement opponents. Having thrown down the altar and cut down the grove, Gideon was to build an altar to Jehovah, and offer sacrifice thereon. For the sacrifice he was to take his “father’s bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old.” This expression about the second bullock has somewhat puzzled commentators. It seems to us probable, that as the Midianites took away all the cattle of the Israelites that they could lay their hands on, Gideon’s father had very few left, the second of which, in point of age, he is directed to offer for sacrifice. Why one, however, of seven years of age?—one three years old being by the law declared the most fit for sacrifice. Perhaps there was some reference in this to the seven years which the oppression of the Israelites had lasted; or, it may be, that of the few cattle of Joash, the second, although seven years old, was the youngest over three years.
Gideon could not but be well aware of the danger of the task thus imposed upon him. To a man of weaker faith it would have seemed like tempting certain destruction; but he wavered not. He had a command, and was determined to obey it. His only solicitude was to do it effectually; and therefore, not from fear, but in order that he might not be prevented, he, aided by his servants, executed his commission in the night.
The next morning, when the inhabitants of the place came to render their customary service at Baal’s altar—lo! the altar was demolished; the trees that grew around it were cut down; and, conspicuous upon the rock at some distance, appeared the altar which Gideon had erected to Jehovah, with the marks thereon of a recent offering. Seeing that the mode of constructing an altar to the Lord is laid down in the law, it is probable that they could at once perceive that this altar was dedicated to Jehovah. This fact may have been more likely to moderate than to strengthen their wrath; for, much as they had neglected their Lord, they had not come to hate him or to reject him, but had transgressed in rendering to other gods, which indeed were no gods, the worship due to him only. Rather, perhaps, they cherished a vague reverence for the establishment at Shiloh, and still regarded as their true paternal God, Him who was there served with offerings and sacrifices; but had come to think they wanted also a local god and a local service, in honor of some god whose claims, they fancied, might not interfere with His. But they soon found this local worship to fill their thoughts and minds; and while Baal had at Ophrah all the real and practical worship that was offered, their own true God, in his distant holy habitation, was removed more and more from them—away in the cold regions of dim abstraction.
To the first blank amazement with which this devastation was regarded, followed eager and angry inquiry as to the perpetrator of the deed. It soon transpired, that this had been the work of no other than Gideon; and instantly a hundred clamorous voices cried to Joash—“Bring forth thy son, that he may die.” Paternal affection, strengthened perhaps by some internal convictions that his son must have acted with sufficient authority, and that he was right, at once prompted Joash to stem or divert the torrent of barbarous wrath. It may be, even, that the son, aware of what was likely to come, had, before this time arrived, apprized his father of what had taken place, and of the commission he had received; and had thus prepared and engaged him to interpose his authority and influence for his protection. There was no reason why Gideon should not do this, and every reason for his being likely to do it. Be this as it may, Joash executed his part with consummate ability and address. The argument of his brief oration amounted to this—“Do nothing rashly against my son. If Baal be really a god, he will know how to avenge this affront; but if he be not a god, then it is they who plead for him, and not my son, who deserve to die.” This reasoning was sufficiently cogent. It put Gideon in the position of one standing forward, not to excuse, but to vindicate his act, and to defy the utmost wrath of the god he had treated with so much contempt. What could they say to this? They knew that Jehovah had often vindicated his own honor by manifest and signal judgments; and no reason could be urged why Baal, if he were a god, should not do the same. They perhaps looked on in expectation that Gideon would have been smitten down dead. But nothing followed; and the people dispersed with thoughtful faces to their houses.
As to the Baal, whose worship had been adopted from their heathen neighbors by this people, it has been rightly observed, that the word means “lord,” and is hence, in a certain sense, applicable to any of the different gods worshipped in this part of the world, and is, in fact, so applied in Scripture. But, on the other hand, it seems to be generally agreed, that when the word has the definite article in the original language (not preserved in translation) a particular idol is meant—namely, the one worshipped by the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon, and whose worship spread with the power and influence of that people, and which was at its height in Israel after the marriage of king Ahab with the king of Tyre’s daughter, and continued only in Judah during the usurpation of Athaliah. The Baal of this passage has the definite article, and therefore, according to the rule, denotes this Phoenician idol. He is not here first mentioned. We have him before in Jdg_2:13, where the addiction to his worship throughout the period of the Judges is clearly stated. “They forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.” The latter was distinctly a Phoenician idol also, and is not subject to the same large interpretation as Baal; and their being joined together, strengthens the reference of the one, as of the other, to a Phoenician idol. It is generally agreed, that under Baal the power of the sun was personified, and under Ashtaroth that of the moon. Some of the rites with which both were worshipped, together or separately, we shall have some future occasions of noticing. Baal had temples and images, as well as altars and groves; but in this case we read only of the elementary apparatus of his worship—the altar and the grove. In time, if not checked, the images would have appeared, and the temples have been erected.