Lesson 263: An Angel Visits Gideon

Judg. 6

Full Lesson HERE

INTRODUCTION. Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord who delivered them into the hand of the Midianites. The Midianites and their allies the Amalekites, both desert nomad tribes, lived in the territory east of the Jordan River. They invaded like locusts the land of the Israelites, destroying their crops and animals, and forcing many of the people to hide and live in caves and dens. The Midianites oppressed Israel for seven years (Judg. 6:1-6).

At last Israel cried unto the Lord. First the Lord sent a prophet to the people to teach and reprove them. The prophet reminded them that God had delivered them many times from the Egyptians and other oppressors. He also reminded them they had disobeyed God and worshipped the idols of the land where they were dwelling (Judg. 6:7-10).

Next the Lord sent his angel to appoint a deliverer and give him courage and confidence. One day as Gideon, a man of Manasseh, was threshing wheat in his winepress in order to hide the grain from enemies who might be roving about, the angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel told Gideon to save Israel from Midian, assuring him that the Lord would be with him (Judg. 6:11-24).