Daily Manna | Friday, August 9, 2019 | Topic: Conscience 406
Scripture: Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. Genesis 45:20
Note: Judges 6:18, “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.” This encounter of Gideon with an angel that was yet to be revealed to him, had so much impacted Gideon positively within a short period of interaction. It was beginning to dawn on Gideon that this was an extraordinary visit from a noble visitor. Gideon was bent on making the most of this visit by demonstrating his appreciation for the unusual visit.
The cultural norm as practised by those in the Orient at the time was an unmistakable display of hospitality as a way of showing appreciation for the visit. This explained why Gideon pleaded for the man to wait until he had offered him gifts. Gideon was a big man according to the traditions of the society he came from; as he was head of one of the families in Manasseh. Yet, Gideon took upon himself the role of an errand boy, a servant, in running around himself to bring the gift to his visitor.
Gideon’s desire to take upon this role himself, was informed by the necessity to keep all that had transpired a secret from the public domain. The prophetic declarations made upon his life were too sensitive at this time for public consumption. He needed a sign from God to confirm God’s word to him. In keeping with the tradition of his time just as Manoah did for the angel of God that visited him in Judges 13:16, Gideon prepared a kid, unleavened cakes of flour and a broth in a pot to celebrate the historic visit.
Just as in the case of the visit to Manoah, the angel of the Lord refused to eat of the preparation. Instead, he demanded that Gideon should place the preparation on a rock as an offering to God, pouring out the broth on the flesh and unleavened cakes. Using the staff in his hands, the angel touched the wet offering with the tip of his staff, and fire came out of the rock to consume the wet flesh and cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. Gideon wanted a sign from the Lord and he received two unmistakable signs of miracles. What was supposed to bring joy and excitement to Gideon, instead, brought him confusion and fear of death for seeing an angel.
Food for thought: God is able to do far more than we can think or ask from Him.
Declaration: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
