How (Not) to Find the Will of God - Judges 6:33-40
Last week we were introduced to Gideon, the man who would become the next judge in Israel. If you recall, the Israelites were under great oppression from another foreign nation called the Midianites. The Midianites not only ruled over the Israelites, but basically sought to destroy them. They stole their crops and livestock, leaving the Israelites with basically nothing. The angel of the Lord approached Gideon while he was threshing grain in a winepress attempting to hide from the Midianites. God told Gideon he would lead Israel in battle against the Midianites and be victorious, but his first task was to tear down the altars to false gods standing in his father’s own backyard!
Gideon did as God asked, though he did it in the middle of the night, in the hopes of remaining anonymous. Nonetheless, Gideon was on his way to becoming the judge who would deliver Israel.
This morning we are going to look at the next encounter Gideon has with God, where Gideon questions God’s marching orders. Gideon’s response is one that has brought great debate amongst Christians and has caused many to follow his example. This morning we’ll look at whether Gideon’s actions should be emulated or avoided.
Gideon and God
After the whole incident with tearing down the altars to false gods, the foreign armies assemble against Israel. So Gideon sought to be obedient to God’s instruction to him to defeat the Midianites. If you recall, in God’s original instructions to Gideon He told him,
14Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” 16The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” (Judges 6:14-16, NLT)
So, we are told that after he tore down the altars, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and he assembled a great army from across the nation of Israel. After he had assembled this army, however, he started having second thoughts. So he asked God for a sign.
36Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
39Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew. (Judges 6:36-40, NLT)
To alleviate his fears, Gideon demanded a sign from God. He set up the terms: he would lay out a fleece overnight, and if God would make him victorious, then He should make the ground dry, but the fleece wet in the morning.
And the next morning that’s exactly what happened. But Gideon still had doubts. You can understand why he might doubt this sign, right? Suppose you laid a piece of cloth out on the grass overnight. In the morning you would expect the cloth to be wet with dew. But once the dew evaporated from the grass, the piece of cloth would stay wet for a while longer. So Gideon wasn’t sure of this sign, even though it is exactly what he had asked God to do—after all, it could have just been a coincidence!
So he approached God a second time, but this time made the opposite request. He said that if God would really protect him, then he should make the fleece dry in the morning, but the ground be wet. Once again, God answered Gideon’s request and the next morning he saw that the fleece was dry while the ground was still wet.
Interestingly, as we’ll see next week, that still was not enough proof for Gideon. He still doubted that God would deliver him in battle and needed additional reassurance before he went. But Gideon did eventually go into battle and was victorious, just as God said.
Using Fleeces
Gideon’s use of the fleece to inquire of God has caused great debate amongst Christians through the years. There are some who look at Gideon’s actions and conclude that this is how we are to inquire of God as well. They argue that since God did what Gideon asked it is evidence that this is how God wants us to seek Him. So, they argue, when we are struggling with what to do, we should do the same thing.
Surely most of us have been in that kind of situation before. You are facing some sort of decision that troubles you and you aren’t sure what the right thing to do is. So, you lay out a fleece.
Most of us don’t literally lay out a fleece like Gideon did, but we engage in fleece-laying in other ways.
If you want me to sell my house, make it so I get an offer on it that’s above my asking price within the first month.
If you want me to buy this thing, have it still be on sale when I come back.
If I should begin a relationship with this person, have me run into them when I’m out somewhere.
If I should take this job, have them make me an offer I can’t refuse.
The fact is all these things are means of “laying out a fleece.” They are ways of trying to get a tangible answer from God. I would guess that at some point most of you have done this kind of thing. I know I have.
The question, however, is whether we are supposed to do this or not. Are Gideon’s actions an example to follow, or a warning to be heeded?
I’m inclined to think that Gideon’s actions in laying out the fleece were not a demonstration of faith at all, but rather show his lack of faith. Here’s why: Gideon already knew what God wanted him to do! God had clearly told Gideon that he would lead the Israelites in battle against the Midianites and that he would be victorious. But that wasn’t enough for Gideon. He wanted more than just God’s word—he wanted something tangible, something he really trusted.
Think about what that means: Gideon placed far more trust in signs he could see than he did in hearing from God directly! Sadly, if we’re honest, the same can often be said of us as well.
But if Gideon’s actions show a lack of faith, then why did God do what he asked? I think God was being gracious to Gideon. God did not have to perform the signs Gideon requested—He could have simply abandoned Gideon and moved on to someone else. But that’s not what He did. God showed grace to Gideon even though he lacked faith.
Remember that Gideon lived in a pagan society—one that worshiped false gods, rather than the one true God. When you worship a god of your imagination, the only way you can get answers from him is to look for signs in mundane things—because a false god cannot speak to you or perform any sort of supernatural sign. So in some ways it is not surprising that Gideon sought reassurance using these same means. It makes sense that Gideon would try to deal with God the same way he dealt with the pagan gods of his culture. That doesn’t mean his actions were right, but that God extended grace to him in spite of his ignorance.
Gideon’s fleece-laying activities aren’t an act of faith, and they aren’t an example for us to follow. Rather, they are the faithless actions of a pagan man who is trying to trust the One True God. The fact that Gideon’s requests were answered by God tells us less about the validity of Gideon’s approach and more about God’s gracious character.
What Should We Do?
So if fleece-laying isn’t the ultra-spiritual approach to discerning God’s will we sometimes think it is, what is the right approach? How do we make sure the decisions we make and the things we do are in accordance with the will of God?
This is a question that has spawned many books and myriad opinions. Personally, I think we often overthink these kinds of decisions. We often have this idea that God’s will is some sort of mysterious blueprint we are supposed to discover, but I don’t think that’s really the case. I don’t believe God has laid out one perfect set of decisions that we must make in order to be in His will. I believe God sometimes gives us several good options we can choose. So rather than laboring over what the one perfect decision is in every situation, I think a better approach for us is to say how do I ensure I make wise and God-honoring decisions? If we make decisions that honor God, then we are acting according to His will! So let’s try to answer that question—how do we make decisions that honor God?
First, look to see what God has said! Gideon didn’t need to go through the whole fleece-laying exercise, because God had already told him exactly what to do. Gideon just didn’t trust God enough to actually do it!
God generally doesn’t speak to us the way he spoke to Gideon, but he does still speak. We have the Bible, God’s Word, which gives us great insight into the character of God as well as some very specific commands of how to behave. Our first stop in discerning God’s will should always be God’s Word. If God has clearly given us an answer in His Word, then there is no reason for us to try to find an answer by other means!
So how do we search the scriptures for answers to our questions? Should we just randomly open the Bible and see if what we read on that page happens to apply to us? No. That’s basically another form of laying out a fleece! Instead, we are to search the scriptures, seeking to understand the fullness of God’s character and making note of the places where God might be telling us what to do. If you study the scriptures regularly, you will have a pretty good idea of what God wants you to do in a given situation, because you probably know what the Bible teaches on certain subjects. But if you’re not familiar with the Bible, or you don’t know where to find an answer to your question, talk to a Christian friend, a pastor, or consult a book that seeks to give biblical answers to questions. If God’s Word has given direction for your situation, you have your answer.
Our problem is that sometimes we don’t like the answer God’s Word gives us, so we try to find other, seemingly spiritual ways to confirm what we want. Did you ever use a Magic 8 Ball when you were younger? You shake the ball, ask a question, and see what answer comes up. What happened if you got an answer you didn’t like? You shook it again until you got one you did like! That’s what we often do with God. That’s the wrong approach to take. Instead we should let God’s Word be our guide, even if what it says isn’t what we want to hear. Let me give you some examples of what this looks like.
Should I begin a relationship or enter into a business partnership with this person? God gives us some clear questions we should ask: Are they a Christian? Do they encourage me in my faith? Are they seeking to follow God’s commands in their lives as well? If the answer to any of those questions is no, then God’s answer is clear—we should not start a relationship with such a person. We don’t need to ask for signs—we have His Word.
Should I take this job or that one? Again, we should ask several questions: Is my primary motivation in taking one job over the other the money? Is it the power or prestige of the position? Will one job keep me from worshiping the Lord regularly? Will one job prevent me from caring for my family as I should? The answers to these questions help us ensure our decision aligns with God’s will.
Should I forgive this person or hold a grudge? God’s message is pretty consistent and clear—we should always extend forgiveness.
Should I go to church or spend my “one free day” doing other things? Which do you think God values more? Our time with the Lord is more important than anything else we could be doing.
Should I make this purchase? Is it something you really need? Is it something you can use to honor God? Will making this purchase keep you from doing other things that would honor God?
When we know what God’s priorities are, we can ask whether our decision will help us cultivate those same priorities in our lives or not. If we align our priorities with God’s, we will usually make wise decisions.
Second, listen for God’s guidance. This second means of making wise decisions can only take place after we have sought God’s Word. God’s Word trumps any other subjective means of discerning God’s will. With that said, the Holy Spirit does serve as our guide, and we may sometimes feel strongly that we should do one thing or another. That strong feeling may be the Holy Spirit guiding us.
But we have to be careful! Sometimes the driving force we feel is our own sinful nature, which is why we always have to come back to the Bible and ask whether the decision we are making really honors God, or whether we are simply looking for an excuse to do what we want.
People sometimes rely heavily on their feelings in making decisions, under the guise of being spiritual. We wait until we “have peace”, or until the circumstances seem perfect, or until we “feel led” to do something. God can certainly use any or all of those means to guide us, but if we’re honest, sometimes we rely on these phrases kind of like a Magic 8 Ball—we’re just buying time to get the answer we want. Remember that God’s primary guidance comes from His Word. If God has told you to do something in His Word, it doesn’t matter if you have peace about it or not—it’s His will that you do it! But we must also recognize that sometimes God gives us guidance through the Holy Spirit, and when that happens, we should listen.
Third, try to make a wise decision. Sometimes we face decisions where there are several options that are God-honoring. This means it is not sinful for us to engage in any of them. So how do we make that decision? We use the brains God has given us!
We should think through these kinds of decisions, weighing the pros and cons of each option, and then decide what we think is best. Sometimes we labor over simple decisions when God would be pleased with either option. It seems silly to exhaust myself debating which pair of socks God wants me to wear today—sometimes God gives us good options and expects us to use our own good judgment.
Finally, seek the insight of other mature believers. Sometimes other believers can see our situation more clearly than we can, so we can gain great insight by talking to another mature believer about our situation and asking what they think. I should emphasize again that if what someone tells you to do runs counter to what God’s Word tells you to do, then what they are telling you is wrong! But a mature believer who is genuinely seeking to honor God in their own life can often give you some insight for your life.
Conclusion
Gideon’s story is really not a story of how to find God’s will. It’s a story of a lack of faith. It is also a story of grace. It is a reminder that God deals graciously with His people even when they really don’t deserve it. But it is also a reminder to us that sometimes the question of what God wants us to do is not nearly as complicated as we often make it. Sometimes we know what God wants us to do, we are just looking for an excuse not to do it (because we don’t want to) or looking for some sort of additional validation (because we’re scared). I suspect that’s where Gideon was at. He was scared to do what God had commanded him, even though his instructions were clear.
Today, maybe you’re wondering how you can live according to God’s will. Let me start with the most obvious (and yet also often overlooked)—God wants us each to admit our sin, turn to Him, and follow Him. God showed Gideon patience and grace, even though he didn’t really deserve it. God is showing you the same grace today, but His will is for you to turn to Him. Lots of people think that if they just try to be good enough, God will be pleased with them. That’s not how it works—you can never be good enough apart from trusting in Jesus Christ. So if you have been trying to live life in your own strength, hoping you are good enough, today is the day to stop running, to realize you can never be good enough to erase all your mistakes, and instead ask God to forgive you and commit to following Him. I promise you, that is God’s will for you. He will be pleased with your decision—and you will be too.
If you are a follower of Jesus, I hope you’ll remember that God doesn’t give up on us. If you have fallen, if you realize you’ve made (or are making) decisions that He doesn’t approve of, it’s not too late to change course. Reflect on His character on start living the way He has told you to—again, I promise you that though His way is not always easier, it is always better.
Gideon’s story should challenge us. It should challenge us because we know how hard it is to walk in obedience to the Lord. But we must remember that God loves us, even when we’re slow to understand, and He’s got a plan that is better than we can imagine—we just have to trust Him enough to do what He says.