“So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.” Judges 6:19
Gideon hurries into his house to prepare a meal for his visitor. When we think about this we realize how important this matter is to Gideon. Remember where we first met him, hiding in a sunken winepress in the ground trying to salvage some off the grain he had harvested
before the Midianites came and stole it from him. Noe he is using
that grain and other food that is in his house to prepare a meal for
a person he thinks might be a prophet of God – a prophet who tells
him he is being commissioned by God to deliver Israel from the
Midianite oppression.
This passage also makes us think of Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to
entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained
angels.” Gideon is entertaining The Lord Himself and does not know it
just like the two travelers on the road to Emmaus were not aware they
were talking to the Lord. Open our eyes Lord that we may see and hear you.
So Gideon went into his house Just like Abraham did when he prepared a meal for his three guests. Gideon still isn’t exactly sure who his guest is, but recognizes that He is an exalted personage and he wants to show Him honor through hospitality. He goes into his house which tells us that he was threshing his wheat was near his home.
Prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour Gideon had used the word ”offering” or “present” in 6:18 as illustration of secular contexts gifts prepared to give to superior persons, particularly kings. It conveys the attitude of homage and submission to that person. Again this lends evidence to the belief that Gideon has not yet recognized his visitor as the Lord Jesus Christ.
We read that Gideon prepared unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour – usually enough to feed 40-35 men. This likely is all the food Gideon had in the house yet he freely shares it with his “guest”. Finally note the word “prepared”. This indicates Gideon cooked the goat. There is no sacrifice to God when the sacrifice is a cooked (boiled) goat. Again this shows Gideon does not yet realize who is speaking to him for he does not prepare the goat as a burnt offering
The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot God gives us specific information on how the food was prepared. The goat
meat was placed in a basket and the broth (from boiling the goat meat) was put in a pot, likely to pour over the meat as gravy.
Brought them to him under the terebinth Gideon’s gift to the Angel of the Lord is a large and generous meal in a time of severe scarcity.
Despite the little he had, Gideon’s heart wants to give freely to the Lord – treasure in heaven that will not rust or moth destroy!
And presented them Presented means to draw near or approach. Gideon comes to the Lord with his present. Little did Gideon know he is obeying Deuteronomy 16:16. “and they shall not appear before Jehovah empty handed.”
What can we learn? While Gideon is preparing the meal for his guest he is likely trying to think what kind of sign he will seek. What sign would give him full confidence so that he would have no doubts this message is from God? That presents him with a dilemma because he has to make sure he asks for something that only God can do. He must chose a sign that is an act of God, not something that happens in nature. That is always the problem with asking for signs. But Gideon will be shocked for God is going to answer his request for a sign. His answer will take away all Gideon’s doubts.
There is a second lesson here on generosity. Gideon gave from his scarcity and God would answer from His abundance. Treasure stored on this earth has to be protected and guarded, treasures given to God
lasts for all eternity. One can never outgive God.