And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.
Judges 6:20-21
We don’t know what sign Gideon had in mind that would convince him the message he heard was from God. It really doesn’t matter. God had prepared a clear and evident sign for him to remove all doubt.
And the angel of God said to him Gideon presents the meal he
prepared before the angel of the Lord. Instead of beginning to eat the
meal the Angel of the Lord gives Gideon further direction. (The issue
that concerned Gideon was can I believe the message this person told me.The Lord is about to give him proof of His power and authority. )
Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock The Lord directs Gideon. He is to take the meat and unleavened bread he prepared and put (the word used of God placing Adam in Eden) them on the rock (cliff, fortress, stronghold). This is a high place where all can see. The word rock is the same as the rock
Moses was to speak to for water would flow to Israel. What is the Lord doing? The indication is that Gideon has prepared a meal for a significant person but instead the Angel of the Lord desires a burnt offering of worship. That is the sign Gideon should see. This is God Himself Gideon is speaking to.
And pour the broth over them The Lord gives the second direction. Gideon is to take the broth and pour it over the meat thereby drenching it, soaking it, making it unable to be lit on fire.
And he did so Gideon obeys without question. He may wonder why the meal he prepared is to be wasted but he is about to receive a profound sign of Almighty God.
Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes The Lord takes what is in His hand, His staff, and touches the end
of it to the meat and bread on the rock. Throughout Scripture a staff signifies power. (Moses held his rod (staff) to perform miracles). Throughout the Old Testament the rod held great significance of our Lord’s presence as He guided and guarded those who followed Him. (My rod and my staff…Psalm 23.)
And fire sprang up from the rock The Lord’s action produced the sign Gideon requested. Fire (a blazing flame) rose up (grew or ascended) from the rock into the sky above it. All could see it, even Midianites.
And consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes The entire meal that Gideon prepared was devoured or consumed. All that he had was given to God, now would he give himself?
And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight Gideon asked for a sign. He got two. In addition to the fire consuming the meal the Lord disappears (the word means went or walked). The Lord leaves Gideon to ponder the miracle’s meaning.
What can we learn? The Lord shows Gideon that the meal he has prepared for a notable guest is insufficient. The Lord does not need his meal, He wants Gideon’s worship as God Almighty. The Lord disappears to show Gideon this is all the proof he needs to know that he is meeting with the Son of God. Gideon requested assurance and the Lord provided it. It is interesting that on two other occasions God will use this same sign that it is Almighty God that is working. We read when God appeared to Samson’s parents about his birth that is is written “Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and
offered them on a rock to the Lord. The Lord’s messenger did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched. As the flame
went up from the altar toward the sky, the Lord’s messenger went up in it while Manoah and his wife watched. They fell facedown to the ground.” The second time we see this type of sign is at Mount Carmel with the prophet Elijah. Both these men could look back to Gideon and the sign the Lord gave him and know that the sign God gave them was the from the presence of the God of the universe.