Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” Judges 6:22
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of an angry God.” Scripture makes it clear that no man can see God at any time and live. In fact God told Moses who asked to see God’s face “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live.” God then allowed His glory to pass by Moses and Moses could see the back of God’s glory (like seeing a car’s taillights diminishing in the distance).
Gideon is speaking to the man at the winepress and it dawns
on him that he is talking to the Angel of the Lord, to God Himself.
Gideon knows he is no Moses and if Moses is not allowed to see
God’s face Gideon knows he is definitely not worthy. Therefore he
expects the worst – he is going to die. This often happens to
people who know a little about scripture but do not study the
whole counsel of God.
Then Gideon perceived The light comes on. Gideon understands, recognizes who he is talking to. Remember what just happened. Verse 21 says the angel of the Lord brought down fire then departed from where Gideon was. The word departed is the word used of God” walking” in the Garden with Adam and Eve. As the Lord Jesus Christ leaves him alone, Gideon becomes aware of who he is talking to – God Himself.
That he was the angel of the Lord Gideon recognizes this person is Jehovah God. We know Him as Christ, the theophany, who appeared to men in the Old Testament in the form of a man. Later when the angel of the Lord appears to Samson’s parents, Manoah wants to be sure he is talking to the angel of God so the Lord ascends in the flames of his sacrifice as proof of His deity. Perhaps the Lord departs from Gideon in the same manner creating even more proof that Gideon request but which results in shock and fear instead.
Alas Gideon’s first reaction is one of grief and worry.
O Lord God Gideon addresses the Lord by using two of His names – Adonai – Lord and Jehovah – God. There is no question in Gideon’s mind that he is in the presence of the creator of the universe, Almighty God. He realizes only God could have brought fire from the rock to consume the unleavened cakes and the meat of the lamb. Surely knowing this is God Himself will create instant obedience in his life.
For now For now indicates Gideon recognizes this is truth. God has appeared to him, a fearful farmer hiding from God’s enemies.
I have seen Gideon marvels – He has beheld, observed and looked on the One who m ost men fear and tremble to meet.
The angel of the Lord Again he refers to the physical appearing of Jesus Christ in human form in the Old Testament. Of course Gideon did not recognize Him as the second person of the Trinity so he calls Him by who he knows Him to be – Almighty God .
Face to face He exclaims he looked on the surface, the openness, the presence, the countenance of God. Despite the Lord’s earlier and
repeated warnings for Gideon to fear not and that He was with him, Gideon goes into shock – he is destined to die.
What can we learn? We often fault Old Testament characters for what we see as their failures. Gideon’s faith is weak, he has
already forgotten what the Lord has said to him, he makes excuses for why he does not want to do what God is calling him to do.
Yet there is an element of Gideon’s reaction that we no longer see often enough. He trembles at meeting God. This passage does
not tell us that the angel of the Lord appeared in any terrifying or threatening way. Yet Gideon understands who God is, the
greatness of His character, His might and His power. Gideon understands that he, nor Israel, were serving the Lord as he should. He encounters the Judge of all the universe and he trembles. Today we need more “alases” because the truth is every person will soon meet their maker face to face.