And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” Judges 6:29-31
Gideon obeyed the Lord and he finds what a lot of believers learn. He is not applauded for obeying God. In fact he is hated. Obeying God rarely brings the applause of the world.
And after they had searched and inquired The townspeople are not willing to let this offense go by. They diligently search for the culprit to the “crime”. Someone must be punished.
Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing They come to their conclusion. Perhaps one of the servants talked or they figured out it was Gideon’s bull on their altar. God did not protect Gideon from being found out. It was in His will that Gideon be identified with this action.
Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die We see the hatred of unbelievers. Before they investigated they have already determined this act is worthy of the death penalty (the same as Jesus.) The same people who blame God for His wrath and for an eternal hell are quick to sentence anyone to death who dares to condemn or speak against their idolatry.
For he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it. Gideon is accused of being an “iconoclast” – one who destroys religious images or icons. We see the tolerance culture at work. Gideon would never have been hunted down and threatened with death if he had been willing to co-exist, to approve of others’ practices as equally truthful as his. But he cannot. So the townspeople are enraged and they want his blood. Interestingly while there is anger at Gideon for tearing down the altar of Baal, the people are probably equally upset that Gideon has replaced it with Jehovah God. This is a critical lesson for us. Tearing down idolatrous practices is not enough. We must replace them with the truth of the living God.
But Joash said to all who stood against him Suddenly God acts in a way Gideon likely never expected. His father, the patriarch of Gideon’s weak family, suddenly finds a backbone. Perhaps Gideon’s actions convict him or maybe it is God working through him to protect his son. In a case he stands up to the mob.
Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He tells the mob to stop and think (something a mob does very little of). He challenges their logic. Why are they, mere mortals, defending a god who they say
is greater than they are?
Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning Joash draws a line. The idol will be tested to see if it is what it claims. A true God should be able to respond to this challenge. Let the idol defend Itself. Any man who acts to defend the idol will die.
If he is a god, let him contend for himself Gideon’s father makes a very logical argument for preserving his son’s life. Since Baal is the offended party, he should defend himself. The story is told of a tribal chief was converted to Christianity in the 1800s. He gathered all the idols of his people into the center of the village. He announced to the idols he was going to destroy them, and then he gave the idols an alternative. They could run away. He would only destroy the ones that sat there deaf and dumb and powerless. Guess what? None moved!
What can we learn? God uses Joash to protect his son. From that perspective Joash’s action achieves God’s purpose. This response (like Gamaliel’s in Acts 5) stops short of wisdom and courage. Joash should have stood with his son for God. It is one thing to demand that an idol prove if it is real. It takes faith to place one’s self clearly on the side of Jehovah God. Gideon is afraid but he obeys. Joash fears and acts halfway.