“‘Put Me to the test now in this,’ says the Lord of armies.”
Malachi 3:10
Gideon, whose name means “hewer” or “feller,” was the son of Joash the Abi-ezrite. The Midianites came and obliterated the gardens and fields of the Israelites because they had done “what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 6:1). Gideon had managed to salvage some of the wheat. Wisely, he moved the threshing to the winepress since it was not in use during that time of the year. There, God approached Gideon, exactly in his time of need.
“‘The Lord is with you, valiant warrior’ … ‘Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian’” (Judges 6:12, 14).
Gideon was reluctant at first: “O Lord, how am I to save Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15). God promised Gideon that He would be with him. Even so, Gideon put a test before the Lord. The young man then left to prepare a meal for his Guest.
When Gideon returned to the oak tree with the meal, he was instructed, “‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread” (Judges 6:20–21). At that moment Gideon knew that God was a personal God, and that He was personal to him.
Gideon went on to do the Lord’s bidding and destroy his earthly father’s own altar to Baal. He led a few men to the demolition site during the dark of night. Using his father’s own livestock, he then offered a sacrifice to God.
When Gideon faithfully carried out God’s directive, God had something bigger in mind. The Midianites and Amalekites and the children of the east, relatives of the Israelites, gathered en masse and camped in the valley at Jezreel. Gideon was sent to gather a team of men from his own tribe, as well as the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. God was going to use Gideon to defeat those bent on the annihilation of His people.
Again, Gideon wanted to experience God on a deeper, personal level. In the next test, he laid out a fleece of wool before God. “If You are going to save Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I am putting a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will save Israel through me” (Judges 6:38).
When God affirmed Gideon, Gideon wanted to take it one step further. He knew that wool absorbs moisture like a sponge, so he asked for something even more remarkable. “Do not let Your anger burn against me, so that I may speak only one more time; please let me put You to the test only one more time with the fleece: let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground” (Judges 6:39). When God confirmed this request, Gideon moved forward to victory.
God also knew that Ricky needed to know Him personally. Ricky knew ABOUT God, but he did not KNOW God. He was about three months out of college, but he had not found any work. Unable to support his young family because of the lack of a job, he was scared because he had not even one flicker of hope for employment.
Sulking at home one day over not being able to find work, he noticed a rain storm on the horizon. The car windows were rolled down, so he went outside to roll them up.
On his way back into the house, the Lord figuratively spoke to his mind: “Stay outside Ricky; we need to talk.” He looked around thinking, “Am I hearing what I think I’m hearing? Why would I stay outside now when the clouds are about to rupture?”
The pending storm seemed like it would be a big one. The trees were waving strongly, almost bending over like they do just before a big storm. He mentally asked the question again: “Am I really hearing this?”
The Lord responded, “Yes! Stay outside, and let’s talk.”
Ricky sat down on the back porch steps, and listened, “Why are you so down and glum?”
“If you’re God, you should know why I’m down and glum. You know everything. I’m mad. I’m upset. You’ve given me this wonderful family, but I don’t have a way of supporting them. I don’t have a job. I’m trying to look for work, and I can’t get anything. That’s why I’m down. I’m glum. I’m depressed. I’m saddened.”
“Did you ask Me for a job?”
“No, I guess I didn’t ask you.”
“Well, ask!”
“Okay, I’ll ask.” Ricky continued, “Lord, I need a job. I need a job soon … now. Also, the fact that You are speaking to me now, I believe that you are going to give me this job. What I want to know now is WHEN will I get this job?”
After pondering the question a bit more Ricky laid out his first fleece: “If I’m going to get this job within six months time, let me see two birds fly over. If it is going to be within three months, let me see one bird fly by.”
He chose birds as his fleece because they hunker down when a storm is pending by flying to wherever their homes are. He knew that if the birds flew by, God was indeed answering his request. When he opened his eyes, only one bird flew past him.
He was a bit startled. God was actually listening to his prayer. He knew he would get a job within three months time.
Excitedly he called out to God again with his second fleece: “Thank you for listening! Let’s take this a step further. If I’m going to get this job within three months time, let one bird fly past me. If this job You are going to give me will come within one month, send two birds flying by.”
After praying this prayer several times, Ricky opened his eyes again. Two birds flew directly over his head. “Whoa! Now I’m getting goose pimples” he remarked to himself.
Praising God, he prayed one more time: “Father, thank you so very much. I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries by asking too many times, but I want to put out one more fleece before You. If I’m going to get this job within one month’s time, let me see two birds fly by, but if I can get this job in a week’s time, let me see one bird fly by.”
Upon opening his eyes after the prayer, he looked around and looked and looked. He did that for a while, and no birds were flying. Ricky thought that perhaps he had asked too much, so he started to walk inside. Then he felt like the Lord was grabbing him on the nape of his neck, saying, “Wait on the Lord.”
Ricky’s hand was on the doorknob to go back into the house when motion caught his attention; he looked to his right. He saw one bird fly from one tree to the next.
He ran into the house praising God that he would have a job within a week’s time. He threw himself prostrate on the living room floor of his parents’ house, remembering when the Israelites were with the Lord, this was how they bowed before Him.
While he was there praising God, the telephone rang. He stopped, looking to the ceiling: “God, are you doing what I think You are doing?”
“Is this Ricky?”
“Yes.”
“We received your resume in the mail. We were wondering if you are still looking for a position.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Could you come in tomorrow for an interview?”
“Absolutely. I sure can.”
After getting the address that he needed, he hung up the phone, praising the God of the heavens. That was a Tuesday. He went to the interview on Wednesday, was hired on Thursday, and started working on Friday of that same week.
In this process, the Lord made Himself personal to Ricky, which was foundation for his fleece. God has told us to test Him, to prove Him. In following that guidance, He will make Himself personal to each of us.
Call to Action
The next time you need something, anything, will you ask God? He will show up at the most opportune moment and answer your prayer in the best way possible. Wait. Watch. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV).
*Unless otherwise noted all “Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
