Title: God Who Meets You (Judges 6:11~18)
Contents
The God Who Meets You (Judges 6:11-18)
“If we die, we will die” (Esther 4:16). These words spoken by Queen Esther, a former captive of the Persian Empire, in a crisis situation are among the most famous quotes. At that time, in the Persian Empire, there was a strict rule that if you went to the front of the king before the king was called, you would be put to death. How much more can anyone meet God, the Lord of heaven and earth? Moses only saw the back of God on Mount Sinai for a moment (Exodus 33:20, 23), and Abraham only saw a “flaming torch” passing through the pieces of meat (Genesis 15:17). Also, Uzzah, Abinadab's son, caught the ark that was about to fall and died instantly (2 Samuel 6:7). Also, the moment Isaiah saw God seated on the throne, he lamented, “Woe to me, for I am destroyed” (Isaiah 6:5).
The reason that he could not meet God and was immediately put to death upon meeting him was because of ‘sin’. God is angry with sin (Romans 1:18; Matthew 27:46). This sin fundamentally cuts off our relationship with God (Luke 16:24, 26; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 6:14). But God desperately wants to have fellowship with us. However, since no one can see God's original glory and live, in the Old Testament, God appeared to His children in human form to meet them (Genesis 18:1-2; 32:24-28; Jos 5:13-) 15), in the New Testament Age, God became completely human. To meet our poor lives. As soon as this God meets us, amazing things that we could not have imagined will happen.
In today's text, 'the angel of the Lord', that is, God is meeting Gideon (Judges 6:11-12). Judges 6:1-6 describes the situation of Gideon. Expressions such as 'seven years', 'they made puddles and caves and fortresses in the mountains', 'destroyed the land,' 'there was no food and animals left', and 'there was severe poverty', show the state of Israel at that time. .
In this situation, Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress in an enclosed space (Judges 6:11). Because he harvested very little, and he did not want to lose even that. As such, he was possessed of a very timid personality, possessed by anxiety and fear. This can be confirmed through his confession (Judges 6:15) and also through his name.
The meaning of the name Joash is 'desperation'. It has a lot to do with the circumstances of the time. Furthermore, he named his son Gideon (the reaper). It means 'When you grow up, look at the land and become a seller of the land. So this child, who was called Gideon, could not have a dream from the beginning. In the arms of self-help desperation, I was just living day by day doing ordinary farm work.
But God, who met him, calls him “great warrior” (Judges 6:12). Bewildered at the unfamiliar name he had never heard in his life, he looked left and right. However, the voice was clearly calling to himself. In verse 12 we should note the word ‘together’. In other words, it means, “You are nothing but a small being. But if Jehovah finds you, if you are with him, you can become a great warrior.”
Dear all!
What do you consider yourself to be? Are you in a difficult situation right now? Are you in extreme material poverty? I sown, but the seeds dried up, and I said harvest, but is it only a handful? Have you lost all your desires and desires and gave up your dreams and desires? Did you get to the point of beating yourself up, saying, 'I can't do anything anymore'? Do you find it difficult to meet other people? Are you living day by day in the arms of despair, looking down at the ground and cutting grain? ... God is coming closer to meet me. In order to re-create it as a ‘great hero’.
So what should I do? The wisest are those who cry (Judges 6:6, 7). In that difficult situation, they cried out and cried out again. At that time, God met me and made me a great warrior. The Lord is standing outside our door now. No, he is knocking on the door (Revelation 3:20). We must open the door. Then he can come in.
It is called 'Zultakdongsi ( 啄同時)', when the chick pecks the shell, it is called 'Jul ( ),' and when the mother chicken pecks, it is called 'tak'. In other words, work must be done inside and outside together. I have to 'line' first. Only then will He be ‘perfected’ (Isaiah 55:6; James 4:8; Jer 29:!3; 33:3).
God is alive. And he wants to see his people. He wants to come closer to those who are in particularly difficult and difficult situations, meet them, and give them a hug. So cry out and cry out again. So I earnestly hope that there will be grace to meet this God of love.