Today’s Devotion
Topic: If Baal Is god, Let him Defend himself!
Text: Judges 6: 25- 33
25 That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 THEN BUILD A PROPER KIND OF ALTAR to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”
27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. 28 In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
29 They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30 The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”
32 So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” Amen.
People of God, Joash is so very right. He is not trying to defend his son Gideon, he is stating the fact as it is. Why should baal, a god; look on defenseless while Gideon and his men dismantle him all night long? Why should men be defending and fighting for a god instead of the other way round? It didn’t make sense to old man Joash.
Tell all believers across the oceans to rejoice. We don’t not serve a weak but mighty God. Our God doesn’t even fight for Himself (because He really has no contenders or competitors), He fights for us!
Even death on the cross was on His own accord. This is how Jesus (Himself) puts it: “the reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10: 17-18)
Gideon lived a long time after this even though the people summoned him to baal. Beloved do not fear them more than you revere your God. He’s the greatest of all. Let everything that has breadth praise the Lord! See you at church Precious One! WE SERVE A LIVING GOD!
(www.yonghana.org, like our Facebook page: Y OUTREACH NETWORK)
