A Mighty Hero

“The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” – Judges 6:12. 

In this Bible verse, Gideon was going through a season of his life when his faith was weak. He wasn’t feeling it and probably would have rather given up than continued on. At this moment, an angel appears to Gideon and tells him that the Lord is with Him. The story of Gideon, in the book of Judges, is about God, and how He operates in the lives of his children. God’s interactions with Gideon are gentle, loving, forbearing, and intimately personal.

When God calls Gideon to be Israel’s next judge and deliverer, God greets Gideon as a “Mighty hero” (Judges 6:12). But what we continually see with Gideon is the complete opposite of a hero. Gideon first questions God’s active presence among Israel: he doubts God’s plans and believes God has forsaken them. Yet God responds in Judges 6:14, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”  

Gideon then lists some excuses: “…how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” (Judges 6:15) And even though God answers, “I will be with you,” Gideon then asks for a sign: “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me.” (Judges 6:17). Gideon finally believes, but then responds in fear.

Gideon is far from being a mighty hero. But God never directly speaks to Gideon about his failures. Instead, He walks beside Gideon and shapes him into the mighty hero He has declared him to be. God didn’t call Gideon a mighty hero because He saw that character trait in him from the beginning. Gideon was called a mighty hero because of who God is. God called Gideon to deliver His people, but more importantly, He called Gideon to be different from what he was at the moment of his calling. In the mighty hands of God, Gideon would become a hero.

In 2021, we can take courage in the fact that God is always with us. God doesn’t leave us without help. He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. He has the answer you need for whatever it is that you’re going through.

Like Gideon, He won’t leave you. He sees you in your discouragement and tells you again and again in the Bible that you can make it. So choose to shift your thinking onto what God’s word says. You’re not alone. God is for you and He’s with you each step of the way.

Discussion Questions

1. This encounter is much like the one with Moses where Moses offers many doubts and reasons not to do it as well as asking for a sign. Agree or disagree and why?
2. Several times Gideon asks for signs, expresses doubts, or offers excuses, yet finally, he is a mighty hero. God seems to look at us not how we are, but how He wants us to be or how we will be. What does that mean going forward for each of us?