“On that very night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old. Then tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on the top of this rock. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” So Gideon took 10 of his male servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it in the daytime, he did it at night. When the men of the city got up in the morning, they found Baal’s altar torn down, the Asherah pole beside it cut down, and the second bull offered up on the altar that had been built. They said to each other, “Who did this?” After they made a thorough investigation, they said, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he tore down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.” That day, Gideon’s father called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead his case with him,” because he tore down his altar.” (Judges 6:25–32, HCSB)

To be obedient to God, I have to let go or destroy other things in my life which replace my commitment to God. There are several problems that occur when I make a decision to commit to following God. First, I have to destroy the other things. Sometimes, I don’t want to give up these idols. It may be time for something I use (which could be better spent with God). It may where I spend my money. It may be with whom I keep company. Each of these is idols if they keep me from committing to follow God.

I don’t just add God to my schedule. I have to replace my devotion to these idols with God. The problem is that it will impact my relationships. Increasing the level of commitment to following God will affect my family. Gideon was afraid of the consequences of increasing his level of commitment. That is why he obeyed God at night.

However, God has a way of working these things out for His benefit. In Gideon’s case, increasing his commitment to following God meant the possibility of death. Yet, God worked in the life of his own father (Joash). Joash changed his son’s name to reflect his new level of commitment to God, as well as his decreasing commitment to his former idol – Baal.

The same is true with you and me. Even though it may seem dangerous to follow God, there is a benefit to increasing my commitment to God by destroying the idols in my life.

Photo by James Barr on Unsplash

Worshiping an Unknown God