Angel Under the Oak

Because they had grown evil, God allowed the children of Israel to be oppressed by the Midianites for seven years. They became impoverished and cried unto God, who heard their cry and chose the man Gideon to lead the people to freedom. Gideon was a meek man, not from a rich family, and felt himself to be the least among his brothers. Gideon made food for this angel, but unlike we read in several other circumstances, the angel did not eat. It is written in the book of Judges that Gideon had a difficult time believing that he was the one God was going to use to free the people, and he insisted on a sign. Displaying a more casual appearance, the angel that appeared to Gideon sat down under an oak tree and spoke to Gideon. The angel assured him that God was with him and pronounced Gideon a mighty man of valor.

“And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles, which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? But now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us unto the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! For because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” (Judges 6:11-23)

Even after the angel appeared to him, Gideon was still not convinced. Gideon requested another sign, and then yet another. “And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.” (Judges 6:36-37)

Gideon got up in the morning and was able to wring a bowl of water out of the cloth, but he still wasn’t sure if he was the one to save Israel. He requested that the Lord next make the floor wet with dew, but the fleece stay dry and the following night God did as Gideon had requested. Gideon was persuaded, and accomplished, with God’s help, to defeat the Midianites, as described in Judges 8:28: “Midian was subdued and the country was at peace for forty years in the days of Gideon.”