Where Do You Stand?

“And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? Will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.” Judges 6:31-32

An angel appeared to Gideon and told him that he was chosen to lead his people against the Midianites who had invaded their land and greatly oppressed them. Gideon lacked confidence, but he reluctantly agreed to organize the resistance against the enemy forces. The Lord spoke to Gideon that night and told him to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the grove that was by it. Gideon took some of his father’s servants and did exactly as God had told him. He then built an altar to the Lord and made a sacrifice on it. In the morning, when the men of the city had seen what had been done to the place where they worshipped their false gods, they demanded that Gideon be put to death. But Gideon’s father, Joash, came to his defense with this argument: if Baal is really a god, let him defend himself.  The reason the people were being oppressed by the Midianites was that they had turned to false gods. When Gideon took a stand for the Lord, he caused quite a stir amongst those who worshipped Baal. Our desire to avoid hurting people’s feelings is understandable, but you cannot stand for God without standing against the devil.