Judges 6:25-32
Immediately after calling Gideon, God commanded him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. He was told to build a proper altar to the Lord and offer a burnt sacrifice using the wood of the Asherah pole. Though Gideon did this at night out of fear of his family and the townspeople, his obedience was clear. When the townspeople discovered it, Gideon’s father, Joash, defended him, saying, “If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself.” Thus, Gideon was given the name ‘Jerub-Baal,’ meaning ‘Let Baal contend.’
We often dream of grand victories that save the world, but God tells us to first clear the idols in our closest spaces—our bedrooms and living rooms. The talents we relied on more than God, the craving for recognition, or deep-seated family traditions—these altars must fall before God’s reign can begin.
Gideon’s obedience wasn’t perfect; he chose the night because he feared people’s eyes. Yet, God didn’t look for ‘perfection’ but for ‘action.’ A small act of obedience started in the dark brought a massive change by morning. Idols are not something we defeat through our own strength; rather, through the act of tearing them down, we prove how utterly powerless and “fake” they truly are.
What ‘altar of Baal’ still stands in my life today? Before leading us to the battlefield, God waits for us to take an axe to the idols in our daily lives. Even if we act at night due to fear, I hope to be the one who decisively picks up the axe according to His word. When I tear down the idols, God finally begins to build a new history through me.