Gideon and the Messenger of Yahweh (#13 in Yahweh and the Angel of Yahweh)

The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. So Yahweh handed them over to Midian seven years (Judges 6:1)

This is the setting for one of the most extraordinary encounters with Yahweh recorded in Scripture. Gideon is from a family who worships Yahweh but they also worship Baal (Judges 6:25). This is not uncommon in Israel, this divided loyalty. Yahweh has delivered Israel from Egypt and defeated the Canaanites for them in Canaan or Israel, yet they find themselves hedging their bets and giving offerings to Canaanite gods in addition to Yahweh. They are rebellious.

Gideon is trying to secretly thresh wheat in the winepress so the Midianites wouldn’t see and come and take his grain. As he works, we’re told:

¹¹ The Messenger of Yahweh came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. ¹² Then the Messenger of Yahweh appeared to him and said, “Yahweh is with you, valiant warrior.” ¹³ Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t Yahweh brought us out of Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” ¹⁴ Yahweh turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian. I am sending you!” ¹⁵ He said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family.” ¹⁶ “But I will be with you,” Yahweh said to him. “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.” ¹⁷ Then he said to him, “If I have found favor with you, give me a sign that you are speaking with me. ¹⁸ Please do not leave this place until I return to you. Let me bring my gift and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay until you return.” (Judges 6:11-18)

Do you notice the change from “Messenger of Yahweh” to “Yahweh”? Rashi makes the comment, “(Not the angel, but) the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself.” It is possible, I suppose, for the Messenger of Yahweh to stop talking and for Yahweh to step in, speaking from heaven. But that would not be the natural way to understand this, especially when in verse 22 it says Gideon realized he was the Messenger of Yahweh and bemoaned, “Oh no, Lord Yahweh! I have seen the Messenger of Yahweh face to face,” as if that is seeing God face to face, which meant death.

¹⁹ So Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from a half bushel of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. ²⁰ The Messenger of God said to him, “Take the meat with the unleavened bread, put it on this stone, and pour the broth on it.” So he did that. ²¹ The Messenger of Yahweh extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the Messenger of Yahweh vanished from his sight. ²² When Gideon realized that he was the Messenger of Yahweh, he said, “Oh no, Lord Yahweh! I have seen the Messenger of Yahweh face to face!” ²³ But Yahweh said to him, “Peace to you. Don’t be afraid, for you will not die.” ²⁴ So Gideon built an altar to Yahweh there and called it Yahweh Is Peace. It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites today. (Judges 6:19-24)

Gideon has basically brought an offering to the Messenger of Yahweh, which the Messenger of Yahweh causes to be consumed like a burnt offering. It just makes sense to identify the Messenger of Yahweh with Yahweh in terms of being equal to each other. Not the same person, but the same honor. This only makes sense as we understand the nature of God as trinity. Each member is equally God, but each is an unique individual. They can interact with each other, and can perform separate functions uniquely suited to each of them. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!