How does Judges 6:29 connect to the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? Setting the Scene Judges 6 opens with Israel once again trapped in a cycle of sin and oppression. Midian’s domination has driven the people into fear, yet the underlying problem is spiritual: they have turned to Baal and Asherah. God calls Gideon, and in verses 25-28 Gideon obeys the divine command to tear down his father’s altar to Baal, cut down the Asherah pole, and build a new altar to the LORD. Verse 29 captures the community’s shocked reaction: “Then they said to one another, ‘Who has done this thing?’ And when they had inquired and asked, they said, ‘Gideon son of Joash has done this thing.’” (Judges 6:29) Confronting Idolatry Head-On • Gideon’s midnight demolition job directly challenges the false worship that saturates his village. • By removing Baal’s altar, Gideon forces the people to face the emptiness of their idol. • This act is not merely political or social; it is a bold reaffirmation of the LORD’s exclusive claim on Israel’s worship. Link to the First Commandment Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” How Gideon’s action in Judges 6:29 connects: 1. Exclusive allegiance: The First Commandment demands that Israel recognize only Yahweh as God. Gideon’s destruction of Baal’s altar clears away a rival so that only the LORD remains in view. 2. Public testimony: Idolatry is never a private matter. By publicly tearing down Baal’s altar, Gideon demonstrates the communal nature of obedience to the First Commandment. 3. Covenant renewal: Gideon’s new altar to Yahweh (Judges 6:26) mirrors Exodus 20’s covenant context—renewing the foundational call to worship God alone. Supporting Scriptures • Deuteronomy 6:14-15: “Do not follow other gods… for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God.” • 1 Kings 18:21: Elijah’s challenge—“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him.” • 2 Kings 23:4-5: Josiah removes idols, echoing Gideon’s earlier stand. • 1 Corinthians 10:14: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” Living Out the First Commandment • Identify modern “altars” that compete for our loyalty—career, entertainment, relationships, self. • Replace them with practices that exalt Christ alone: regular Scripture intake, corporate worship, sacrificial giving. • Courageously resist cultural pressures to compromise, just as Gideon faced community backlash yet stood firm. Implications for Us Today • Fidelity to God may trigger misunderstanding or hostility, but obedience brings spiritual liberation (John 8:31-32). • Genuine repentance is active, not passive; tearing down idols must accompany any confession of sin (James 1:22). • When one believer models wholehearted devotion, it can spark wider renewal—Gideon’s single act sets the stage for Israel’s deliverance from Midian (Judges 7). Judges 6:29 thus illustrates the First Commandment in action: the LORD alone is worthy of worship, and every competing god—ancient or modern—must be decisively removed. |
    |