What is the meaning of Judges 6:24? So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there After the Angel of the LORD assured Gideon, “Peace be with you; do not be afraid, you will not die” (Judges 6:23), Gideon responded in tangible worship. Altars in Scripture mark decisive encounters with God: • Noah built an altar after the flood (Genesis 8:20). • Abram erected altars whenever God revealed Himself (Genesis 12:7; 13:18). • Moses built one and named it “The LORD Is My Banner” after victory (Exodus 17:15). By raising an altar, Gideon testifies that the LORD alone delivered him from fear. The action underscores Scripture’s literal accuracy—an actual structure on actual ground affirming an actual meeting between God and man. and called it The LORD Is Peace Gideon names the altar “YHWH Shalom,” proclaiming God’s character: the LORD Himself is peace, not merely a giver of peaceful circumstances. • Isaiah 9:6 hails Messiah as “Prince of Peace.” • Isaiah 26:3 promises perfect peace to the one whose mind trusts God. • Jesus echoes this identity: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you” (John 14:27). • Paul declares, “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). Gideon had been threshing grain in hiding (Judges 6:11), yet in one encounter God transformed inner turmoil into settled confidence. The name teaches that peace flows from God’s presence and promise, not from changed circumstances. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites The writer notes that, at the time of recording, Gideon’s altar still existed—a public, physical witness to God’s faithfulness. • Joshua set up memorial stones so future generations would ask, “What do these stones mean to you?” (Joshua 4:6–7). • Samuel later raised a stone named “Ebenezer,” saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). In the same way, Gideon’s altar in Ophrah reminded every passer-by that the LORD brought peace to fearful people and would keep doing so. The durability of the altar underscores the reliability of the biblical account—real places, real artifacts, real history. summary Judges 6:24 records Gideon’s immediate, worshipful response to God’s promise: he builds a lasting altar, names it “The LORD Is Peace,” and leaves a memorial in his hometown. The verse teaches that genuine encounters with God produce outward acts of remembrance and inward assurance. Peace is not abstract; it is the very presence of the LORD who meets fearful hearts and turns them into faithful witnesses—then and now. |
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