And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
Israel's history at this time moved in a repeated cycle of forsaking God for idolatry, being chastened by subjection to enemies, confessing their sin, and being delivered when faithful and valiant men were raised up to put down idolatry and free them, after whose death the people gradually returned to their idols. On this occasion the children of Israel had done evil, so the protecting hand of God was withdrawn, leading to seven years of Midianite oppression. Though oppression had earlier fallen first and lightly on the tribes east of the Jordan, now they were the first sufferers and the whole land suffered.
The oppressors were the Midianites on the eastern border and in the deserts beyond, who had been nearly destroyed in the days of Moses but had since grown numerous and powerful and thirsted for revenge, joined with the Amalekites south of Canaan as still unrelenting enemies. The wild desert invaders came as locusts for multitude with flocks and herds, spreading like a devouring plague from the Jordan to the Philistine plain as soon as harvests ripened and remaining until the last fruits were gathered. They stripped the fields of their increase, robbing and maltreating the inhabitants before returning to the deserts. Those dwelling in the open country were forced to abandon their homes for walled towns, fortresses, caves and rocky mountain fastnesses.
Only when the people in their distress gave heed to the Lord's reproof and confessed their sins did God again raise up a helper, and the request for a sign occurs in that helper's call. The verse is Gideon's request for a sign to confirm that the one speaking with him is the divine, heavenly Messenger and that the message came from God. The requested sign was granted when the Angel touched Gideon's offering with his staff and fire burst from the rock and consumed it, after which the Angel vanished.
Israel's history at this time moved in a repeated cycle of forsaking God for idolatry, being chastened by subjection to enemies, confessing their sin, and being delivered when faithful and valiant men were raised up to put down idolatry and free them, after whose death the people gradually returned to their idols. On this occasion the children of Israel had done evil, so the protecting hand of God was withdrawn, leading to seven years of Midianite oppression. Though oppression had earlier fallen first and lightly on the tribes east of the Jordan, now they were the first sufferers and the whole land suffered.
The oppressors were the Midianites on the eastern border and in the deserts beyond, who had been nearly destroyed in the days of Moses but had since grown numerous and powerful and thirsted for revenge, joined with the Amalekites south of Canaan as still unrelenting enemies. The wild desert invaders came as locusts for multitude with flocks and herds, spreading like a devouring plague from the Jordan to the Philistine plain as soon as harvests ripened and remaining until the last fruits were gathered. They stripped the fields of their increase, robbing and maltreating the inhabitants before returning to the deserts. Those dwelling in the open country were forced to abandon their homes for walled towns, fortresses, caves and rocky mountain fastnesses.
Only when the people in their distress gave heed to the Lord's reproof and confessed their sins did God again raise up a helper, and the request for a sign occurs in that helper's call. The verse is Gideon's request for a sign to confirm that the one speaking with him is the divine, heavenly Messenger and that the message came from God. The requested sign was granted when the Angel touched Gideon's offering with his staff and fire burst from the rock and consumed it, after which the Angel vanished.