To impress his guest, Gideon makes the angel cakes (presumably not angel food cake?) and goat stew(next time you have an important visitor, I dare you to prepare them a goat–“hmm…this is the best goat I’ve ever had.”).
Gideon has finally stopped arguing that he can’t deliver Israel, but now starts asking for signs. So, part of the sign involves Gideon making a meal for the angel (Judg. 6:19). The angel apparently isn’t too excited about angel cake and goat stew, so he torches Gideon’s offering, consuming all of it (Judg. 6:21).
Finally, Gideon realizes he’s been interacting with a messenger of YHWH: “Help me, Adonai YHWH! For I have seen the angel of YHWH face to face” (Judg. 6:22). YHWH tells him, “Shalom to you. Don’t fear. You won’t die.” So Gideon constructs an altar, he calls “YHWH-Shalom.” (God is peace.)
From questioning, to insecurity, to testing, to peace, to praise–not a bad pattern actually.
In the midst of a hurricane (the rain has started, the wind will start in a few hours), it’s good to remember that God is not only responsible for “Acts of God”, but he’s also the source of Peace/Shalom.
How do you find peace in the midst of a storm? What do you think of Gideon’s pattern (questions, doubts, insecurity, testing, praise)?