In Judges 6 Gideon receives a visitor when he was threshing wheat in a winepress. They shared a lengthy conversation about Gideon delivering Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. When the conversation was over, Gideon asked the visitor to wait while he prepared a customary offering. Then something miraculous happened.
Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God ! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.” Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The- Lord – Is -Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:21-24 NKJV)
Gideon knew the visitor was greater than himself but he didn’t know he was an angel. He didn’t realize the visitor was an angel until after he made fire rise from a rock and had disappeared out of his sight. Gideon became frightened because he had seen an angel face to face. The angel perceived Gideon’s fear, spoke words of peace, and assured Gideon he wouldn’t die from the encounter.
So what does Gideon do once he realizes he has been in the presence of the Angel The Lord? He builds an altar.
Here are some things to consider:
1. We can’t truly praise and worship God if we can’t recognize him. God blesses us continually but if we don’t recognize him as the source of our blessings we will fail to thank and praise him.
2. We must create a place to worship. Gideon’s altar became a permanent place to worship God in every season of life. We too must worship in every season of life by erecting an altar in our hearts.
If the Angel of The Lord appeared before you today, how would you respond?