07/30/20 PUTTING OUT A FLEECE? — In Judges 6 the Lord had already commissioned Gideon to destroy the Midianites. Perhaps as a small test, God commands him to destroy the town’s Baal altar and Asherah pole. Gideon obeys. But, facing the Midianite armies is too daunting for him; he needs to be 100% certain that the originator of this plan is God Himself. So he asks permission to TEST God with a lamb’s fleece… TWICE!

Throughout Scripture God is said to be testing people. But in the OT and NT, over and over, we are told NOT to test God. But, for reasons known, perhaps, only to Himself, God allows Gideon’s tests. And on the eve of the battle, God decides to provide even more assurance for Gideon. Then, absolutely confident, Gideon leads the Israelites as they (and God) utterly defeat the Midianites.

Nowhere in the Bible are Gideon’s tests either commended or condemned. So… is it okay for us to “Put out a Fleece?” Facing a troublesome decision, feeling the need to be absolutely sure of the Lord’s will for yourself, should YOU request such a sign from God? Soon after I clearly felt God’s call into fulltime preaching ministry, it seemed that I needed to quit my secure job at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, sell our house and go to seminary. I discussed this with my pastor, Dr. Ron Herrod. He proposed that I “put out a fleece,” that I ask God to send someone to buy my house for $20,000 more than the realtor had set. I expressed my concern, but I did it. We were out of town on the Friday morning when there was to be a 9am “Open House” for prospective buyers at our home. But a half hour before, at 8:30, a man showed up and bought our home… for $20,000 more than our asking price!

On that day I was checking out Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Jerry Falwell’s seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia. By the time I left Dr. Elmer Town’s (eventually my mentor and best friend) office, I had a job at Liberty University as a math professor and a solid lead for a new home there, which Linda and I arranged to buy before we left there on Sunday. What a weekend! If we had any doubts about God’s plans for us, He “blew them out of the water” from Friday to Sunday! Fleece or not, GOD CAN BE TRUSTED!