Articles
Two Men Ask for a Sign
The idea of being spoken to by God, or His agent, is astounding. Perhaps it is more awe-inspiring given that it does not happen in our day. But others have received direct messages from God – and faltered.
Gideon. In the days of the judges, Israel was being harassed by Midian (Jud 6). As an obscure young man “threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites,” an angel appeared and greeted him: “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (6:11-12). A rather odd thing to say to someone hiding from the enemy. Gideon wonders how the Lord could be with him when it seemed He had abandoned the nation and His mighty power hadn’t been seen in a long time (6:13). So when the angel tells Gideon that God has chosen him to deliver the nation from Midianite oppression, the would-be warrior is unconvinced. “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me” (6:17). This request is granted as the angel ignites with his staff Gideon’s sacrifice and then disappears.
Later, before engaging the Midianites, Gideon asks for more signs from God (6:36-40). God complies by first dampening the fleece and then leaving it dry. But even that is not all. As a final encouragement, God directed Gideon: “But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant, and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened …” (7:10-11). Gideon does and overhears a soldier’s dream portending disaster upon Midian and Amalek.
Zacharias. Fast forward about 1200 years to Zacharias, an aged priest who is spoken to by an angel while attending to his duties in the temple (Lk 1:5-20). Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (1:6). Also, “Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years” (1:7). Remember also that God has not given any recorded revelation in about 400 years.
The angel announces: “Your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son … He will be great in the sight of the Lord … He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord …” (1:13-16).
Given these details, we might cut Zacharias some slack when he responds: “How shall I know this?” (1:18). But Gabriel isn’t so patient: “You will … not be able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled …” (1:20).
Why the different reactions to a request for assurance? That’s hard to say. But one consideration is that Zacharias possessed the fullness of prophetic revelation, giving him centuries of perspective which Gideon lacked. Also, there were others, namely Simeon and Anna, who were living in Messianic hope, but Zacharias doesn’t seem to be as sufficiently grounded in this as a priest should have been. Further, the angel addressed Zacharias by name and quoted Malachi’s prophecy concerning the Messiah’s forerunner. That should have clicked with Zacharias, but it didn’t.
The lesson for us: God has always accommodated “honest” weakness or ignorance. God knows our heart, and He knows when hesitation is from lack of resources or lack of trust. Let us make sure that our actions and convictions are always grounded on the light available to us. We of all people in human history have the least excuse for doubt.
