“And [Gideon] said to him, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.’” (Judges 6:17)
The assignment Gideon is given is no small one. He is to deliver Israel. To his objection that he is not at all fit for that task, he is simply given the answer, “I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” Those are big words. But what are those words worth? That depends entirely on who is saying it! So that’s what Gideon wants to clarify. He does not simply believe that this message comes from God, but performs a test. He prepares a delicious meal and offers it to his partner in conversation. When the angel touches the food, it is instantly consumed by fire. It is no longer an ordinary meal, but a sacrifice. As soon as the food is consumed by fire, the angel also disappears. That is enough to make Gideon realize that he has come face to face with a messenger from the Lord. He even fears for his life. But the Lord reassures him. He will not die. After all, he must go and carry out God’s mission.
Gideon found it difficult to determine whether the message he received was really from God. Do you recognize that doubt, for example when you read the Bible? How do you deal with it?