Who doesn't think pugs are cute? I mean sure, they're ugly, breathe disgustingly loud, are are tiny. But they are all these things to such an exaggerated degree, and they don't bark much and are typically very friendly. Those things that are so unpleasant actually become cute because of their good nature. I wonder if our Creator specifically created pugs to help us understand how He sees us.
Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. Judges 6:1 NASB
So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the LORD. Judges 6:6 NASB
Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD on account of Midian, that the LORD sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, and I said to you, “I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.”’” Judges 6:7-10 NASB
The Sons of Israel are oppressed for seven years before they cry out to Yahweh. Seven years. Wow. And then Yahweh sends a prophet to explain to them His perspective of the problem. The Sons of Israel are worshiping the gods of the Caananites. The prophet makes that pretty clear, the "evil in the sight of the LORD" is worshiping other gods. Sounds simple, right?
Maybe the blame lies with the previous generations who didn't pass along the stories of God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt and conquest of the land. Perhaps, had they done that, the people wouldn't have been worshiping other gods, they would have remained faithful, like their fathers...
The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.” Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Judges 6:12-13 NASB
Or maybe they did pass on the stories, but the people still didn't get it. I know, it's everyone else, not Gideon, that's why he's confused about the problem or Yahweh's perspective. He and his family are faithful followers of Yahweh, but everyone else worships other gods. That must be it...
Now on the same night the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Judges 6:25-26 NASB
Nope. That's not it. Gideon has a altar to Baal right in the front yard, but is still clueless about why Yahweh is upset with them. All the negative features are there, they are ridiculously clueless, stupefyingly arrogant, and frustratingly obstinate. And yet, Gideon goes on to tear down the altar, reduce Israel's army down to 300 so Yahweh would get the glory for the victory, and lead those 300 men with jars and torches against so many Midianites, they couldn't be counted. He even leads the 300 to pursue 3 kings of the Midianites without help.
Gideon is so amazingly effective, the people want to make him king, and he refuses! Could he be any more pug-like? And aren't we? You've had them, those days when God seems more annoying than pleasant. You've wondered where He has been during your difficulty. And you've probably been shocked He doesn't approve of your "shrine" to some other aspect of your life. And yet, we cry out to Jesus, worship Him, seek His face, and seek to be a blessing to those around us. We know we're imperfect, yet seek His Kingdom anyway. And we witness our Savior using us to be amazingly effective for Him. Let's face it, we're the "pugs" of our Creator. And aren't we cute?
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation
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