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We've all heard the expression, "putting out the fleece". It is commonly used in Christian circles to describe the process of learning God's will by asking Him for a sign, and the root of this expression is found in Judges 6...
The people of Israel are being sorely oppressed by the Midianites, and God calls Gideon to rescue them. Gideon, who knows he will be putting his life on the line to obey, wants to make sure he's hearing God's voice accurately, and he asks God for a sign:
“'If You are going to save Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I am putting a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will save Israel through me, as You have spoken.' And it was so. When he got up early the next morning and wrung out the fleece, he wrung the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water." (Judges 6:36-38 NASB)
If you are not familiar with the story of Gideon, then perhaps you do not know that this isn't the first time he has requested a sign. When the Angel of the Lord first visited him, he also asked for a sign: "...the Lord said to him, 'I will certainly be with you, and you will defeat Midian as one man.' So Gideon said to Him, 'If now I have found favor in Your sight, then perform for me a sign that it is You speaking with me. Please do not depart from here until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.' And He said, 'I will remain until you return.'” (Judges 6:16-18 NASB). And the Angel of the Lord waited for him to prepare a meal. He then asked Gideon to place it on a certain rock, and then flames came... out of the rock! ... And the entire meal went up in smoke. Then the angel disappeared (See Judges 6:19-21).
That's a pretty convincing sign, isn't it? Yet despite this, Gideon asks for the sign of the wet fleece and the dry ground...
You can't really blame Gideon. I mean what God is asking him to do is pretty impossible for a human perspective. I don't blame him for a moment that he wants another sign.
But even after the sign of the wet fleece, Gideon still isn't convinced: "Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not let Your anger burn against me, so that I may speak only one more time; please let me put You to the test only one more time with the fleece: let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.'” (Judges 6:39 NASB)...
I don't know what went through God's head at that moment, but if it had been me, the internal conversation might have gone something like this: Wait a minute. Come on, Gideon! Weren't signs 1 and 2 enough? What do I need to do to convince you?
No, we don't know what was going on in God's mind, but Jesus does have some pretty harsh things to say about asking for signs: "An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign; and so a sign will not be given to it accept the sign of Jonah." (Matthew 16:4 NASB)
So, in asking for a sign, did Gideon do the right thing, or the wrong thing?
I don't know if Gideon was right or wrong. It does seem like maybe he could have gotten the idea after the angelic visitation without asking for a sign. But even if he needed one, it does seem like one sign would be enough, not two, and certainly not three! However, I doubt the point of the story is to point a blaming finger at Gideon, for if I blame Gideon, I must also blame myself. So often I have received a message that I knew was from God; yet I've asked for a sign. And sometimes not just one, either! Sometimes I haven't even stopped at three! Like Gideon, I am continually harassed by the temptation to doubt! Haven't we all been there? I mean, isn't it important that we verify that something is really of the Lord?
I'm pretty sure God must shake His head sometimes with us as well. Really? Another sign? After everything I've already done? Really?
Despite this, however, we do know one thing for certain: God granted Gideon's -- THIRD -- request! "And God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground." (Judges 6:40 NASB). Perhaps Gideon didn't really need to ask for a first or second sign, and certainly not for a third one. Perhaps asking was a sign of weak faith. Nonetheless, God gave him what he asked for!
God wants us to come to the point where we recognize His voice, where we believe what He tells us, where we don't need to ask for a sign. Didn't Jesus say to Thomas, "Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29 NASB)? Nonetheless, God understands that we are weak: "For He Himself knows our form; He is mindful that we are nothing but dust." (Psalms 103:14 NASB). He loves us enough to be patient with us, to hold our hands and help us learn to believe. He grants the signs!
Thank you, Jesus, that You love us so much, that You are so patient with us. Lord, bring us to the place where our faith is strong enough, that our ability to discern Your voice from the voices of this world is developed enough that we will no longer need to ask for signs. But in the meantime, thank You for loving us enough to give us the signs we need!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
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