The expression “putting out a fleece” comes from the story of Gideon in the book of Judges in the Old Testament. Gideon was a farmer who became the fifth leader during the Period of Judges in Israel. By analyzing chronological limits, there’s considerable agreement among Bible scholars that this period occurred between 1200-1020 B.C., a time followed by the reign of Saul, Israel’s first king.
As we read the sixth chapter of Judges, we find Gideon committed to obtaining food for his family at a time when Israel was surrounded by hostile invaders who were making the growing, gathering, and even preparing of food almost impossible.
The Midianites were so oppressive that the Jews had to hide in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Every time they planted crops, the Midianites and other foreign invaders would destroy them.
Gideon was resourceful. He turned a wine press into a sunken threshing floor, thus hiding while preparing wheat. It was not ideal, as it lacked the ventilation to blow the chaff away, but at least it was hidden from the enemies.
It was while Gideon was working on the threshing floor that God sent him a divine messenger with a challenge. The angel’s greeting took Gideon aback: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior,” the angel said.
Gideon’s next words have undoubtedly come out of the mouth of many people during times of oppression, hardship or confusion:
“Pardon me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”
Gideon focused on the troubles his country was facing and on his limitations. He did not see himself as a “mighty warrior,” but God did. The angel proceeded to give him the task: he was to lead a charge against the mighty armies of Midian. The mission was much greater than Gideon’s abilities and resources; therefore fear and doubt crippled his faith.
As the narrative continues, we witness Gideon requesting a confirmation — he needed to ensure that it was indeed God who was calling him. God miraculously confirmed his presence. But that was not enough for Gideon.
He proceeded to ask for confirmation of his victory through two tests. In the first test, Gideon put a wool fleece on the ground and asked God to miraculously cause dew to only collect on the garment but not on the floor. The next morning, he found what he had requested. But that was still not enough. Gideon pleaded for another confirmation from God and tested him again. In the second test, he asked for the fleece to be dry and the ground to be covered with dew. And so it was. After much back and forth, Gideon finally agreed to the task.
I have to be honest. I understand Gideon. There are times in life when the decision in front of us can be overwhelming. It may be a big financial decision or a significant life decision, such as the person we are to marry. As believers, we should make it a priority to seek God’s will before stepping forward into the unknown. The problem with the “putting out the fleece” approach is not that Gideon was asking God to reveal what he should do. God had already told him. Gideon was trying to get a guarantee that God would give him victory on his terms.
The method in itself is not the issue. The issue is the reason behind it — Gideon did not trust God. In his mercy, God gave him the answer anyway, but we must not take the outcome of this story as a blank statement on how God operates when it comes to leading us. God cannot be manipulated into giving us victory or providing the answer we seek.
Invariably, our hearts and minds have their agenda. We want what we want when we want it. We can flip the Bible until we find the answer we want. We can make it our fleece.
That’s why the best approach when seeking God’s guidance is to spend time in his word, not manipulating it to fit our desires, but quietly letting God speak through it. His answer translates into a peace that invades our soul when our inadequacies and limitations melt away before the presence of almighty God. The apostle Paul called it the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” You can’t reason it or manipulate it. When you receive it, you feel indeed as a mighty warrior, able to withstand the fiercest battles and conquer the highest mountains.
Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, blogger and international speaker. Her newly published Bible Study – Twelve Inches – is now available on her website www.soaringwithHim.com. For speaking engagements and comments, email pholbrook@soaringwithHim.com
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