A Fleece of Wool - Judges 6:37

In the book of Judges we learned how Gideon, “said unto God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said …”, and in chapter six and verse thirty-seven of Judges, we learn how Gideon said, “I will put a fleece of wool in the floor” where we read,

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, 

and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.

The verse reads, “Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, …” The writer began with the words, “behold, I will put a fleece of wool” whose name means “lo, look and consider, I, Gideon, shall set, place and establish a wooly covering of a sheep or goat” “in the floor” or “within the threshing barn floor”; “and if the dew” which means “and whether and in case the night mist” “be on the fleece only” or “exists upon the wooly covering of a sheep or goat solely and alone” the following will be true. The writer shared how “Gideon” presented the idea to Jehovah God that he would set out the wooly white covering of a sheep or goat, and whether and in case the nighttime mist exists upon the “covering” along  and the following also be true …

The verse goes on to say, “… and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” The writer continued with the words, “and it be dry upon the earth beside” which means “and the territory and land alongside of the fleece of wool exists as heated, drought and with desolate heat”, “then shall I know” or “at that time will I, Gideon, perceive, understand, distinguish and discern”, “that you will save Israel” which means “that you, Jehovah God, shall rescue and deliver Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’” “by my hand” or “through the means of my, Gideon’s, power, might and authority”. The writer shared how “Gideon” presented the idea of the land all around the “fleece of wool” being arid and as with drought, and by this he would perceive that Jehovah God would rescue “Israel” through his power and might. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how “Gideon” needed assurance from Jehovah God that he was to deliver “Israel” from the power of the Midianites, so he devised a plan which consisted of laying out a “fleece of wool” which alone would be wet after the nighttime, and the land surrounding the “fleece” would be completely “dry”. This may seem impossible if it were not God who was called upon to make this happen, and we shall see what God will do. God knows people often need reassurance that He is committed to them, and this may be discerned by considering the cross where His Son Jesus was crucified for the sins of all mankind and after three days was raised from the dead. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us His blessed assurance that He is at work in and through us in the world. (See John 3:16;16:13; Acs 1:8; Mark 10:44; 1 Thessalonians 1:5)

Next time we learn how Gideon, “rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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