Pulling Down False Altars

Tuesday, November 3, 2014
Judges 6:24-32 KJV

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that [is] by it: 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and [so] it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do [it] by day, that he did [it] by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that [was] by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar [that was] built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that [was] by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst [it is yet] morning: if he [be] a god, let him plead for himself, because [one] hath cast down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did Gideon build and what did he name it? (v.24)
2) What did the Lord tell Gideon to do? (v.25-26)
3) Who helped Gideon? When? (v.27)
4) What did the men of the city discover upon waking? (v.28)
5) What did the men of the city do following their discovery? (v.29)
6) What did the men ask of Gideon's father? Why? (v.30)
7) How did Gideon's father respond? (v.31)
8) What was Gideon's name following Joash's altercation with the Baal worshippers? Why? (v.32)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) What is your reaction when you see the images of other gods that are worshipped by non-believers?
10) Have you had the opportunity to talk with a person of a different religion than Christianity? If so, briefly describe what happened during one such time.
11) How do you explain your religious beliefs and values to a non-Christian?

PRINCIPLES
12) The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the only True and Living God.
13) The worship of anything, or anyone, other than the Lord is sin.
14) Only the True and Living God can change hearts and minds.
15) Our God alone is worthy of worship and praise.