The Man of Valour

Judges 6:12 states, “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.”

I have heard it preached that Gideon was actually a coward because he was threshing wheat at night, and hiding from the Midianites. In this case, the angel was being sarcastic. I don’t think these preachers ever thrashed wheat at night.

In the days when we had only one 503 International level-land combine, and seven hundred acres of wheat to cut (some of it quite steep), we ran a night shift. Ron Manley drove the truck. Around midnight he ran the combine while I sat in the trap pickup (46 International), and ate lunch. I had eaten my lunch and the combine was going past me to make another round. I was a little chilly and climbed up the back ladder of the machine and sat by the warm engine. Ron was unaware of my presence. I watched him awhile in the darkness (the main light was shining on the header). I was tempted to reach across the bulk tank and grab his shoulder (naughty me). I chose to push the horn button instead. Ron shot straight up out of the seat about a foot. What was funny for me was fearful for him. 

Harvesting at night is not all fun and games. Gideon was doing the job when it had to be done so the wheat could be saved from the Midianites. I wonder if he jumped when he saw the angel?

As we read on, we see that Gideon was a true man of valour. 

Judges 6:11—The man of valour provides for his family. Gideon thrashed wheat by the wine press, not the threshing floor. It was a poor set-up, but he was getting the job done. Honest provision for your family is always honorable. The man of valour does the best with what he has. While others were whining to the Lord, Gideon was working the night shift.

In verse 13, the man of valour is a man of God in a sinful nation. 

In verse 14, the man of valour listens to God. The angel reaffirms his might. Gideon, the man of valour, knew his own weakness (verse 15). 

In verse 16, we see the man of valour needing God’s presence. Without God’s presence, mighty men are losers. 

Mighty men of valour, like Gideon, want to know God’s will and do it (verse 17). 

In verses 17-19, we see how the man of valour worships God. 

In verse 20, the man of valour obeys God. 

In verse 21, the man of valour believes God. Gideon believed the sign of the angel. He knew he was talking with an angel. 

Finally, in verse 22, we see that Gideon, the mighty man of valour, was a praying man.

In the rest of Gideon’s life he continues to be a mighty man of valour. God used him to save the nation of Israel from Midian. He also destroyed evil in the land. When Gideon was asked to be the ruler of Israel (Judges 8:22-23), the mighty man of valour refused, saying, “The Lord shall rule over you.” Following this statement, Gideon made a mistake. He made an ephod of gold and put it in his city, Ophrah. All Israel went “a whoring” after it (Judges 8:27).

The man of valour doesn’t do everything perfectly. The man of valour has fear, but that fear is overcome by the “fear of the Lord.” Some may think the mighty man of valour is a joke. Today, in our country, may God give us a “mighty man of valor.”