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Gideon to destroy the idol altar

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[ Judges 6:32 ]

So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”

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Israel was harassed by the country of Midian for seven years. When the harvest time came, they came to Israel and took away all the harvest.

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God did not help Israel, God's people. Because they abandoned God and served idols. God was not with Israel, who served idols.

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The Israelites realized their fault only after the harvest had been taken from Midian. They prayed to God to help them. God listened to their prayers and made Gideon a judge.

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Gideon's father, who was established as a judge in Israel, is'Joash'. At the home of Gideon's father Joash was the altar of Baal and Asherah. Joash was a man eager to idolatry.

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God gave Gideon, the judge, the first assignment. This was the order.

[Cut down your father's altar of Baal. Take the idol of Asherah next to it.]

[For the LORD your God, build an altar at the highest point in the castle.]

[Slay as a burnt offering, a sacrifice offered on the altar by killing a bull.]

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Gideon was commanded by God, but he was afraid that he would be caught by others when he destroyed the altar. So he couldn't do it during the day, and in the middle of the night he took his ten servants and did what God had commanded.

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Gideon did as God commanded. The altar of Baal was destroyed. I shot all of the idols of Asherah and destroyed them.

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And the altar was built on the highest place as God said. A tree of idols that were taken is put on the altar. On top of that, the bull was killed and opened, and the sacrifice offered by burning the fire was presented to God. Gideon proclaimed that the only God of Israel that night was Jehovah God.

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The next morning, the whole city was in trouble. The Saints saw the altar of Baal collapsed and the statue of Asherah destroyed. And they saw the traces of sacrifices made by burning oxen in the altar.

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The angry townspeople started looking for the person who did the job, “Who did this?” Then a man told them. “It was Gideon, son of Joash, who did this.”

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The townspeople went to Gideon's father, Joash, and protested with anger. “Take your son out. He destroyed Baal's altar. He also destroyed the Asherah idol by the altar. So your son must die.” The townspeople were afraid that the Baal altar would be angry and hurt them because of the collapse of the altar.

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Gideon's father, Joash, said to protect his son: “You're on the side of Baal now? If anyone is on the side of Baal, he will be killed this morning. You mean Baal is your god? If the Baal was a real god, would he let the man who had destroyed his altar stand still? Let Baal fight for himself.”

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Those who heard Joash say nothing anymore. If Baal is a real god, he will punish Gideon directly, but nothing happened to Gideon, who destroyed the altar of Baal.

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From that day on, people called Gideon “Jerub-Baal”. 'Jerub-Baal' means 'Let Baal contend with him.'. This is the name given to the idea that Baal idol is an incompetent god who can do nothing to Gideon who has destroyed his altar.

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Gideon's first job as a judge by God was to smash the idol altar in his house and destroy Asherah. Then, he built an altar to God and offered sacrifices to proclaim the Lordship of God to all the earth. He showed in action that only God is the only true God and that he believes only God.

 While living in this world, nothing is more important than trusting and serving God. As Gideon today, we must not forget that we are also God's people called by God. I hope that you will always be in the faith in Jesus, and be all friends who are happy to serve God alone everywhere.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)