Altars (Judges 6:24–32)

Gideon builds two altars to the Lord. Gideon builds the first altar after the angel of God appears to him and causes the meal to burn up. He names this altar “God Is Peace.” God tells Gideon to destroy his father’s altar to Baal and construct an altar to God in its place. Gideon does so under cover of darkness. The morning after Gideon pulls down the altar, the people of Ophrah threaten to kill him. Gideon’s father defends him, saying, “If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself.”

My immediate response: Worship precedes change, just like surrendering to God comes before transformation and empowerment.