Fleece and the will of God

Biblical Concept: Fleece and the will of God

Fleece is found only in the following five passages:

NAS Judges 6:37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that Thou wilt deliver Israel through me, as Thou hast spoken. "
NAS Judges 6:38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water.
NAS Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Thine anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground."
NAS Judges 6:40 And God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
NAS Job 31:20 If his loins have not thanked me, And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

Four of the five passages concern the actions of a warrior named Gideon (Judges
6:12b). He lived during a time of Midian oppression (Judges 6:1) and God
commissioned him to deliver Israel from Midian (Judges 6:14). Gideon thought God
had abandoned Israel (Judges 6:13) and in this status of doubt asked for signs that it
was indeed the God of Israel talking to him, not some deception. See Judges
6:17-23. After obediently following God’s instructions to tear down a pagan alter to
Baal (Judges 6:25-32), Gideon assembled an army of his countrymen (Judges
6:34-35). In preparation for battle, Gideon asked God to confirm his victory over
Midian with the dew and the fleece (Judges 6:36-40).

It would be Biblically incorrect to attempt to use the fleece technique of Gideon, an
Old Testament warrior preparing for battle during the period of the Judges of Israel,
when the New Testament Church Age believer has the following spiritual assets
available:

The sufficient Word of God - "We have not ceased to pray for you and to askthat you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdomand understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

Sufficient Spiritual Empowerment - “16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:16-21).

Also note the filling (Ephesians 5:18), walking (Galatians 5:16), leading (Galatians 5:18), fruits (Galatians 5:22-23), and teaching (1 Corinthians 2:12-13) of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Gideon’s test of God (Judges 6:39) fits the pattern of 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do
not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because
many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Before Gideon went to war, he
was going to be very sure it was the right God giving him these instructions! Gideon’s
fleecing was not to find God’s will, but to make sure he was dealing with the right
God! There are no other examples of fleecing God in the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit
can and does lead us into God’s will for our lives during this age of the Church.

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