I. Gideon asked the Lord for a sign, thus showing that there was in him that caution and waiting, for the want of which many a man has mistaken his mission, and instead of doing the work of the Lord, has wrecked both himself and his own work. "If Thou wilt save Israel by my hand." A full consciousness that Israel needs saving, but an indisposition to feel that such an honour could be bestowed on him; such is a good index to the character of a man, a disposition to test ourselves. We do well to apply tests to ourselves and to our position; to our religious life, and to our relation to God by our religious life.
II. We can justify the Gideon test. Upon the heart and the home the dew will fall and remain. If we ask, Am I a child of God? we shall know by the dew on our hearts.
III. The world will insist on applying its test to us; the world will watch for the dew on our fleece. Gratitude in the heart, holiness in the life are dew.
E. Paxton Hood, Sermons,p. 430.
References: Judges 6:36-40. J. Baldwin Brown, Christian World Pulpit,vol. vi., p. 81; Expositor,1st series, vol. iii., p. 295.Judges 6:38-40. -C. J. Vaughan, Good Words,1872, p. 745.Judges 7:1 . Homiletic Quarterly,vol. iv., p. 387. Judges 7:1-8. Ibid.,vol. iv., p. 379.