Islam, Mohammad, cartoons and terrorism....

Now that I have your attention let me talk about the problems of our day in light of something that happened more than 3,000 years ago.

This story is from the book of Judges in the Old Testament and is the story of Gideon. He was a fearful man in the midst of fierce Midianite armies raiding Israel each time there was anything of value to steal. After his experience with the fleece he obeyed God's calling for him, but did it with some real and honest fear. Fear of the Midianites. The Jewish people worshipped the God of the Bible, but the Midianites worshipped Baal. There was a real competition for which God would rule the people of Israel. The battle then was the same as it is now- who's God is the real God? Which God will rule?

Here is the part of the story I want to discuss-

Judges 6:25 That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."
27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
29 They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."
30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."

The words of Gideon's father were bold. He declared, "If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." These should be the words of any man threatened with death because of words, thoughts or beliefs about his faith or any other faith. If your God is the real God let him defend himself. Bold isn't it? Simple and clear. A real God can defend himself, why do we have to defend him? If your God is the real God can you let him defend himself? Will you allow him to prove himself to those who believe something different?

If your God is the real God, he can defend himself. Will you let him? Joash's words ring through the centuries to the ears of our generation. Can we trust our God, whatever our faith, to defend himself? If he is the real God he can and he will.
...