“Then he said to Him, ‘If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.’ And He said, ‘I will wait until you come back.’”
Judges 6:17-18 NKJV

The narrative of Gideon and asking for a sign has always been fascinating to me. The famously coined putting out a “fleece” is one that I must admit I have done myself in my walk with Jesus. However, after listening to one preacher castigate the practice, it became a wonder: should God’s children ask for a sign? In doing so, does it denote a lack of faith on our part?

I would like to take a look at the narrative a little closer, so as to see Gideon’s disposition and God’s response to Him. This is set at a time when the Israelites are under great oppression, and fear is rampant in the land. Gideon has resorted to threshing wheat in the winepress. The process of threshing wheat is done in the open. The reason you want to do this is because you need wind to help you in the process of loosening or separating grain from the straw. The winepress is where you press grapes to get the juice out of the grape — picture a trough in which people tread upon the fruit of the vine in order to get grape juice. One is done in the open, and the other in an enclosed contraption. Fear had so gripped Gideon that he was doing what was meant to be done in the open in hiding.

If faith comes by hearing the word of God, I would imagine that fear is rooted in not being exposed to the word of God. So, living in fear and much doubt about even the works that the Lord has done in the past creates a mistrust on all things, even up to doubting the Lords’ word. It seems then that in a place of mistrust or lack of faith in who God is and what His word says lies the perfect breeding ground to request more proof, even signs.

When Gideon does this, you can see the patience of the Lord, because He not only knows Gideon but understands the circumstances in which he is under. You would think that after God proves Himself, Gideon would get it, but he continues on requesting the sign of the fleece yet again. Still, God is patient with Him. There is a place in which God overlooks ignorance, yet not in perpetuity. Consider this:

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 17:30-31 NKJV

God’s forbearance towards us in times when our understanding is limited demonstrates His patience. However, His love compels us to grow and come into a place in which we hold whole heartedly to His word.

Jesus had just healed a man who was demon possessed and even goes to declare that if He cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. Yet, even after witnessing this miracle which is in itself a sign, what did the Pharisees do? You guessed it - they asked for another sign.

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
Matthew 12:38-39 NKJV

In the end, we must grow to learn how to excercise faith becuase faith itself is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. If we live in this place we will realize we have all the signs that we need in Jesus.