What Does Judges 6:14 Mean?
Judges 6:14 describes the moment when the Lord calls Gideon to rescue Israel from Midianite oppression, saying, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' Though Gideon is hiding and full of doubt, God sees his potential and sends him with divine authority. This verse marks a turning point where fear meets faith, and an unlikely hero is launched into God’s plan.
Judges 6:14
And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”
Key Facts
Book
Author
Traditionally attributed to Samuel
Genre
Narrative
Date
Approximately 1100-1000 BC
Key People
Key Takeaways
- God calls the fearful to be mighty through His presence.
- True strength comes from God's sending, not human ability.
- Faith begins when we act despite our doubts.
Context of Judges 6:14
Judges 6:14 comes at the turning point where God calls Gideon, a man hiding in fear, to step into courage and leadership.
For seven years, the Midianites had oppressed Israel, raiding their crops and livestock like swarms of locusts, leaving the people poor and desperate (Judges 6:3-5). Gideon himself was threshing wheat in secret, hiding in a winepress to avoid detection - a sign of how low Israel had fallen. It’s in this moment of fear and obscurity that the angel of the Lord appears and calls him 'mighty man of valor,' setting the stage for God’s surprising choice of leader.
The Lord then says, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' - not because Gideon is strong, but because God is, launching a mission rooted in divine strength, not human ability.
The Divine Call and the Irony of 'This Might of Yours'
God’s call to Gideon - 'Go in this might of yours' - is not a compliment to his courage but a divine reframe of who Gideon truly is in God’s eyes, flipping his fear-filled reality on its head.
Gideon is hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress to avoid Midianite raiders, and when the angel calls him 'mighty man of valor,' it’s not mockery but mission. In a culture where honor was earned through visible strength and public courage, God bestows honor on a man who feels utterly unworthy and unseen.
The phrase 'this might of yours' doesn’t point to Gideon’s military skill or social standing - it points to the faith God will grow in him. The commissioning formula 'do not I send you?' echoes throughout Scripture, affirming that the sender - God - backs the mission with His presence. This same divine assurance appears later in Jeremiah 1:8, where God tells the hesitant prophet, 'Do not be afraid... for I am with you to deliver you,' showing that God’s call always comes with His support, not our sufficiency.
God Equips the Unlikely for His Deliverance
The story of Gideon reminds us that God often chooses the weak and hidden to do His strongest work, not because of who they are, but because of who He is.
When God says, 'Go in this might of yours,' He points to the power of His presence, not Gideon’s courage or skill. This is consistent with 2 Corinthians 4:6, which states, 'For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' Like Gideon, we do not need to be fully prepared. We only need a willingness to go when God sends us.
God doesn’t wait for us to feel strong - He uses us right where we are.
This moment in Judges shows a pattern throughout the Bible: God raises up ordinary people, fills them with His strength, and uses them to bring freedom. Real power comes through us from Him.
Gideon’s Call and the Pattern of God’s Messengers
Gideon’s commissioning follows a divine pattern seen in other key leaders - God calls the unsure, empowers them by His presence, and sends them on missions that accomplish His deliverance.
Just as the Lord said to Moses at the burning bush, 'I will be with you' (Exodus 3:12), and later Jesus assured His disciples, 'I am with you always, to the end of the age' (Matthew 28:20), God’s call to Gideon relies on divine companionship, not human confidence. These moments across Scripture reveal a consistent truth: God doesn’t wait for perfect messengers - He sends real ones, marked by weakness, to display His strength.
God sends the hesitant, just as He did Gideon, Moses, and finally His own Son.
In this way, Gideon’s story points forward to Jesus, the ultimate Messenger sent by the Father, not in weakness but to redeem the weak - fulfilling the mission Gideon only began.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I remember sitting in my car after a long day, feeling invisible - I was going through the motions, hiding my doubts and fears behind a smile. I didn’t feel strong, capable, or called. But reading Gideon’s story changed that. God did not call him after he had proven himself. He called him while he was scared and hiding. And He said, 'Go in this might of yours' - not because Gideon was mighty, but because God would be with him. That moment reminded me that my value isn’t in what I can do, but in who God says I am. When we stop waiting to feel ready and start trusting that God sends us as we are, everything shifts. Our weakness stops being a barrier and starts being the very place where God’s strength shows up.
Personal Reflection
- Where in your life are you waiting to feel strong before stepping forward, when God might be saying, 'Go as you are'?
- What 'hidden winepress' are you operating in - doing good things quietly out of fear rather than faith?
- How might believing that God is truly with you change the way you face a challenge today?
A Challenge For You
This week, identify one thing you’ve been avoiding because you feel unqualified or afraid. Step into it - not in your strength, but trusting that God’s presence is enough. And when doubt comes, remind yourself: 'He sends me.'
A Prayer of Response
Lord, I admit I often feel too weak, too small, too unsure to do what You’re asking. But You saw Gideon hiding and called him mighty. You send me, not because I’m ready, but because You are with me. Help me trust that Your strength is enough. Give me courage to step out, not in my power, but in the might of Your promise. Amen.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Judges 6:11-13
Sets the scene of Gideon’s fear and doubt, leading to God’s call in verse 14.
Judges 6:15-16
Shows Gideon’s hesitation and God’s reaffirmation of presence and power.
Connections Across Scripture
1 Samuel 16:7
God looks at the heart, not outward appearance, just as He saw Gideon’s potential.
Isaiah 41:10
A promise of divine strength for the weak, echoing God’s call to Gideon.
Acts 9:15
Jesus calls Saul, an unlikely vessel, showing God’s pattern of using the unexpected.