Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” (Judges 8:13)

Gideon asks the question that so many have asked since: Why has this happened, and where are the miracles our fathers told us about? 

How many of us grew up hearing the old stories: wonders in Egypt, crossing seas, signs from God of His might, power, and ability to save His people? 

To the first question, the bad Israel faced in the early life of Gideon was because of their failure to honor God and keep His commandments (see Judges 6:1). The truth bears repeating: sometimes the bad we face in life is because we have been sweet-talking bad. The Book of Judges reminds us of the principle that when we court wickedness, we should not be surprised when it shows up and burns our crops. Sadly, there is also the possibility that we will face wickedness in this world because Satan is alive and well. Job was righteous but suffered. Paul was faithful to God but suffered. Jesus was as faithful as faithfulness gets, and still suffered. 

The second question is fair: Where are the miracles? Gideon was raised on the “old Bible class stories.” Maybe you have wrestled with this question; it seems like many have. God worked wonders in Egypt, Canaan, Israel, Babylon, Persia, Galilee, Asia Minor, and Greece. Is God still working today? In Gideon’s world, God was about to work wonders in His life. This is beautiful. Gideon asked: “God, you worked through our fathers; what are you doing now?” God’s response: “I’m going to use you; rise up, rally the people, drive out the Midianites, and see the wonders again.”

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:14)

Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. (Judges 6:21)

So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night. (Judges 6:27). 

God was at work in Gideon’s world. God is at work in our world. While He might not be burying armies in the seas today, He might not be sending plagues on arrogant nations—at least nothing that He’s informed us He’s doing—He is no less actively at work in this world.