Part 1-2: The Fire on the Rock at Ophrah

Bible Reading:

Judges 6:1-6 — Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,  and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.

Judges 6:11-21 — Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” 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.” 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?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall [c]defeat the Midianites as one man.” 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. 18 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.” So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. 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 6:24-27 — So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” 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 6:34 — But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.

The Lord Revives His Work Through the Vessels in His Hand

This morning, we will reflect on the second flame of revival—the fire on the rock at Ophrah. The fire on Ophrah's rock points to key elements of revival. Before God revives His people, He first chooses a group of vessels to usher in that revival. These chosen vessels are often in a state of discouragement and despair. Thus, the Lord sends down fire to rekindle them, that they may be renewed in strength, receive His commission, and become witnesses for Him. Gideon serves as one of the finest examples among these vessels.

1. Israel’s Bitter Oppression by the Midianites

   After journeying through the wilderness and entering the land of Canaan, the Israelites soon forsook the Lord their God, bowing instead to the idols of Canaan. In response, the Lord handed them over to the Midianites, allowing them to be oppressed and ravaged. Similarly, when we turn away from the Lord, He may allow suffering and trials to come upon us, causing us to endure various forms of hardship and sorrowful living.

   1. Devastation of the Harvest

      Not only so, but whenever the Israelites sowed their crops, the Midianites would come and destroy all the produce of the land. In the same way today, the enemy—Satan—seeks to utterly ruin the spiritual nourishment of Christians, preventing them from living a healthy spiritual life. So, what does it mean to have our spiritual nourishment destroyed? For example, when you and I were first saved, we loved reading the Bible and had a deep desire to pray. Our spiritual appetite was strong, and our capacity to receive was rich and full. But what about now? Due to Satan’s destructive interference, we suffer from spiritual indigestion, losing our appetite and attraction to things spiritual. Reading Bible no longer stirs interest—eventually, we stop reading altogether. This is falling into the enemy’s scheme and submitting to his oppressive influence. We know that our spiritual food comes from God’s Word. If you cease to read His Word, naturally, you are left without nourishment. Or perhaps, you continue reading the Bible outwardly, but it has become a routine religious habit, devoid of genuine life supply. You receive no satisfaction. There’s no difference between reading and not reading. Some may not read the Bible at all anymore. This shows that the spiritual food has been completely destroyed by Satan.

      Let me ask you—not how many meetings you’ve attended, nor what services you’re involved in at church—but have you been receiving spiritual nourishment in these recent days? Do you still enjoy reading God’s Word? Does it satisfy your inner being? In meetings, whether during the Sunday morning message or Thursday evening Bible sharing, have you received supply through the messages or fellowship of the saints? Do you sense the Lord speaking to you? If not, it may be that your entire spiritual appetite—the field God has cultivated in you—has already been ravaged by the enemy, leaving you with no spiritual nourishment.

   2. Extreme Poverty

      Because of the Midianites, the Israelites became exceedingly impoverished. This illustrates the spiritual poverty of believers whose spiritual appetite has been ruined. Unable to absorb God’s Word, they lack spiritual supply and experience severe spiritual deficiency. When giving testimony, they have nothing new to share—only recounting their salvation years ago or other outdated stories. There’s no fresh experience, no forward progress in spiritual life. Brothers and sisters, if we find ourselves in such a pitiful condition, the Lord begins seeking a Gideon.

2. Threshing Wheat in the Winepress

   At a time when there was no food across the land of Israel, Gideon was found threshing wheat in a winepress. Although the Israelites had cultivated the land in Canaan, the Midianites had ravaged all the harvest, leaving nothing to gather. Naturally, with no one threshing wheat, there was no reason for anyone to press grapes in the winepress either. Yet in this hidden moment, Gideon secretly sowed grain, secretly harvested it, and was threshing it in the winepress. This scene speaks to the reality that, while many of God’s people today are enamored with the world and indulging in the desires of the flesh—losing interest in meetings, service, prayer, and Scripture—God finds a Gideon. This morning, the Lord is searching among us for a Gideon once more.

   Who Is Today’s Gideon? It is the one who sows in secret, who threshes alone in the winepress—whose spiritual roots run deep, and whose spiritual fruits are hidden. For example, when reading the Bible, this person receives nourishment from God’s Word—sweet and joyful—not only satisfying themselves, but also nourishing the brothers and sisters they fellowship with. That is today’s Gideon—faithfully threshing wheat in the winepress. Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus is seeking such people. May each of us respond to that call and become a Gideon. Some were Gideons in the past—let them continue to be so. Others were not, but let them be one today. May the Lord have mercy on us, so that not only do we read His Word each morning here in the mountains of Baguio, but also continue reading after we descend. When you draw near to the Lord, His presence will be with you. And your heart will be good soil for His Word (the seed), capable of yielding fruit a hundredfold, abundantly supplying others.

3. Discouraged and disappointed in the Lord's sacred commission

   When God found Gideon, what was his condition? Scripture tells us that he was deeply discouraged and disappointed regarding God's work and the divine commission. He had no faith and did not dare to accept the calling. When the angel of the Lord said, “he Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor” Gideon responded without faith: “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? " Because he did not sense the Lord’s presence, he had no confidence in the divine calling. Similarly, when the Lord entrusts us—to believe in Him, walk the path of revival, bring revival to the Church and across the land—we too respond with timidity, unbelief, and helplessness. Like Gideon, we say: “Lord, if You are with us, why are we facing such difficulties?” All we have is discouragement and despair! Our spirit becomes weary and faint!

   Gideon then said, "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.” In Gideon’s eyes, he could no longer see God’s works, so he naturally didn’t dare to accept the commission. Thus, he lacked the faith to take up God’s calling. He felt the Lord was not with him and saw no miracles. He believed the Lord had not stretched out His arm and was so discouraged that he thought they had been forsaken by God. But the Lord further commissioned him: “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” Gideon replied again: “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” This clearly shows how passive Gideon was before God's commission. Even though God longed to use him as a vessel of revival, Gideon was a man completely lacking in faith. And likewise today, when God desires to use us to manifest His work of revival, we too shrink back in fear like Gideon.

   
   

The Fire on the Rock of Ophrah Brought Spiritual Courage and Revival—Empowering Testimony and Victory over the Enemy

Praise the Lord! Here lies a tremendous spiritual turning point—the fire on the rock of Ophrah. This fire brought revival to the disheartened and despairing Gideon, renewed his strength to accept God’s commission, enabled him to bear testimony, and empowered him to overcome the enemy. Hallelujah!

Right after the Lord had spoken, Gideon prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them under the terebinth tree and presented to the Angel of the Lord. The Angel of God told him to lay the meat and the unleavened bread on the rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the Angel of the Lord reached out His staff and touched the meat and bread. Fire came out of the rock and consumed them completely. The “rock” is a symbol of Christ, and the “fire from the rock” represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from the ascended Christ, manifesting His marvelous works. The burning of the meat and bread signified God’s acceptance of Gideon’s offering. Thus, Gideon experienced a dramatic spiritual breakthrough—his discouragement and despair vanished like mist, and he was spiritually revived. Later, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he blew the trumpet to summon the people. Through Gideon’s hand, God delivered Israel and subdued the Midianites. He became a vessel used by God to bring revival to His people.

1. The Lamb Placed on the Rock

   Dear brothers and sisters, Gideon did not possess great strength or courage by nature to save the people of Israel. He was, like us, exceedingly weak—lacking ability, boldness, and faith in the Lord’s calling. Yet the fire on the rock at Ophrah stirred him to rise up, bringing him revival and a spiritual turning point. Thus, Gideon became a vessel for God's work of restoration. May this fire on the rock of Ophrah also burn among us, ignited by the Holy Spirit given through Christ, so that we too may be revived and experience a spiritual turning point.

   How was this fire brought forth? There are three key aspects to note: First, offering the Lamb. Gideon placed lamb meat on the rock—this symbolizes Christ as the accepted sacrifice and also Christ as our life. Just as the Israelites ate the lamb when they left Egypt, we too must experience “eating the lamb”—receiving Jesus Christ as our very life. Before the Israelites ate the lamb, they had to apply the lamb’s blood on their doorposts (Exodus 12:7). Only then could they eat the lamb with unleavened bread. Today, we must first experience the sin offering, repentance of our sins and let the blood of Christ cleanse us of all our sins. Then we can accept Christ as our life. As Colossians 3:4 declares: “When Christ who is our life appears...” This is a glorious salvation. The Israelites could walk out of Egypt into the wilderness because they had eaten the lamb—drawing strength for the journey. To leave behind worldly entanglements and walk the spiritual path, we must live out “Christ is our life.” He is our strength, our driving force inside, leading us along the heavenly, spiritual path of the cross.

   There was a young brother, a college student nearing graduation. Since believing in the Lord, his heart was full of joy, and his perspective on life was completely transformed. He thirsted deeply for the Lord, pursuing Him earnestly, and had wholly dedicated himself to serve the Lord for life. While still studying, he also devoted time to spiritual learning. He joined morning prayer groups, went to class afterward, and spent all available time at the meeting hall reading the Word, praying, and seeking the Lord. This is a vivid testimony of Christ as life—overflowing with divine energy and spiritual vitality.

   Dear brothers and sisters, those who let Christ be their life walk in spiritual strength. They serve tirelessly, love Biible reading, cherish prayer, fear the Lord Jesus, love fellow believers, gladly serve, and joyfully love others—displaying the beauty of Christ in every moment and circumstance. If Christ is our life, we can walk the heavenly path. Or else how much we serve the Lord, care for others or how heavy the burden we bear, we are still weak to go forward. "Christ is our life" is the experience of offering the lamb on the rock. Only when He truly becomes our life, we can overcome worldly currents, the bondage of sin, earthly temptations, and even the power of Satan. We gain strength upon strength, running on the way to Zion. As the Word of the Lord promises in Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV): “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.” In this situation, the fire of revival will ignite naturally and powerfully.

2. Unleavened Bread on the Rock

   Secondly, offer unleavened bread. On that day, Gideon offered lamb meat and also unleavened bread. Then fire came out from the rock and consumed both the meat and the unleavened bread. Unleavened bread symbolizes a life without sin. If we live a sinless and holy life, it will also bring forth the fire of revival. On one hand, we let Christ be our life; on the other, we let Christ be our holiness, enabling us to live a holy life. First Corinthians 1:30 says, “Christ Jesus, who has become...from God...our...holiness..." We have no holiness in ourselves, nor are we capable of being holy—it is God who makes Christ our holiness. Praise the Lord! When the Lord Jesus enters, His holy life dwells within us, and all that is defiled and unholy is driven out by that holy life, allowing us to live a holy life day by day. Hallelujah!

   Brothers and sisters, you must be holy, because the Lord’s word tells us: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14), for God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). Our spirit is a holy spirit, and the triune God we believe in is the Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit—entirely holy. This meeting on the mountain is a holy assembly; we are a group of saints set apart. But in reality, are you and I living in holiness? Let me ask: Is our hair holy? Is our face holy? Is our clothing holy? Is our whole body holy? Are our words, attitudes, lifestyle, and actions holy? If not, if we have not offered unleavened bread, then we can not expect the fire of revival to descend. The fire of revival absolutely requires us to offer unleavened bread and live a holy life. That’s why Romans 12 begins with consecration and then immediately tells us, “Do not conform to this world” (Romans 12:2).

   Praise the Lord—yesterday, one brother obeyed. He felt his hairstyle was inappropriate, so he went and got a haircut. May our clothing, speech, attitude, and especially our intentions and motives all be holy—our entire being holy. Then the fire will descend, and we will see revival in the church. The main reason the church is not revived today is partly due to the invasion of sin, but even more so due to the subtle infiltration of worldly unholiness. If we are willing to thoroughly judge and cast out sin and worldly defilement, making the church holy, then we will immediately see great revival—and we will all be revived.

   Recently, we’ve been helping people who hear the gospel to be baptized. We found a young man who had just come to faith. Not only did he offer lamb meat, but he also offered unleavened bread. In the past, to make money, he would socialize and often take influential people to night club. But after hearing the gospel and accepting Jesus as his Savior and life, he felt deeply troubled and uneasy when he considered going to night club again. So he resolved to earn less money rather than lead people into sin at the night club. Brothers and sisters, here is someone who, after believing in Jesus, offered unleavened bread. The holy life within him compelled him to overcome an unholy lifestyle.

   In this adulterous and evil generation, not only is dancing sinful—even listening to worldly music is unholy. We should sing spiritual hymns as much as possible—the more we sing, the more joyful and liberated we become. It refreshes us, lifts our spirits, and brings release. As for popular secular songs, they should not be sung. Young people may carelessly sing them, and some may not sing outwardly but hum them inwardly. Then there’s television—I’m not saying all TV is off-limits. News, weather reports, educational science programs, or sports broadcasts—I wouldn’t say you can’t watch those. But many other programs will leave you unable to pray. Some unholy and defiled content enters your mind through your eyes and settles in your heart, making you an unholy person. So we must be very careful. Anything that makes us unholy must be rejected. If we truly offer both lamb meat and unleavened bread, we will surely invite the fire of holiness to descend among us.

3. Pouring Out the Broth from the Pot

   Thirdly, pour out the broth. The angel of God instructed Gideon to pour out the broth from the pot, because offerings never included broth. Gideon obeyed the Lord’s command and poured it out. This symbolizes the need to empty ourselves of human talent, strategies, proposals, regulations, opinions, and preferences—all of which are like broth. Only when these are completely poured out can the holy fire, the consuming fire, the fire of revival descend.

   “So he said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ’ says the Lord of hosts.”— (NKJV)

   May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to deeply understand this truth: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit." (Zechariah 4:6) The work of the Holy Spirit is only manifested in Christ as our life and in a holy lifestyle. It is never revealed through human talent, power, or methods. The Holy Spirit does not endorse “man-made” efforts. He only reveals His wondrous power and incomparable glory in “God-ordained” works. May all who desire to serve the Lord come to see this divine principle.

   
   

Jehovah-Shalom

After Gideon witnessed the fire coming out from the rock at Ophrah, he cried out, “Alas… I am undone…” But the Lord comforted him, saying:“Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it "Jehovah-Shalom", meaning “The Lord is Peace.” This altar became a sign of testimony—a witness to the fire that came from the rock. It was the visible mark of Gideon’s encounter with the divine.

Dear brothers and sisters, we are all witnesses of Christ on earth today. But can we become testimonies of the Lord’s peace, stability, and victory? The key lies in the fire that comes from the rock. When the work of the Holy Spirit comes upon us, the altar of Jehovah-Shalom is raised, and the Lord’s testimony is revealed. Wherever the Holy Spirit is at work—wherever there is fire—there is testimony. Where the Spirit is absent, there is no true testimony. At most, there may be altars built by human effort, but they are not altars of witness. When heavenly fire descends and the Holy Spirit works powerfully, the altar that is raised becomes Jehovah-Shalom—an altar of testimony. It declares that the Lord gives peace, the Lord preserves, the Lord watches over, and the Lord blesses. In all things, He takes full responsibility.

Tearing Down Baal’s Altar and Cutting Down the Asherah Pole

After Gideon built the altar, the Lord spoke to him that very night, commanding him to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the wooden image beside it. Gideon obeyed the Lord’s command. This act symbolized the destruction of the enemy’s stronghold and a great spiritual victory. When our Lord Jesus was on the cross, He triumphed over the one who held the power of death—the devil. (Hebrews 2:14) The aged Apostle John declared:“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) Moreover, God entrusted authority to the Church, that whatever the church binds on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever thhe church looses on earth will be loosed in heaven.”(Matthew 18:18) And indeed, on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, revival fire came from heaven. The Church triumphed gloriously. In the name of the Lord, the gospel was preached, and three thousand souls were saved and baptized in one day, delivered from Satan’s dominion and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Signs and wonders followed, and Satan was put to shame and driven back. Thus, the Book of Acts records the Church’s victory over the enemy:“But the word of God grew and multiplied.” (Acts 12:24) “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” (Acts 19:20)

The Spirit of the Lord Came Upon Gideon

Later, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, entrusting him with the mission of revival. Gideon accepted this divine calling, blew the trumpet, and gathered the people of Israel to deliver them from the hand of the Midianites. His entire life became devoted to the work of revival. Today, the Lord also desires to fill us with His Spirit, that we may be used to join in the ranks of His revival work.

May the fire that fell on the rock at Ophrah—the fire that gave Gideon spiritual courage, revival power, and the ability to bear witness, overcome the enemy, and fulfill his divine calling—also fall among us today!

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