Judges 6

LORD God of Israel

That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; Judges 6:8–10

An unnamed prophet delivers Jehovah's words in the first person: He is the God who brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Jesus Christ, as Jehovah, was Israel's Deliverer long before His mortal ministry.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him · a traditional type, cited

• alludes to Exodus 20:2 — "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" - the prophet repeats the preface of the Ten Commandments.

Angel of the LORD

Angel of the LORD - messenger of Jehovah

And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. Judges 6:11–12

A heavenly messenger of Jehovah appears to Gideon while he hides his wheat from the enemy. The Lord sees what a frightened young man can become and calls him a mighty man of valour.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a traditional type, cited

• the same title in Exodus 3:2 — "And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" - the same title, and likewise at the call of a deliverer of Israel.
• the same title in Judges 5:23 — The angel of the LORD speaks for Jehovah in Deborah's song, one chapter earlier.

Jehovah speaking to Gideon

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? Judges 6:14–16

The narrator now says 'the LORD' looked upon Gideon and spoke, so the voice in this meeting is Jehovah's own. He sends Gideon and promises 'Surely I will be with thee,' the same promise He gave Moses, and the same presence Christ promises His disciples.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4) · the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

• alludes to Exodus 3:12 — "Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee" - the same promise and the same 'I have sent thee' at the call of Moses, which Gideon's call closely follows.

Offering accepted by fire from the rock

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. Judges 6:19–21

Gideon's offering of a kid and unleavened bread is laid on a rock, and heavenly fire consumes it as a sign that the Lord accepts it. Sacrifice was given as a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten, so every accepted offering pointed forward to Christ.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a footnote points to Him · the chapter heading names Him

• interpreted by Moses 5:7 — "This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth" - the revealed meaning of sacrifice.
• alludes to Leviticus 9:24 — "And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering" - the same sign of an offering accepted, and the Church's own footnote here.

Jehovahshalom

Jehovah-shalom - The LORD is peace

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. Judges 6:22–24

Terrified that he has seen a heavenly being face to face, Gideon hears the LORD say, 'Peace be unto thee; fear not.' He names the altar Jehovahshalom, 'the LORD is peace.' Jesus Christ, the premortal Jehovah, is the Prince of Peace, and after His Resurrection He greeted His frightened disciples with those same words.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

• the same title in Exodus 17:15 — "And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi" - the same practice of building an altar and naming it with the divine name Jehovah; the Church's own footnote here.

Burnt sacrifice on the rock

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: Judges 6:25–28

Jehovah commands Gideon to tear down Baal's altar and offer a burnt sacrifice to the true God on a rock. Turning from false gods to the sacrifice the Lord appointed points Israel back to the ordinance that foreshadowed Christ's Atonement.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · the chapter heading names Him

• interpreted by Moses 5:7 — Sacrifice is 'a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father.'