Judges 6:31

Will ye plead for Baal? Gideon’s father, who had been told of the angel’s visit (PP 547), had been inspired with courage by his son’s daring act. Now he fearlessly took Gideon’s part. “If Baal is indeed a deity, he can take care of himself,” he reasoned with the angry mob. “Why do you poor villagers have to take Baal’s part? You have worshiped him as the Lord of heaven. Is he not able to take care of himself? By taking his part you would indicate that Baal has no power of himself; so by your own reasoning you are the ones that should be put to death. As for my son who destroyed Baal’s altar, grant Baal a little time for an opportunity to avenge himself.” With this reasoning Gideon’s father persuaded the men to wait and see what Baal would do. He knew that in popular outbreaks like this the intense feeling would die down and the opposition vanish if a little time could be gained. He was probably fully convinced that Baal was powerless to harm his son. His stratagem worked. Popular feeling, which is so changeable, soon swung to the side of Gideon, and he was justified and accepted as a leader in Manasseh.