We saw that Gideon tore down the shrine of Baal and Asherah and built a new altar there to the LORD. Further on, we see that he is to use the wood of the Asherah pole, which he cuts down, for the sacrifice of the bull. The old covenant is being abolished and fulfilled in the new covenant.
Judges 6
26 …and take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole, which you will cut down.
27 Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s house and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.
Burnt Offering
Gideon was to offer the bull. The slaughter of the sacrificial animal speaks of the death of Christ. After the slaughter, the sacrificial animal was elevated on the altar and ascended “for a sweet aroma to the LORD” (Ex. 29:18; Num. 15:3). This is a representation of the resurrection and ascension of Christ. The phrase “offer him as a burnt offering” literally means: offer it up as a burnt offering.
Priestly
Gideon receives the command from God to sacrifice the bull. In doing so, Gideon fulfills a priestly function, something that was impossible under the old covenant, because this was reserved for the tribe of Levi (Num. 3:5-10) and he was not a Levite (Judg. 6:15). In this, Gideon is a type of Christ, who was not of the tribe of Levi, yet was High Priest. However, not according to the order of Aaron and the old covenant, but according to the manner of Melchizedek and the new covenant (Heb. 7:11-17).
hidden
What Gideon does is twice described as taking place at night (verses 25 and 26). Night is a picture of our time (Rom. 13:12), when Israel is in darkness and unaware. Gideon did his work in secret, a picture of the hiddenness.
Gideon is not yet a leader of Israel, but he is called and appointed by God. Before he becomes judge of Israel, he fulfills a priestly task. In this, he is a picture of Christ, who, before the people of Israel recognize Him as Savior, does a priestly work in secret.
David
We know of more examples in Scripture of people who behaved priestly but were not of the tribe of Levi. A good example of this is David, who had already been anointed (Hebrew: mashiach) as king (1 Sam. 16:13), but was not yet on the throne. He was fleeing from Saul, and just before David hid in Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1), he was on a secret mission and came to the tabernacle with the priest Ahimelech. There he took the showbread and ate it (1 Sam. 21:1-6). Under the old covenant, this showbread was reserved for the priests; only they were permitted to eat it (Lev. 24:9).
David, who was not a Levite but from the tribe of Judah, is also a type of Christ here. He does a work in secret and is both King and Priest, after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1).