JUDGES 8
Read Judges 8:1-21
Gideon started his service for the Lord back in Chapter 6 taking on the gods of his own family and townsfolk and coping well with the opposition that brought. Then in Chapter 7 he took on the Midianites and defeated them with the help of one of the other Israelite tribes, notably the Ephraimites (7:24-25). Now, in Chapter 8, Gideon has to contend with God’s people. Firstly, the Ephraimites, who although they helped Gideon, were put out that he did not consult them before initiating hostilities. Gideon showed true leadership by placating the Ephraimites (8:2-3), but then when he asked the men of Succoth (fellow Israelites) for food for his starving men, they refused. So did the men of Peniel. They were concerned that the Midianites might return and take reprisals upon them for helping Gideon. In serving God and fighting God’s enemies, Gideon ended up by being opposed by God’s own people because of their pride or their fear. How sad it is when God’s people are divided and turn on one another. It is a problem these days as much as it was in the days of the Judges. We see Christian denominations opposing one another and we also see divisions within denominations (as we know ourselves from the recent issues within the Church of Scotland on gay marriage and suchlike). Do pray for unity amongst the people of God – but not at the expense of honouring and obeying his word.
Read Judges 8:22-35
After an uncertain start Gideon has shown good leadership of God’s people. He turned the people away from idolatry, he proved himself to be a good militarily leader and he dealt with dissent among the different tribes of Israel. And at first this strong leadership continues. The Israelites want to make him king and to found an hereditary monarchy. Gideon wants none of this and tells them in no uncertain terms, ‘The Lord will rule over you’. But then his touch seems to have deserted him. He called for all the loot plundered from the enemy to be made in to a priestly garment called an ephod. He may have rejected the role of King but it seems that he wanted to assume another role to which he was not called to by God. And then we see that everybody came and worshipped this man-made object which we are told, ‘became a snare to Gideon’. Gideon started off by getting rid of the false gods and idols but ended up by creating an idol himself and turning the people away from God. This is a reminder to us that even the most prominent of Christians can fall. I am sure we all know of high profile Christian leaders who fell to earth by compromising with the standards of this world and turned away from God. We need to pray for such leaders, but also to beware of putting them on a pedestal.
And then we get that déjà vu feeling all over again. ‘No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals’, and forgot their God (vv33-34).