Year 1, Day 269: Judges 8

Judges 8 is a chapter with a lot of gore, quick moving action, and difficult-to-keep-straight-names.  But that’s okay.  We’ll make something good come out of a difficult chapter to read!

Accusation

Chapter 8 opens with the people of Ephraim coming and accusing him of not inviting them to the battle until after it was already joined.  Which – from a human perspective - it is true.  However, they could not know that God only planned on using 300 men to illustrate His power to Gideon.  Furthermore, we do see in the end of chapter 7 that once the battle had been joined then the Ephraimites were invited to the battle and it was them who actually took control back from the Midianites over most of the land.  They played a very significant role in the battle; they just weren’t in on phase 1. 

From a human perspective they had a right to feel wronged.  If we consider this from an angle of pride, they have a point.  But from God’s perspective they precisely played the role God desired them to play.

So look at what Gideon does.  Gideon doesn’t argue that they are wrong – because he knows in one manner of speaking they were right.  Gideon doesn’t put them in their place by mounting a high theological horse and telling them that he knew God’s plan better than they did.  Gideon simply humbles himself and reminds them that regardless of the part played, the Ephraimites did the lion’s share of the work and therefore had no reason to feel shamed for not being invited at the beginning.  Gideon solves the conflict by humbling himself and lifting up the other person.  So often the best way out of tension brought about by pride is to lower oneself and lift up the other person.

Pursuit of the Midianite Kings

Then Gideon turns to the pursuit of the Midianite princes.  He does capture them along the way, making enemies in Succoth and Penuel.  There are some that argue that Gideon is wrong in returning retribution upon those who do not join the fight (Succoth and Penuel).  Since we know that God can fight for Himself – and God does say, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” – there is a point to this line of thinking.  Clearly Gideon was able to accomplish God’s will without aid from Succoth and Penuel.

On the other hand, Gideon is God’s appointed judge over the land.  Gideon’s primary job is to find unfaithful behavior, root it out, chasten it, and bring it back to an understanding of humility and servitude towards God.  Clearly the people of Succoth and Penuel are unwilling to be a part of God’s effort when invited.  Therefore, in my estimation, they are dutifully judged.  I don’t personally see any need to think that Gideon overstepped his bounds in this chapter – well, at least, not regarding Succoth and Penuel.

Gideon’s Fault

However, we do see that Gideon has one major fault: pride.  Gideon captures the Midianite princes and executes them.  Then the people come towards him and ask for Gideon to rule over them.  On the surface it appears that Gideon does the right thing.  Gideon refuses to rule over them and says that God is their ruling authority!  This appears to be a great statement of faith.

But appearances are often deceiving.

Let’s temper Gideon’s statement with the evidence that we actually see before us in the rest of the chapter.  In ancient Middle-eastern culture it was proper etiquette to refuse an offer such as leadership when it was offered the first time.  It was simply etiquette to refuse the first offer!  Everyone knew that etiquette said the offer would be accepted once the people who were asking had truly demonstrated their sincerity about the request.  This was usually done when the people making the request would then offer up some kind of tribute.

Don’t we see Gideon taking a tribute for his efforts after the battle is done?  When Gideon refuses to be king, He isn’t making a faith statement about God.  Gideon is actually testing the sincerity of their offer. 

Need proof that what I am saying is true?  Look into the Bible.  What does Judges 8:27 tell us that Gideon does with their tribute?  Gideon creates and ephod.  Now we are getting somewhere.

Remember in the exodus story that an ephod was made for Aaron.  Ephods are garments that are given to the chief priests of a deity.  The fact that Gideon makes a golden ephod for himself is telling us about the growth of Gideon’s ego.  In addition, notice that the Hebrew people are said to “whore after it” as well as the fact that it becomes a snare for Gideon and his family!  This is a huge indication that Gideon is thinking of himself a little more highly than he ought to think and not putting as much emphasis on God’s rule over them as he should.  Gideon’s words are one thing.  His actions show an entirely different side to Gideon.

Furthermore, let’s look more deeply at Gideon’s claim about not wanting to rule over them.  We know that Judges 8:23 tells us that Gideon refuses to rule over them.  But we also know that Gideon has a son named Abimelech after his fame and his harem has grown substantially.  Abimelech literally means “My Father is King.”  This seems to point us to the fact that Gideon’s refusal was not as genuine or adamant as it first appears.  Gideon was testing the Hebrew people to get a tribute knowing full well that he was going to accept rule over the Hebrew people once they provided a good enough tribute.

Focusing Back Upon God’s Hand

In the end, God did use a human like Gideon to free the Hebrew people from the Midianites.  Along the way, God took a fledgling in the faith and turned him into a strong man of God.  As is true with most of the heroes in the Bible, Gideon was not without his faults. 

Gideon didn’t always do what he should have done.  Gideon was not perfect.  In the end, his actions actually enable – or at least encourage – the Hebrew people to fall back into the worship of something that is not God. 

This is the danger of leadership.  The wiles of the world will use any method to get to a person.  Unless we are very careful at every turn, they will get to a person and lead them down the path of sin, self-mongerism, and falling away from the identity that God has called us to be in the world.  Not even God’s chosen judges – or His priests or His kings for that matter – are immune to the corruptive influences of this world.

<><