Judges 8: Past Victories

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When are you most tempted by sin? You can be tired, hungry, stressed out, or many other times. But we are never in more danger to fall into sin then after a great victory. God used Gideon to destroy the Midianites but the danger for Gideon came after he won the battle.

The Israelites wanted Gideon to rule over them as their king (v. 22). He wisely declined, well sort of. His actions show that he actually lived like he was their king, only he would not admit when they asked formally. He treated his fellow Israelites harshly (vv. 5-9, 13-17). He claimed their enemies’ symbols of royalty. He treated the death of his brothers as royal assassinations (vv. 18-20). Gideon lived like their king and request of giving the gold earrings proved their submission to him. His treachery does not end there. The ephod which Gideon makes sets up a graven image of himself for Israel to worship. This is the first time a leader of Israel has openly lead the people into idolatry against their God.

Gideon’s failure is far too common. He knew God but his thinking became futile and exchanged God’s glory for images of his own (Romans 1:21-23). God used Gideon to deliver his people from their physical enemies but only through Christ could Israel be truly delivered from their own wickedness. What Gideon could not do, Christ could. As Gideon set up an image of himself to worship, only Christ is worthy to be worshiped as the true reflection of the Father. As Gideon tried to live as a king only Christ is the true king who sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

The author of Judges knows we need a king, but it is not a human king that we need. Rather a king who is the image of God and supreme over all creation (Col 1:15-20). We need God himself to rule over us, anything or anyone else will end in disaster. We must be vigilant to remain following God after a great victory or we could fall into temptation. Let us then remain Christ centered at all times and not rest on past victories.

Posted by Aaron Miner