Gideon’s Success and Failure
In today’s reading from the English Bible we learn about Gideon’s great victory with a small army, and about Gideon’s great sin and a large family.
- Many are called, but few are chosen (7:1-8)
- Encouraged by someone else’s dream (7:9-15)
- This little light of mine (7:16-22)
- Asking others to (re)join the fight (7:23-25)
- Offended by not being invited earlier (8:1-3)
- Faint, yet pursuing; and none would help (8:4-17)
- An eye for an eye (8:18-21)
- The dangers of early retirement (8:22-28)
- Gideon-gone and forgotten; and Gideon’s God forgotten, too (8:29-35)
Meditation Points:
- “lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.” (Judges 7:2). We do (sometimes) take credit for what God has done; and we shouldn’t.
- 22,000 to 10,000 to 300. Imagine what they said back at denominational headquarters when this report came in.
- “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon” (Judges 7:18-20). Let your light so shine that others may see and be confounded in the midst of the darkness.
- The smaller force gave way to a much larger Israelite attack on the Midianites.
- Have you ever been upset because you weren’t invited to fight for the Lord (Judges 8:1)?
- In the battle between good and evil there is no neutrality; if you are not for God, then you are against Him.
- The people wanted to establish Gideon and his posterity as king (Judges 8:22). Gideon refused the honor and authority, commending the people to the divine King.
- But Gideon did accept an honorarium which he misused in establishing public idolatry (Judges 8:27). Can you believe it?
- Is it any wonder that his influence died with him, and Israel quickly fell again into Baal worship (Judges 8:33). Will your testimony for good outlive you?
[print_link]
Ελληνικό Site