Uh-oh! This morning’s reading has a strange feel to it. Chapter eight begins with the people of Ephraim accusing Gideon of slighting them. The people of Ephraim are warrior people. They have fought some impressive battles and won them. Yet, they are upset they were not invited to Gideon’s battle with the Midianites! Isn’t it interesting that Ephraim was content enough to do nothing about the oppression of their enemy, that is until Gideon begins to conquer the enemy? Ephraim wants in on the glory of victory and gets upset that they weren’t invited! For Gideon, no good deed goes left unpunished!
Once the victory is secured, the Israelites ask Gideon to be their ruler. Gideon refuses! He says the LORD is their ruler! But in the same breath, Gideon does ask for some of the spoils of war. He ends up with 43 pounds of gold, not including royal ornaments, pendants, purple clothing, and the chains that go on the necks of camels. So, what does Gideon do with this wealth?
Gideon made a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. (Judges 8:27, NLT)
Oh no! Hadn’t Israel cried out to the LORD God for deliverance from the Midianites? Weren’t they living in caves and starving? Yes, and God heard their cry and sent them deliverance! And what do they do? They get bent out of shape over who gets credit for the victory. Gideon loses his sense and makes a golden ephod, and Israel worships it! Yes, Israel may have conquered the Midianites, but they hadn’t conquered themselves or their lusts.
This morning’s reading reminded me of what the Apostle Paul says to us believers as he speaks of Israel.
These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. (1 Corinthians 10:11–12, NLT)
Oh, how easy it is to be our own worst enemy, become the center of our own (very small) universe, and forget God’s daily mercies, just like Israel did! How we must die to ourselves daily! We must pick up our cross and follow Jesus’s lowly example. We must set our affection on things above. We need the grace of humility daily. If we don’t keep our eyes on Jesus, we will turn inward and implode from our pride, self-centeredness, and a sense of entitlement when it is He who has done so much for us!
Let us rejoice in Christ, share in His sufferings, and be made conformable to His death! Let it be our overarching desire to know Him and Him crucified!
Thank you for joining with me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Judges 8:1-9:57.