Ouch! So close!

Judges 8:18-9:21; Psalm 99; Proverbs 14:9-10

 

We need a better leader than Gideon. He has an impressive résumé, but not impressive enough.

 

Personally recruited the angel of the LORD. Check.

 

Be graced by nifty miracles that prove God is with me—fire burst from a rock, selective placement of dew twice in a row. Check. Check. Check.

 

Survive after demolishing father’s idols. Check.

 

Send 31,700 soldiers away. With the LORD’s help, still defeat the Midianites with only 300 men. Check.

 

Get invited to rule Israel. Humbly turn down the offer. Check.

 

Take a share of the plunder, melt it down, make an ephod. Worship it. WHAT WAS GIDEON THINKING? (Judges 8:27)

 

David sinned and was forgiven. But the story of his repentance is recorded for us. We don’t have that story recorded in Gideon’s case. Maybe it happened. I hope so. But here we have yet another story—from our own Scriptures—demonstrating that God’s grace is able to flow to His people even through deeply flawed men. During Gideon's lifetime, the land enjoyed peace forty years. – Judges 8:28. What a good God we have.

 

Father, I don’t even know where Gideon is now. He was a hero of the faith (Hebrews 11:32). But this is how his story ends—worshiping the plunder rather than the warrior God who captured the plunder—living in idolatry. Is he with You now? Is he crying out in misery? Father, be gracious, please. Lead us not into temptation. We are weak and stupid. We need your wisdom, your faithfulness, your strength. Thank You for being so gracious, even when You choose to work through such weak men as Gideon. How much more grace You have poured out through Your perfect, sinless, ever-faithful Son, Jesus Christ! Keep me in Your grace throughout His eternal life. Thank You for Jesus!