Have you been disappointed with Christians? Many people which i know have been to church or even was active in church and now left the church, when asked why, the answer is because of disappointment. Some of them does not want to go to church anymore, and think that it is better to not go to church as long as they do good deeds, and some of them had refuse to believe in Jesus Christ anymore. Here, we are going to look at the end of Gideon’s life which the bible note as a lesson to all of us to keep. It is a lesson about endurance just like what Paul has mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” I am not saying that it is a right reason to be disappointed with people and leave our faith. It is completely wrong, as there is no one except Jesus that is perfect. We are all a sinner, and we should not see or follow any person, but instead we have to see and follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But having said that, on the other end, It is important to live a life that becomes a blessing, a salt and light to the world and not be a stumbling block to others.
The end story of Gideon is a sad story that Bible noted. We may have seen someone in our life that we respect: maybe he is a pastor, or he is the one that we look up, a person who consults us when we have difficult times, but in the end of his life, he became somebody that is totally a stranger. He changed to someone that does not believe God, or He live a life that is far from what he taught us. Have we met such person in our life? It is normal, and that is human. Human changed, and again don’t look at human, but look at Jesus! I would like to quote from Keith Krell from his sermon which you can read here, that “Greatness does not guarantee permanence.” This is what happen at the end of Gideon’s life. Gideon is a man that has seen God’s power in defeating the midianites. God led Gideon to bring only with 300 people to face the enemy (in judges 7:12 it was told that the midianites and amalekites and all the people of the East is like a locusts in abundance). God chose only 300 people, so that they can’t boast and the glory be to God alone. Furthermore, the bible noted that what those 300 people did was to blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade. In the end Gideon and his army won the battle - God gave the victory to Israel..
But as soon as they taste such victory, verse 22 notes that Israelites said to Gideon to be their King, and not just a king, they want Gideon to make a dynasty! Gideon and his descendants to rule over Israel. This request is a problem: first, Israel lift Gideon up more than what he should be. God should rule over Israel, but Israel lift a man to rule over them. Israel chose an instrument more than the master of the instrument. Gideon is just an instrument used by God. How often we share the same mistake as what Israel did? We tends to lift a person up more than what he deserve. We often look for people’s acceptance more than what God pleased. What we do, or what we think, sometimes is being shadowed by someone that we look up (eg: a pastor, a bible study leader, an evangelist, sunday school teacher) instead of being derived from a heart that wants to please God. This means that Israel chose something not in God’s will: God raise Gideon as a judge and not a king. God wants to rule over Israel, but Israel chose not. This is not what God’s will is.
So how did Gideon response to such request? verse 23 Gideon said “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.” Gideon refuse their request straight away. He even reminded them that it was not his place to take the throne over Israel, but God is. God is their king and not him and his descendants! Unfortunately, the rest of the story doesn’t prove that he acted like one. First, he asked the Israelites to give him an earring from the plunder. This seems not much, but when added it was such a big fortune. He said that he won’t rule over Israel, but here this request made Gideon looks like the ruler. This was not appropriate as it lifted Gideon up more than what he deserves.Moreover, he turned from God to a gold. Next, he made it into an ephod and put it in his home city, in Oprah, which the bible noted that because of this, all Israel played the harlot with the ephod there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. Remember the event in Joshua 6:25-32, where God asked Gideon to tear down the altar of Baal, and Gideon did it? Now why Gideon built it again? Did Gideon not remember what God asked in the past, and what he had done? Why did he make an idol again? After all the success that God gave, Gideon now live a life for himself and does not acknowledge God as his King - he returned to an “idol” of his youth. His words to Israel before were humble but his actions were not. It is easier to talk about humility and service to God than it is to actually live it, isn’t it? Moreover, in verse 29-30 it was mentioned that Gideon “retired” and he wanted to enjoy life and had seventy sons, for he had many wives. He claimed that he deserved to have a maximum pleasures, as he has been the “hero”, and now it is time for he to enjoy living in wealth, and please his lust desire with many wives. The words “for he had many wives” has a meaning of a negative cause here. It tells us Gideon’s inability to control his sexual lust, it was a way for him to proudly express his wealth, by saying "look at all the wives and children I can support." To make things worst, he had child from Canaanite (in Shechem) concubine. God asked Israel to eradicate Canaan (Judges 7:2, Exodus 34:15-16), but now Gideon sets a bad example by taking a canaanite concubine. His son from his concubine was named “Abimelech” which means “my father, a king”. Isn’t that a contradictory to what he said before? This is what i mean that his action proves otherwise. Even he said that he does not want to rule Israel, his action does not prove so. He claimed himself as a king, and he intended to make a his own dynasty - his son to lead Israel. "Perhaps it is easier to honour God in some courageous action in the limelight of a time of national emergency than it is to honour Him consistently in the ordinary, everyday life, which requires a different kind of courage." (Cundall)
Throughout his career, we see Gideon’s life as a man who slipped from a man of obedience to a man of rebellion against God. Again, this reminds us that human changes; human greatness does not guarantee permanence. How God would react to Gideon? verse 28 really puzzled me. God response is patience. God gave rest for forty years! Midian was subdued and they raised their heads no more. It was peace there, while God’s people was doing what is against our God. How could God let that happen? even how did Gideon die? verse 32 again puzzled me: “And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Gideon tasted victory, and he enjoyed living in wealth and idolatry until the end of his age. I would assume and pretty sure by seeing his attitude, he also fails to do what God has reminded to tell God’s command to his sons, which what happen in Judges 2 as well where the new generations arose and fell keeping God’s command because the first generation fails to tell God’s command. The same mistakes was repeated.” Sometimes we ask to God, why did you let that happen God? why did you let the wicked live a happy life? I am reminded from what Psalm 73 says that truly God actually set them in slippery places; God make them fall to ruin. It is true that it seems everything is ok in Gideon’s life, but Gideon’s attitude has made things worst: first as soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god, and they did not remember the LORD their God who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side. Not just that, they did not show steadfast love to the family of Gideon in return for all the good that he had done to Israel. How could one imagine that this would happen?! The name Baal-Berith means "Baal of the Covenant." which means Israelites sadly regarded Baal as their "covenant god." What has Gideon did??! Because of his action, Israel is now to be what displease the LORD. Not just that, his son: Gideon’s legacy continues to chapter 9 - Abimelech has made a horrific act that destroy Gideon’s family and also against the LORD. Abimelech claimed himself as a king and did a brutal act to murder the rest of Gideon’s son (which is his brother), except Joash for he hid himself and managed to escape. Abimelech’s coronation was never accepted by God and in fact it was a blasphemies act. Why i said it is never been accepted by God? Abimelech is not chosen by God, but he chose himself. Abimelech convinced his brothers on his mother's side to support him as king over his brothers on his father's (Gideon's) side. The same thing as the people that supports Abimelech, they are wrong because they agree of what is “good” in their own eyes, what’s beneficial for them instead of to follow God’s will. And so what happen next? Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to kill all his brothers on his father's side, to make certain there would never be a challenger to his leadership.Can you imagine if Gideon is still alive and saw his sons was slaughtered one by one on the oak of pillar. This thing won’t happen if Gideon does not take a mistress in Shechem, and if he lives a life in obedience.
At the end of the chapter however, we see God’s judgement towards Abimelech and to Shechem people who supports Abimelech exactly follows what Jotham has warned to the men of Shechem. Jotham's warned the men of Shechem that their unwise choice will come back to hurt them. He predicted that "fire" would come forth from Abimelech and devour them. So God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem started to dislike Abimelech for some reason and dealt a treacherous act against Abimelech. In short, Abimelech knows and rose against them. Abimelech set the stronghold where the people of shechem occupied on fire and about 1000 men and women died. The bible noted that Abimelech himself died because of a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head when he is on action to burn the second stronghold.
Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech: We can be certain that God will repay wickedness, either in this life or the life to come. For Gideon, the wickedness that he had done is repaid after his death, and for abimelech, God repay at the end of his life. It is a lesson for us, to to live a life with attention to God. In our success, we tends to forget God’s grace, and so don’t let our success blinds our eyes. In a comfort live, remember to inspect our life whether we have live a life pleasing Him or not, as when God is silent, it does not mean that we can do anything we like. This story should reminds us and warns us to persevere and endure in our faith. It is a warning to all of us to live a godly life and not to become a stumbling block. It reminds us to tell God’s command, His greatness and mercy towards our children, this generation and next generation to come. It also reminds us not to look at people’s greatness as their greatness does not guarantee permanence. Look only to God’s greatness as it guarantee permanence. God is the one that deserves to receive all the glory and not us. Can we say to what apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 that i have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith - at the end of our life? or are we going to give up our faith just like Gideon? Keep persevere and endure in faith! Joshua 1 reminds us again that the only way we could persevere and endure is to keep God’s command in our daily lives: it shall not depart from our mouth, but we shall meditate on it day and night, so that we may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then, we will make our way prosperous, and then we will have good success.
~ Paul Hartono
The end story of Gideon is a sad story that Bible noted. We may have seen someone in our life that we respect: maybe he is a pastor, or he is the one that we look up, a person who consults us when we have difficult times, but in the end of his life, he became somebody that is totally a stranger. He changed to someone that does not believe God, or He live a life that is far from what he taught us. Have we met such person in our life? It is normal, and that is human. Human changed, and again don’t look at human, but look at Jesus! I would like to quote from Keith Krell from his sermon which you can read here, that “Greatness does not guarantee permanence.” This is what happen at the end of Gideon’s life. Gideon is a man that has seen God’s power in defeating the midianites. God led Gideon to bring only with 300 people to face the enemy (in judges 7:12 it was told that the midianites and amalekites and all the people of the East is like a locusts in abundance). God chose only 300 people, so that they can’t boast and the glory be to God alone. Furthermore, the bible noted that what those 300 people did was to blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade. In the end Gideon and his army won the battle - God gave the victory to Israel..
But as soon as they taste such victory, verse 22 notes that Israelites said to Gideon to be their King, and not just a king, they want Gideon to make a dynasty! Gideon and his descendants to rule over Israel. This request is a problem: first, Israel lift Gideon up more than what he should be. God should rule over Israel, but Israel lift a man to rule over them. Israel chose an instrument more than the master of the instrument. Gideon is just an instrument used by God. How often we share the same mistake as what Israel did? We tends to lift a person up more than what he deserve. We often look for people’s acceptance more than what God pleased. What we do, or what we think, sometimes is being shadowed by someone that we look up (eg: a pastor, a bible study leader, an evangelist, sunday school teacher) instead of being derived from a heart that wants to please God. This means that Israel chose something not in God’s will: God raise Gideon as a judge and not a king. God wants to rule over Israel, but Israel chose not. This is not what God’s will is.
So how did Gideon response to such request? verse 23 Gideon said “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.” Gideon refuse their request straight away. He even reminded them that it was not his place to take the throne over Israel, but God is. God is their king and not him and his descendants! Unfortunately, the rest of the story doesn’t prove that he acted like one. First, he asked the Israelites to give him an earring from the plunder. This seems not much, but when added it was such a big fortune. He said that he won’t rule over Israel, but here this request made Gideon looks like the ruler. This was not appropriate as it lifted Gideon up more than what he deserves.Moreover, he turned from God to a gold. Next, he made it into an ephod and put it in his home city, in Oprah, which the bible noted that because of this, all Israel played the harlot with the ephod there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. Remember the event in Joshua 6:25-32, where God asked Gideon to tear down the altar of Baal, and Gideon did it? Now why Gideon built it again? Did Gideon not remember what God asked in the past, and what he had done? Why did he make an idol again? After all the success that God gave, Gideon now live a life for himself and does not acknowledge God as his King - he returned to an “idol” of his youth. His words to Israel before were humble but his actions were not. It is easier to talk about humility and service to God than it is to actually live it, isn’t it? Moreover, in verse 29-30 it was mentioned that Gideon “retired” and he wanted to enjoy life and had seventy sons, for he had many wives. He claimed that he deserved to have a maximum pleasures, as he has been the “hero”, and now it is time for he to enjoy living in wealth, and please his lust desire with many wives. The words “for he had many wives” has a meaning of a negative cause here. It tells us Gideon’s inability to control his sexual lust, it was a way for him to proudly express his wealth, by saying "look at all the wives and children I can support." To make things worst, he had child from Canaanite (in Shechem) concubine. God asked Israel to eradicate Canaan (Judges 7:2, Exodus 34:15-16), but now Gideon sets a bad example by taking a canaanite concubine. His son from his concubine was named “Abimelech” which means “my father, a king”. Isn’t that a contradictory to what he said before? This is what i mean that his action proves otherwise. Even he said that he does not want to rule Israel, his action does not prove so. He claimed himself as a king, and he intended to make a his own dynasty - his son to lead Israel. "Perhaps it is easier to honour God in some courageous action in the limelight of a time of national emergency than it is to honour Him consistently in the ordinary, everyday life, which requires a different kind of courage." (Cundall)
Throughout his career, we see Gideon’s life as a man who slipped from a man of obedience to a man of rebellion against God. Again, this reminds us that human changes; human greatness does not guarantee permanence. How God would react to Gideon? verse 28 really puzzled me. God response is patience. God gave rest for forty years! Midian was subdued and they raised their heads no more. It was peace there, while God’s people was doing what is against our God. How could God let that happen? even how did Gideon die? verse 32 again puzzled me: “And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Gideon tasted victory, and he enjoyed living in wealth and idolatry until the end of his age. I would assume and pretty sure by seeing his attitude, he also fails to do what God has reminded to tell God’s command to his sons, which what happen in Judges 2 as well where the new generations arose and fell keeping God’s command because the first generation fails to tell God’s command. The same mistakes was repeated.” Sometimes we ask to God, why did you let that happen God? why did you let the wicked live a happy life? I am reminded from what Psalm 73 says that truly God actually set them in slippery places; God make them fall to ruin. It is true that it seems everything is ok in Gideon’s life, but Gideon’s attitude has made things worst: first as soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god, and they did not remember the LORD their God who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side. Not just that, they did not show steadfast love to the family of Gideon in return for all the good that he had done to Israel. How could one imagine that this would happen?! The name Baal-Berith means "Baal of the Covenant." which means Israelites sadly regarded Baal as their "covenant god." What has Gideon did??! Because of his action, Israel is now to be what displease the LORD. Not just that, his son: Gideon’s legacy continues to chapter 9 - Abimelech has made a horrific act that destroy Gideon’s family and also against the LORD. Abimelech claimed himself as a king and did a brutal act to murder the rest of Gideon’s son (which is his brother), except Joash for he hid himself and managed to escape. Abimelech’s coronation was never accepted by God and in fact it was a blasphemies act. Why i said it is never been accepted by God? Abimelech is not chosen by God, but he chose himself. Abimelech convinced his brothers on his mother's side to support him as king over his brothers on his father's (Gideon's) side. The same thing as the people that supports Abimelech, they are wrong because they agree of what is “good” in their own eyes, what’s beneficial for them instead of to follow God’s will. And so what happen next? Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to kill all his brothers on his father's side, to make certain there would never be a challenger to his leadership.Can you imagine if Gideon is still alive and saw his sons was slaughtered one by one on the oak of pillar. This thing won’t happen if Gideon does not take a mistress in Shechem, and if he lives a life in obedience.
At the end of the chapter however, we see God’s judgement towards Abimelech and to Shechem people who supports Abimelech exactly follows what Jotham has warned to the men of Shechem. Jotham's warned the men of Shechem that their unwise choice will come back to hurt them. He predicted that "fire" would come forth from Abimelech and devour them. So God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem started to dislike Abimelech for some reason and dealt a treacherous act against Abimelech. In short, Abimelech knows and rose against them. Abimelech set the stronghold where the people of shechem occupied on fire and about 1000 men and women died. The bible noted that Abimelech himself died because of a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head when he is on action to burn the second stronghold.
Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech: We can be certain that God will repay wickedness, either in this life or the life to come. For Gideon, the wickedness that he had done is repaid after his death, and for abimelech, God repay at the end of his life. It is a lesson for us, to to live a life with attention to God. In our success, we tends to forget God’s grace, and so don’t let our success blinds our eyes. In a comfort live, remember to inspect our life whether we have live a life pleasing Him or not, as when God is silent, it does not mean that we can do anything we like. This story should reminds us and warns us to persevere and endure in our faith. It is a warning to all of us to live a godly life and not to become a stumbling block. It reminds us to tell God’s command, His greatness and mercy towards our children, this generation and next generation to come. It also reminds us not to look at people’s greatness as their greatness does not guarantee permanence. Look only to God’s greatness as it guarantee permanence. God is the one that deserves to receive all the glory and not us. Can we say to what apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 that i have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith - at the end of our life? or are we going to give up our faith just like Gideon? Keep persevere and endure in faith! Joshua 1 reminds us again that the only way we could persevere and endure is to keep God’s command in our daily lives: it shall not depart from our mouth, but we shall meditate on it day and night, so that we may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then, we will make our way prosperous, and then we will have good success.
~ Paul Hartono
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