Gideon - Part V

Gideon said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” Judges 8 : 24

Good morning, friends. Today let us see the last part of Gideon.

The land enjoyed peace in Gideon’s time. The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” They answered, “We'll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each man threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels' necks. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.

When the Lord strengthened Gideon and used him to deliver the Israelites from the hands of Midianites, Israelites were greatly happy and they even wanted to make Gideon to rule over them. Till that period, there was no king concept among Israelites, as the Lord Himself was their king. But when people asked him Gideon gave them the right answer that he was not the ruler, but the Lord who protected and led them thus far was the ruler. His reply was good. He requested them to hand over earrings and this request was not good at all because, he made ephod out of the gold and Israelites started worshiping it. This was considered as prostitution. So indirectly Gideon not only led the people to enjoy safe pasture, but he also made something bad which led them go astray. He paved a way for them to forget their only God.

Here is a careful warning to all the leaders today. They should be very careful, as they lead others. People whom they lead will watch them. They should never lead people go away from the Lord. I know many people who are Christians by birth, but they never know the love of God. They don’t go to Churches. If asked they would say, “Why should I hear that preacher’s Word, while he himself is the biggest sinner?” The fear of the Lord is not there and no wonder why we get to see many pastors’ names in the newspapers in the unwanted sections. We hear many pastors coming and openly say that they are gays. They divorce and remarry many times, when Bible asks them to have only one wife. They long for money for their luxurious lives while Bible asks them not to go behind money. But still they lead a church. I’m sure God would cry when He sees them leading His people. Think carefully. Are you today leading someone away from God? If yes, God is warning you not to play with that soul. So it’s not at all about how happy when people are with you, but how safe they’re in God’s hands listening to His Word, living a life He wants and preparing themselves to enter into His Kingdom.