RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 8
LESSON #09
LEADERS ARE A PRODUCT OF AND A REFLECTION OF THEIR SOCIETY

• MEMORY VERSE: PRO 14:34

• READ JDG 8:1-3 THE PROBLEM WITH THE EPHRAIMITES
• THE TRIBE OF EPHRAIM WAS ANGRY WITH GIDEON BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT CALLED TO FIGHT AT HIS SIDE.
• MOST LIKELY THEY WERE ANGRY BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT SHARE IN THE SPOILS OF WAR.
• GIDEON’S LITTLE PARABLE CALMS THE EPHRAIMITES. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
• "the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer"
• THE GRAPES OF EPHRAIM REFERS TO THE MILITARY TASK THAT LAY AHEAD OF THEM. AFTER THE INITIAL BATTLE, THERE ARE THE "MOPPING UP" OPERATIONS THAT MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED. GIDEON IS TELLING THEM THAT THEY WILL HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN ACCOMPLISHING THE COMPLETION OF THE VICTORY.
• ABIEZER WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE ABEIZERITE CLAN OF WHICH GIDEON WAS A MEMBER. THEREFORE, THE PHRASE, "VINTAGE OF ABIEZER" IS A REFERENCE TO GIDEON HIMSELF AND THE INITIAL VICTORY HE WON OVER THE MIDIANITES.
• GIDEON’S PARABLE MEANS THAT THE WORK YET TO BE DONE TO FINISH OFF THE MIDIANITES IS GREATER THAN THE INITIAL VICTORY THAT GIDEON HAD WON. EPHRAIM WILL HAVE GLORY IN THAT.
• MOST LIKELY GIDEON AVERTED A CIVIL WAR. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT?
• BECAUSE THIS LITTLE DISPUTE MADE IT INTO THE BIBLICAL RECORD INDICATES ITS IMPORTANCE.
• BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE TIMES, WHEN EVERYONE DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES, INDICATES THAT ISRAEL WAS NOT A UNIFIED NATION WITH A UNIFIED SPIRIT.
• BECAUSE CIVIL WAR EVENTUALLY DID BREAK OUT, INDICATES THAT THE SEEDS OF CIVIL WAR PROBABLY EXISTED BEFORE THE FACT.

• READ JDG 8:4-17 NO HELP FROM ANY HAND
• GIDEON’S ARMY WAS TIRED AND HUNGRY WHEN THEY CROSSED THE JORDAN. THEY WERE OUTSIDE THE PROMISED LAND IN THE TERRITORY GOD PERMISSIVELY AGREED THAT THE TRIBE OF GAD SHOULD POSSESS. THEY SOUGHT FOOD FROM THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE OF SUCCOTH AND FROM PENUEL. BOTH CITIES REFUSED TO HELP GIDEON. WHY?
• OUT OF FEAR OF THE MIDIANITES, THESE TWO ISRAELITE CITIES ALLIED THEMSELVES WITH THE ENEMY AGAINST GOD AND GOD’S ANOINTED DELIVERER.
• WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS SYNCRETISM (THE ATTEMPTED RECONCILIATION OR UNION OF DIFFERENT OR OPPOSING PRINCIPLES IN RELIGION…WHICH EVENTUALLY WILL AFFECT ALL THINKING AND SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.)
• THE TRIBES LIVING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN BEGAN LIFE IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL. THEY WERE CLOSER IN PROXIMITY TO THE ENEMY, THEREFORE, THEY WERE UNDER GREATER TEMPTATION TO INTERMARRY WITH PAGAN PEOPLE AND IN GREATER TEMPTATION TO FALL INTO IDOLATRY.
• WITH INTERMARRIAGE AND IDOLATRY CAME AN ALLEGIANCE TO THE ENEMY AGAINST GOD AND AGAINST THE OTHER ISRAELITE TRIBES.
• THESE PAGAN ALLEGIANCES COLORED THEIR POLITICAL DECISIONS.

• GIDEON PROMISES THEM THAT HE WILL RETURN AND PUNISH THEM FOR THEIR FAILURE TO SIDE WITH GOD. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
• A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:
• WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF ON THE SIDE OF THE ENEMY AGAINST GOD, YOU SUFFER THE SAME PUNISHMENT THAT THE ENEMY SUFFERS.

• READ JDG 8:18-21 THE DEFEAT OF THE MIDIANITE KINGS
• THE MIDIANITE ARMY WAS REDUCED FROM 135,000 SOLDIERS TO 15,000 SOLDIERS, BUT GIDEON STILL HAD HIS ORIGINAL 300 SOLDIERS.
• INTERROGATION OF THE KINGS:
• GIDEON QUESTIONS THE TWO KINGS REGARDING AN INCIDENT AT TABOR.
• THERE IS NO OTHER BIBLICAL REFERENCE TO THE INCIDENT SO WE DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS PART OF THIS WAR OR AT A different TIME.
• AT ANY EVENT, THE KINGS HAD KILLED GIDEON’S BROTHERS.
• DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME IN HISTORY, GOD HAD INITIATED THE PRACTICE OF THE AVENGER OF BLOOD. (DEU 19:6, 12)
• IF SOMEONE KILLED YOUR NEXT OF KIN, YOU HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE KINSMAN REDEEMER FOR YOUR DEAD RELATIVE. ONE OF YOUR DUTIES AS KINSMAN REDEEMER WAS TO BE THE AVENGER OF BLOOD.
• IT WOULD BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HUNT DOWN THAT PERSON AND KILL HIM. THIS WAS GOD’S JUSTICE AT THAT TIME.
• THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT GIDEON IS DOING. HE FULFILLS HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS KINSMAN REDEEMER AND IS THE AVENGER OF BLOOD FOR HIS DEAD BROTHERS.

• READ JDG 8:22-28 THE PEOPLE DESIRE A KING
• TO WHOM DID THE PEOPLE GIVE CREDIT FOR THE VICTORY?
• THE PEOPLE GAVE CREDIT FOR THE VICTORY OVER THE MIDIANITES TO GIDEON INSTEAD OF GIVING THE GLORY TO GOD.
• THE PEOPLE HAVE TWO REQUESTS:
• THE PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE GIDEON A KING.
• THE PEOPLE WANT TO CREATE A DYNASTY WITH GIDEON’S FAMILY.
• WHY WAS IT A BAD IDEA THAT GIDEON SHOULD BECOME THEIR KING?
• GOD’S TIMING WAS NOT RIGHT. GOD DID NOT WANT A KING UNTIL DAVID.
• GOD’S CHOICE FOR KING WAS TO COME THROUGH THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, LIKE DAVID.
• THE CURSE OF TEN GENERATIONS HAD TO PASS AFTER TAMAR HAD AN ILLEGITIMATE SON (PHAREZ) BY JUDAH ACCORDING TO DEU 23:2.
• DAVID’S GENERATION IS THE FIRST AVAILABLE GENERATION TO BE FREE OF THAT CURSE.
• GIDEON DID NOT HAVE THE PRESENCE OF CHARACTER WORTHY OF THE OFFICE.
• THERE WERE NO GREAT HEROES OF FAITH DURING THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES. WHY?
• AS A GENERAL RULE, A DEGRADED SOCIETY PRODUCES ONLY MEDIOCRE MEN.
• WHAT BETTER LEADER COULD A NATION WANT THAN TO HAVE THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD AT THE HELM!
• GIDEON’S MARVELOUS RESPONSE: (23)
• TO GIDEON’S GREAT CREDIT, HE DID NOT ACCEPT THE KINGSHIP, NOR DID HE ACCEPT THE DYNASTY FOR HIS DESCENDANTS.
• GIDEON RIGHTLY SAID THAT GOD WAS THEIR RULER.
• THIS IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO HAVE A KING IN ISRAEL. THE IDEA GROWS OVER THE NEXT FEW HUNDRED YEARS, UNTIL THE NATION DEMANDS A KING AND GOD, IN HIS PERMISSIVE WILL, GIVES THEM SAUL.
• THIS GROWING DESIRE FOR A KING IS AN OUTRIGHT REJECTION OF GOD AS THEIR LEADER.
• GOD GAVE THEM THE PROMISED LAND AND HELPED THEM ATTAIN IT. NOW THEY WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THEIR ROOTS AND DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
• DISCUSSION: IN WHAT WAYS DO WE SEE SIMILAR PARALLELS TODAY IN OUR OWN NATION?
• WHAT UNDERSTANDING CAN WE GAIN FROM THE BOOK OF JUDGES THAT WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL PROCESSES IN PLAY TODAY?
• THE MIDIANITE EARRINGS AND SYNCRETISM:
• GIDEON GATHERED THE GOLD JEWELRY THAT THE ISRAELITES TOOK FROM THE MIDIANITES. HE MADE A GOLDEN EPHOD.
• AN EPHOD IS LIKE A VEST WORN OVER THE CHEST.
• THE ISRAELITE HIGH PRIEST WORE AN EPHOD BREATPLATE AS PART OF HIS PRIESTLY DRESS.
• THIS GOLD EPHOD WAS PLACED IN THE CITY SQUARE FOR ALL TO SEE.
• THE ISRAELITES WERE SO PRONE TO IDOL WORSHIP THAT THEY BEGAN TO WORSHIP THE GOLDEN EPHOD.
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US WHY GIDEON MADE THE GOLDEN EPHOD.
• WAS HE ILLEGALLY ASSUMING THE ROLE OF HIGH PRIEST IN SOME FASHION? WE DON’T KNOW.
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US IF HE APPROVED OF THE PEOPLE’S IDOLATRY AT THE EPHOD.
• HOWEVER, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US THAT GIDEON OPPOSED THIS IDOLATRY. THEREFORE, EVEN IF WE GIVE GIDEON THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND ASSUME HE DID NOT HAVE THIS IDOLATRY IN MIND ORIGINALLY, AS A LEADER, HE OBVIOUSLY DID NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION.
• REMEMBER THAT THE THEME FOR OUR STUDY IS SYNCRETISM. SYNCRETISM IN SOCIETY IS PROMOTED BY "TOLERANCE."
• WHEN A SOCIETY LOSES ITS FOUNDATIONAL ROUTES THAT TIE IT TO GOD AND GODLY PRINCIPLES, THE SOCIETY AND ITS LEADERS BEGIN TO TOLERATE ANY AND ALL RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ON AN EQUAL BASIS. THE KEY WORDS ARE "TOLERANCE" AND "TOLERATE".
• THE WORD "TOLERANCE" IS A NEGATIVE WORD AND MEANS = THE POWER OR CAPCITY OF ENDURING. THE WORD "TOLERATE" MEANS = TO SUFFER TO BE DONE WITHOUT PROHIBITION OR HINDERANCE [NOAH WEBSTER 1828]
• TOLERANCE IS A CONCEPT OFTEN EQUATED WITH "FREEDOM" TODAY. YOU WILL HEAR PEOPLE SAY, "CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE MORE TOLERANT OF OTHER RELIGIONS, OTHER PEOPLE’S BELIEFS, AND OTHER’S LIFESTYLES, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY. "TOLERANCE" IS THE LIE OF POST-MODERN THINKING THAT SAYS, "TRUTH IS WHATEVER I DECIDE IT IS."
• IN REALITY, INHERENT IN THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM IS THE IDEA OF "RESPECT" FOR OTHERS NOT "TOLERANCE" OF UNGODLY BEHAVIOR OR EQUAL ACCEPTANCE OF OTHER RELIGIONS.
• EVEN ABRAHAM LINCOLN UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE WHEN HE SAID, "ONLY THOSE NATIONS ARE BLESSED WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD."

• READ JDG 8:29-35 GIDEON’S DOWNFALL
• WHAT WAS GIDEON’S GREATEST WEAKNESS?
• GIDEON GREATEST WEAKNESS WAS HIS TOLERATION OF PAGAN IDOLATRY THAT HAD CONSEQUENCES IN HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD. WE WILL OBSERVE THIS CONSEQUENCE IN OUR NEXT LESSON.
• ANOTHER OF GIDEON’S WEAKNESSES WAS HIS MANY WIVES.

• SUMMARY:
• ISRAEL HAD PEACE FOR 40 YEARS UNTIL GIDEON DIED. THEN IDOLATRY BECAME RAMPANT AMONG THE ISRAELITES.
• IN CONCLUDING THE STORY OF GIDEON, WE MUST SEE WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS TO SAY ABOUT HIM.
• READ HEB 11:32-33
• IN HEB 11, GIDEON’S NAME APPEARS AMONG THE HEROES OF THE FAITH. WHY?
• FROM THE ACCOUNT IN JUDGES, HE IS NOT ALL THAT WONDERFUL A CHARACTER. HE IS WEAK. HE HAS A POOR IMAGE OF HIMSELF. HE QUESTIONS GOD’S DIRECTION EVEN WHEN HE KNOWS WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO DO.
• IT SEEMS THAT GOD SEES GIDEON AS ONE OF THE BETTER MEN COMPARED TO THE SOCIETY AROUND HIM:
• HE WAS WILLING TO SERVE, THOUGH WITH HESITATION.
• HE KNEW HIS PLACE IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.
• HE DID NOT LET HIMSELF GET TALKED INTO BEING A KING.

• APPLICATION OF JDG 8:
• THINK ABOUT THE KIND OF LEADERS FOR WHOM YOU CAST YOUR VOTES:
• DO YOU CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST?
• DO YOU CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY MAKE LAWS BASED ON GODLY PRINCIPLES FOUND IN THE BIBLE?
• DO YOU VOTE FOR THE POLITICAL PARTY OR FOR THE MAN?
• DO YOU CONSIDER THE PERSONAL LIFE OF THE CANDIDATE?
• DO YOU VOTE FOR POLITICIANS OR STATESMEN? THE DIFFERENCE:
• A POLITICIAN GOVERNS ACCORDING TO POPULAR OPINION WHILE A STATESMAN GOVERNS ACCORDING TO FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FROM WHICH HE WILL NOT VARY NO MATTER HOW UNPOPULAR.

• DO YOU PRAY BEFORE YOU VOTE?
• DO YOU VOTE AT ALL?

• PREPARATION FOR JDG 9:1-21
• READ JDG 9:1-21
• (NOTE: REMEMBER THAT JERUBAAL IS A NICKNAME FOR GIDEON FROM CHAPTER 6.)
• WHY DO YOU THINK GIDEON IS CALLED BY THIS NICKNAME THROUGHOUT THIS CHAPTER?

• WHY DOES GOD PERMIT EVIL RULERS LIKE ABIMELECH TO COME TO POWER? (ROM 13:1)
• WHAT DO YOU THINK JOTHAN’S PARABLE MEANS? (7-15)
• (A CLUE: REMEMBER THAT SOME OF THE TREES ARE SYMBOLS FOR ISRAEL.)

• MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 13:1