The Concluding Days of Gideon
January 6, 2022
Commentary
Gideon who came through the test of adversity with flying colors was not so successful in the test of prosperity. After his successful encounters with the enemies of the Lord he yielded to two temptations which brought devastating consequences.
First, was his temptation in idolatry (vv. 24-26). It could be argued that Gideon really had the best of intentions when he took the golden earrings and crescents captured from the Ishmaelites and formed an “ephod” to perhaps preserve the memory of the Lord delivering His people from the Midianites. However, the thing became a “snare to Gideon and his household,” as all Israel was enticed to false worship (vv. 27-29).
Second, was temptation in the flesh, as Gideon added to himself wives and concubines (vv. 30-33). This brought envy and hostility through seventy half-brothers that were born. When Gideon died a new generation rose up which forgot God and failed to return the many kindnesses that their deceased leader had shown them (vv. 34-35).
Application
There is a big danger that any of us may be inconsistent in our witness. Even though I have experienced great victories in my life to this point is no guarantee that I will do the same in the future. I need to be very careful not to let any kind of prosperity ruin my testimony.
Judges 8:24– 35 (NET)
24 Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to 1,700 gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels. 27 Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time. 29 Then Jerub Baal son of Joash went home and settled down. 30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives. 31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal Berith their god. 34 The Israelites did not remain true to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 35 They did not treat the family of Jerub Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
Illustration: The definition of Karma
The teaching of karma (literally translated “action”) indicates that karma is something negative, the acting is wrong. Karma is something you must be released from. Karma is the reason for the poverty of the beggar, the illness of the sick, and the hopeless situation of the oppressed. They reap what they have sown in past lives. Karma is the reason for the prosperity of the rich, the good health of the robust, and the fortunate position of the oppressor. They are well off because they sowed well in the past. Thus, everyone is well off or bad off as he or she deserves. According to their philosophy the good karma is because a man avoids polluting himself. Good karma is a result of what you have avoided, rather than what you have actually done. (“Vital Information on: Reincarnation and the Transmigration of Souls,” c. Dialog Center),