Ephraim is jealous of Gideon. "why didn't you call on us to help in defeating the enemies of Israel?" Of course Gideon had called on all of Israel. Ephraim hadn't responded until it was obvious that Gideon was going to be successful. Isn't that the way of the world? You step out in Faith and the world tells you that it can't be done, but when success comes, the world wants in on the action.
Gideon asks the residents of other cities to feed the troops as they pursue the enemy. The residents of Succoth and Penuel refuse to help their brothers......Gideon says he will be back when God has finished the task that he has begun. God does give the enemy over into Gideon's hands and Succoth and Penuel are destroyed for their failure.
When success has come and peace is again in Israel, the people want to make a king of Gideon. Gideon refuses the offer but he does accept tribute in the form of gold.....50 pounds.....a fortune and then he has some of the gold cast into an ephod. You will remember that an ephod was a part of the priestly garments. Gideon was not a levite or a priest, he was committing a sin against God. He set the Ephod up as an Idol and allowed people to worship it. Gideon had been a chosen instrument of God and he chose to set himself up in a place that belonged only God. We must always guard against allowing success to separate us from the most important things, the eternal things. Gideon takes a harem and while polygamy seems to have been a norm for the wealthy in the Old Testament, it almost always comes with discord and disharmony. This polygamy will also lead to an evil end. While there was peace in Gideon's time, his son Abimelech (son of a king) will lead Israel to sin again.
Baal worship returns. Abimelech convinces Shechem to follow him. He hires some hooligans and thugs and kills all of his brothers except one who escapes. Abimelech is crowned king in Shechem. This is the same place where Joshua wrote down the laws and degrees that Moses had given to them and which the people had sworn to obey. Ironic, don't you think? The pillar of stone that served as Abimelech's place of coronation was the same stone that Joshua placed there to commemorate the peoples promise of obedience.
As the story of violence unfolds......the violent Abimelech devours and destroys Shechem and all of its inhabitants. There is no honor among thieves. Then Abimelech turns of the neighboring city of Thebez, but there he is killed. Violence begets violence and all who plotted in the destruction of the family of Gideon end their lives in violence. Violence never resolves an issue. Violence sows seeds of future violence and the wheel of violence continues. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, only the power of love, pure love can overcome the inclination to violent behavior. Peace will finally come when the Prince of Peace has authority over every heart and life.
Abimelech and Shechem were repaid for their evil. This is a truth....God will ultimately repay those who reign violence on the innocents......in this life or in eternity.
An interesting item in chapter 10 is this statement, "the children of Isreael did evil in the sight of the Lord." this statement appears 7 times in Judges and it always means trouble. The cycle of sin returns. Worshp of Baals, Ashtoreths and other false gods is embraced by Israel. Baal is a god of wealth and power, the Ashtoreths were gods of fertility, love and sexuality. While we may call them by different names, these are the same gods that wreck havoc in America and around the world today. Why did Jesus say that it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven? Wealth is a powerful entrapment. In America, the wealthy are getting more wealthy and the poor are getting poorer. Think God has something to say about that? You bet he does.
The Philistines and the Amorites are used as instruments of God's reproof. Israel cries out to God. God replies, "why should I believe you?" Of course God know what will happen, but for a time Israel again puts away the idols and the ashtoreths.....they gather expectantly at Mizpah. And their question was, "who will be the man to lead us in victory?" Will God send such a man. He always has and again he does. The sad story of a frivolous oath is told as God raises up the next Judge.....a man called Jephthah.
Thanks for faithfully staying the course with me in this Bible reading project. You are a great encouragement to me. Patty returned home tonight from her trip to Texas with our daughter and 3 of our granddaughters. They had a wonderful trip. Thanks for your prayers for safe travel. God heard your prayers.
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