Gideon is portrayed as a righteous man who made wise decisions. He clearly was anointed by God to rout the Midianites from the land. That’s what makes the response of the leaders in Succoth so hard to swallow.
I mean, who would decline a man that was fighting on their behalf? And Gideon isn’t asking them for the keys to the city, just some refreshment for his men. On the other hand, if Gideon isn’t successful in this battle, these two Midianite kings will return and burn the town to the ground. The men of Succoth are clearly not confident in Gideon’s ability to win.
That’s their first mistake. They were looking at Gideon and not at God. Gideon was an instrument in God’s hands, doing what God had ordained. The battle wasn’t Gideon’s…it was God’s. Looking at it that way, any favor they bestowed upon Gideon would actually be credited to God. Now put yourself in that situation. Would you bless someone who has God’s favor? Of course.
Gideon goes on to win a great victory even after two different towns refuse him aid. He destroys one town and punishes the leaders of the other. I wonder how he kept his men from killing the leaders of Succoth. I don’t like them, and I wasn’t even there. By the way, there’s a lesson here as well. If we refuse to support those who are doing God’s business, then we can expect punishment for our greed…or lack of faith, or cowardice. Having said that, I don’t think we need to give to every single person who says “I am doing the Lord’s work”. There are only so many resources to be shared, and we should be wise in the way that we distribute what God has given. Yes, God has unlimited resources, so He can supply all needs…but He most likely isn’t going to supply them all through YOU. Support the ministries that you have a connection with, or that God “tweaks” your heart about. And for heaven’s sake, don’t refuse to help the people who are fighting your battles for you.
I wonder if we could count our encouraging and “cheering on” of those who are fighting as part of our support? Maybe more than bread they need to know how much we appreciate them. Then again, nothing speaks louder than actions. Helping someone in need speaks volumes.
I trust that it was a wise decision for Gideon to decline the position of leader, but it appears that using the gold the people gave him to make an ephod was a foolish decision. The ephod was a chest covering used by the priests in worship. The ephod that God told Moses to make had a place in it to hold two dice called the Urim the Thummin. They were used to determine God’s will in a particular matter. I don’t think they were like our dice, with numbers, but there was some way that they gave direction to the people. Either way, Gideon didn’t need one. That was the job of the priests, and Gideon isn’t a priest. He shouldn’t have overstepped…no wonder it became a snare for the family.
A quick word on Abimilech: this was an unrighteous man who killed all his brothers (half-brothers, really) in order to stay in power. Gideon’s true son, Jotham correctly prophesied that Abmilech’s reign would end badly for both him and his town….Shechem. I am reminded as read this that ungodly leaders and the people who support them may flourish for a brief time, but they will eventually crumble. It reminds me of a verse in Proverbs “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it”. Abimilech was not the right choice to lead, he was ruthless and wicked, relying upon deceit and violence to create his dynasty. And the people he surrounded himself with were no different, they approved of his methods, and his character.
This never meets with God’s approval, and will not succeed. Be wise about who you choose to lead your home, your church and your country.
Faithfully,
PR