DISCUSSION GUIDE :: SESSION 5

  A NATION IN TRANSITIONGIDEON’S DEFEATJUDGES 8:1-3510/09/2016

MAIN POINT

Past victories do not guarantee future successes. It is not how you start but how you finish thatmatters.

INTRODUCTION

As your group time begins, use this section to introduce the topic of discussion.

In your opinion, what is the worst movie, TV series, or book ending you’ve come across, and why do youdislike it so much?

Briefly share the story of someone you know who has finished, or is finishing, their spiritual life well. Whathave you learned from him or her?

Gideon’s victory on the battlefield did not translate into victory in his personal life. Pursuing the destruction of theenemy quickly devolved to personal vengeance over his own people. Furthermore, after having taken a stand againstidolatry at the beginning of his mission, he led the people back into idolatry after the mission was complete. Gideon’sstory reminds us that past victories do not guarantee future successes. It is not how you start but how you finish thatmatters.

UNDERSTANDING

Unpack the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic.

HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ JUDGES 8:1-21.

Judges 7 describes Gideon’s great military victory, but it was short lived. He was quickly met with criticismand defiance as he continued to pursue the Midianites who fled. What happened between Gideon and theEphraimites (8:1-3)?

The Ephraimites complained that Gideon did not call them out to battle against the Midianites. Since Gideon’s task oncehe assembled his army was to reduce them in size, it is hard to see how the Ephraimites could have played a useful partin the battle. Their complaint shows that they felt left out of a great victory. Gideon’s response was a masterpiece ofdiplomacy. He downplayed his own standing and role, and played up their important behind-the-scenes role in thevictory.

After the Ephraimites, Gideon runs into more detours in pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianiteleaders. Why do you think Succoth and Peniel refuse him food (8:4-9)? In your opinion, did Gideon overreactto them, or was he justified (8:10-21)?

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What do you think such detours and criticisms were doing to Gideon’s character?

The Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, escaped across the Jordan River. In view of this pursuit, it appears thatGideon was angry God had given Oreb and Zeeb into the hands of the Ephraimites, while he himself had no comparabletriumph to show for his efforts. His damaged ego was the driving force behind the fanatical pursuit of the escaped kings.

Even though Gideon knew their victory over the Midianite army was God’s doing, his pride became themotivation for his further pursuit of the army. What affect does pride have on your relationship with God?

On the other hand, Gideon was God’s appointed leader, and the men of Succoth and Peniel refused to helphim because they feared God’s enemy more than they feared God Himself. What does a healthy fear of Godlook like?

HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ JUDGES 8:22-35.

Gideon resisted the Israelites’ invitation to rule in the place of God (v. 23). How do we—as individuals, agroup, and a church­—show the world that God rules over our lives?

The Israelites recognized the significance of Gideon’s behavior. They asked him to rule over them as the founder of adynastic line. Though they carefully avoided the word “king,” it is clear that they were offering Gideon that office. TheLord’s work in raising Gideon as deliverer had become obscured. Gideon replied that neither he nor his sons would ruleover them; the Lord would rule over them.

What is an ephod (v. 27)? Read Exodus 28:6-14 to learn about its holy use and Judges 18:14-17 for its paganuse.

Gideon refused the status of king, but he acted as one by taking a royal share of the military plunder andcreating an idol. What tends to become an “ephod” in your life, something you worship in place of God? Whatneeds to happen in order for you to submit that thing to God?

Verses 27-35 tell us the affect of Gideon’s ephod on the nation he led. What was Gideon’s legacy as aspiritual leader and military warrior?

Gideon manufactured an idol in the form of an ephod, a garment worn by the priests and used as a means ofdetermining God’s will. Gideon’s intent was to glorify himself, founding his own cult like the Canaanite kings. The resultwas spiritually disastrous, ensnaring all Israel in prostituting themselves. The narrative ends where it started—atOphrah—suggesting that nothing had changed. Baal had changed his shape, but the idolatry continued. The oppressiveMidianite kings had been replaced by Gideon, who was acting like the worst kind of king. After Gideon’s death, Israelwent from bad to worse and prostituted themselves in the worship of the Baals.

Gideon’s story ends on a sad note in Judges 8, and we are reminded that past victories do not guarantee futuresuccesses. But this is not the last time Gideon is mentioned in Scripture.

HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ HEBREWS 11:32–12:3.

You know how Gideon’s story ends, so are you surprised to see his name included in this list of God’s faithfulservants? What does this reveal about God’s work in our lives?

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What victory has God guaranteed for us in Christ? How can this truth impact the way you run the

In Hebrews 11, often called the “Hall of Faith,” the author lists several Old Testament men and women who trusted Godin unusual, difficult, dangerous, or deadly circumstances. Gideon was a man of faith who obeyed God. Reluctantly andwith misgivings about his abilities, Gideon led his small, vastly outnumbered force against the Midianites. He trustedGod, and God granted victory. Gideon’s story didn’t end well, but he was still God’s chosen leader, and God workedthrough him in spite of his sin. As Gideon’s story shows, it is all too easy to slip back into a place of sin when we quitlooking to God as our Mighty Warrior.

APPLICATION

Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.

How does Gideon’s story point us to Jesus? How is Jesus a better Gideon?

When you think about what Christ and believers who followed Him before us endured, how does it shed newlight on your own struggles in perseverance?

This week, how can we use our personal experiences in endurance to help those currently facing hardship?

Gideon’s people soon forgot God. What can you and our group do to help ensure that does not happen to us?

PRAY

As you close in prayer, thank God that because of Christ, we know that our story ends well. Ask Godto give your group the endurance to stand firm against Satan and the temptations to sin they willface tomorrow, and for the courage to continue to run this race of faith.

COMMENTARY

JUDGES 8:1-35

8:1-3. With liberation achieved, the cycle normally concludes with a summary statement of peace and harmony duringthe judge’s lifetime, a summary that is delayed until verse 28. The first complication was a complaint by the Ephraimitesthat Gideon did not call them out to battle against the Midianites. This is surprising because elsewhere, the problemwas persuading the tribes to become involved in conflict, not dissuading them. And since Gideon’s task once heassembled his army was to reduce them in size, it is hard to see how the Ephraimites could have played a useful part inthe battle. Their complaint shows the weak and fractured nature of the Israelite tribal alliance at this period. Gideon’sresponse was a masterpiece of diplomacy. He downplayed his own standing and role in the victory by saying, Is not thegleaning (the grapes left behind after the initial harvesting) of Ephraim better than the vintage (the pick of the grapes)of Abiezer? Gideon belonged to the clan of Abiezer. Moreover, the Ephraimites achieved the crowning moment of thevictory when God handed over to them Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian. This reply defused the Ephraimites’anger.

8:4-9. It is worth noting that the Lord is no longer mentioned as an active party in what follows. The Midianite kings,Zebah and Zalmunna, escaped across the Jordan River. In view of this pursuit, it appears that Gideon was not merelybeing diplomatic when he compared himself deprecatingly with the Ephraimites. He was angry that God had given Oreband Zeeb into the hands of the Ephraimites, while he himself had no comparable triumph to show for his efforts. Hisdamaged ego was the driving force behind the fanatical pursuit of the escaped kings. Succoth and Penuel were towns inTransjordan under Israelite control. The men of these cities might have been expected to give Gideon aid on his quest,but they refused his appeal for food because they were skeptical of Gideon’s ability to thoroughly defeat theMidianites. Gideon took their refusal personally. In contrast to his diplomacy with the Ephraimites, Gideon threatenedrevenge on those who failed to assist him.

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8:10-12. Gideon finally caught up with Zebah and Zalmunna at Karkor, about 100 miles east of the Dead Sea. A sizeableremnant of their original army of 120,000 warriors was with them, numbering around 15,000 men. Gideon and hisforce of 300 caught them by surprise, routed them, and captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian. Thereis no mention of the Lord’s involvement in this battle.

8:13-17. On his return to Succoth and Penuel, Gideon wasted no time in carrying out his earlier threats. He captured ayouth from Succoth, just as he had earlier captured the Midianite kings, and forced him to write down the names of theelders of Succoth, whom Gideon then rounded up and thrashed with a switch. Israelites who failed to do Gideon’s willwere treated as enemies of the state.

8:18-21. Gideon then accused the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, of atrocities at Mount Tabor, not far fromhis home in the Jezreel Valley. Their response drew a comparison between Gideon and royalty—probably a desperateattempt at flattery. Gideon replied that the men whom the kings slaughtered were his own close relatives, revealingthat the motivation for his pursuit of the Midianites was personal vengeance, not obedience to the Lord’s call. Gideoninstructed his son Jether to kill the Midianite kings, but Jether did not do so because he was afraid. Gideon’s sonresembled Gideon himself. Gideon was no longer afraid. He killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took for himself theircrescent symbols of royalty.

8:22-27. The Israelites recognized the significance of Gideon’s behavior. They asked him to rule over them as thefounder of a dynastic line. Though they carefully avoided the word “king,” it is clear that they were offering Gideon thatoffice. The rationale that the people gave is telling: For you delivered us from the power of Midian. The Lord’s work inraising Gideon as deliverer had become obscured. Gideon’s response was orthodox. He replied that neither he nor hissons would rule over them; the Lord would rule over them. Even as he formally refused the status of king, however, hefailed to contradict their assertion that it was he who had saved them from the Midianites. He also proceeded to actprecisely as a king would. He asked for a royal share of the plunder, gold earrings from every man, representing asymbolic token of submission to him. As in Exodus 32, where earrings were used in the making of the golden calf, soGideon used these earrings to manufacture an idol in the form of an ephod, a garment worn by the priests and used as ameans of determining God’s will. The amount of gold suggests that the garment included an idolatrous image. Gideon’sintent was to glorify himself, founding his own cult like the Canaanite kings. The result was spiritually disastrous,ensnaring all Israel in prostituting themselves.

8:28-32. The narrative ends where it started—at Ophrah—suggesting that nothing had changed. Baal had changed hisshape, but the idolatry continued. The oppressive Midianite kings had been replaced by Gideon, who was acting like theworst kind of king. Along with supporting idolatry, Gideon married many wives and had 70 sons, a family structureforbidden to kings in Dt 17:17. He also intermarried with the local population, taking a concubine from CanaaniteShechem, with whom he had a son named Abimelech, which literally means “my father is king.” Positively, the land waspeaceful 40 years during Gideon’s lifetime, but from this point on in the Judges narrative, Israel never again attainedrest. This negative portrayal of kingship suggests that the phrase “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyonedid whatever he wanted” (17:6) did not portray an earthly monarchy as the solution to Israel’s problems.

8:33-35. After Gideon’s death, Israel went from bad to worse and prostituted themselves in the worship of the Baals.Baal was worshiped in many local manifestations, including Baal-berith (“Baal of the covenant”), who was the patrondeity of Shechem. It is ironic that in worshiping a god whose name includes the word for “covenant,” Israel forgot thecovenant faithfulness of their own God, Yahweh, who had delivered them from the power of their enemies. The placewhere this Baal was worshiped, Shechem, was where the people renewed their covenant with the Lord at the end of thebook of Joshua when the people swore never to worship the gods of the land (Jos 24). Nor did they show kindness tothe house of Gideon after his death. The word “kindness” (Hb chesed) is often used in covenantal contexts, and itsuggests that Israel forgot Gideon’s acts of deliverance as swiftly as they forgot the Lord’s. The irony of Israel’s returnto Baal worship is heightened by the use of Gideon’s other name, Jerubbaal, “let Baal contend.”

READING ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK

Judges 9:1-15

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