March 20

Well, Gideon, the reluctant warrior seems to have found his back bone and then some!

Satan just loves to keep us out of a healthy balance. First, Gideon was way too timid demanding multiple signs from God before making a move. Then after God hands the Mideons over to him and his small little band and he is pursing their kings, he curses the city that will not give him and his men bread.

Then things get very personal. His finds out the the 2 kings have killed his brothers. He kills them and takes the ornaments off their camels neck. Doesn't sound like too big of a deal....but God is pretty picky about when you can have booty and when you cannot. It doesn't mention that this is sin, but perhaps it's the first little step in a downward spiral......

To his credit, Gideon refuses to be king. He tells them correctly, that the Lord will rule over them. We here in America are blessed with the best form of government on earth- democracy. But, as you well know, it is far from perfect. The original and perfect plan of government is Theocracy- GOD ruling over His people. Good for Gideon.......but then he gets an idea. To gather up some gold (things never go well when it starts this way) and make an ephod. Sounds innocent enough.....But only priests are to wear ephods. And priests are of the line of Levi and are appointed only by God. We aren't told why he decided to do this, maybe because the priesthood was currupt, maybe he saw himself as a type of priest. Maybe he thought he make something "religous". Who knows, but we do know that did not consult God and it did not turn out well. It was a snare for him and the whole country. We are also not told, but I think it started with anger and revenge when he found out those kings killed his brothers. Satan go a little foothold in his mind. A door was cracked.

The lesson is the same as at Ai- even after a great victory, you must consult God or you get messed up doing things in your own strength and it doesn't turn out well at all. I think a great many Christians have fallen in the same trap. Doing things that seem like they are FOR God, but in reality it does not have His blessing at all. I can see where this would be especially true for people in full time ministry, but it certainly applies to all of us.