“So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. Jerubbaal the son of But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. went and lived in his own house.” Judges 8:28-29
God gives us a summary of Gideon’s time as judge over Israel.
Midian was subdued before the people of Israel Israel cried out to God, He heard them and delivered them from their enemy. This shows us the mercy of God for Israel is anything but obedient to Him. God destroys the Midianites so that they no longer enslave His people. They think this is God’s blessing.
They raised their heads no more God makes it clear that this is the last we hear of the Midianites. 250 years after Midianite women tempted the Israelites into great sin against God, the nation is destroyed by God.
The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon During the rest of Gideon’s rule Israel has peace in the land. Their half-hearted obedience to God surely does not merit this great mercy of God. Yet God gives the land peace for 40 years – 40 is always a period of time that relates to God testing His people. This is a test also but it is of the people’s (and Gideon’s) love pf God. Will God’s goodness bring repentance? Will they turn to Him with their whole hearts? Unfortunately the answer is no and this is the last time in Judges we read that Israel enjoys peace in the land. They never learned the lesson that God wanted to teach them. (and we often follow their example!)
Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house This short sentence tells us about Gideon’s will to serve God. He fought the battle God called him to and then he went home. He made no
concerted effort to ”judge” Israel or teach them about God or to turn their hearts to Him. He went home. He was available if anyone needed him. Other than that he had a life to lead. No other exploits of Gideon are recorded in Scripture. Gideon, like many of us, was a one and done servant.
What lessons can we learn from the life of Gideon? We enjoy the story of Gideon for the great victory God gave but unfortunately the lessons are more about his failures. One lesson we see is how Gideon separates his personal life from God’s work. When God called him he was fearful and reluctant but he answered God’s call. For a bright shining moment he obeyed God fully and God gave
him a great victory. After that victory God was put on the shelf. Gideon lived his life without recognizing the need for God any further. There are many places in Gideon’s story where we expect to hear him call on the Lord and seek His direction. That doesn’t happen. Next Gideon shows us the way many believers live their lives. He started well. He obeyed and God blessed him but Gideon never grew in his relationship with the Lord. Unlike David, the man after God’s own heart, Gideon did not allow God to deal with areas of his life that were disobedient. He acts in anger and bitterness and seeks revenge on those who are in conflict with him. He views God more as an object to have at the ready rather than a person to
have a relationship with. God’s blessing and favor are viewed as tangible objects or activities, not the joy of “abiding” in God’s presence.
As Gideon looks back on his life, he would always live in the past. There was a time when God really worked in his life. There was a time of great blessing and victory. There was a time when the people wanted him to be king. When he neared the end he could look back and see trouble and difficulty and the lack of power. He would probably remember how the Spirit of God came upon him and for a time he was in full alignment with the will of God. He might even remember the joy of that time and try to recall when God’s ”power” departed from his life. In that regard he would be like Samson. “But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.”
Finally Gideon could look back and see how he tried to do God’s will in his way. He might realize that earlier the Israelites served the idols of the Canaanites. Then he might realize that after God delivered Israel from the Midianites that he, the judge of Israel led his nation back into idolatry. The very leader God appointed led the people to defy God, Instead of worshipping God they followed an ephod that he made. Lukewarmness never produces love or fruitfulness. Gideon might wonder if God had “spewed him out of his mouth.” Gideon started well (that’s good) but he ended lethargically (that’s bad). That’s not the example to follow!