Gideon - Part 6 - Gideon's Fall

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Guard Your Heart!

To get the most from this post read: Judges 8:4-21. The battle was almost over, but Gideon had to capture Midian’s kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, who led the army. Gideon and his men crossed over the Jordan River into the territory that the Israelite tribe of Gad inhabited. He asked the people of the cities of Sukkoth and Penuel to feed his army bread because they were exhausted. But they refused to help. They didn’t believe Gideon and 300 men could overpower the Midianites and capture their kings and were very rude to him. This was the temptation that opened the door to Gideon’s fall.

We have to understand that the men of Sukkoth and Penuel had not yet encountered the Lord personally as Gideon had. Neither had they been part of the supernatural deliverance that Gideon’s army had just experienced. Their hearts were still shackled by fear, doubt, shame and cynicism brought on by the Midianites. Nevertheless, they should not have withheld nourishment from their fellow countrymen in battle.

Offense & Revenge

Sadly, something happened to Gideon in that moment. He became angry and threatened to torture the men of Sukkoth and Penuel after the battle was won. And that is what he did. Gideon and his men captured Zebah and Zalmunna, brought them back as proof, parading their captors in front of the men of Sukkoth and Penuel. In a rage, Gideon and his men threshed the men of Sukkoth and Penuel with desert thorns and briers. Gideon had not guarded his heart against pride.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18. NET

Follow the Lord’s Lead

There is no indication in this scripture passage that Gideon sought the Lord about his men’s need for bread. And it’s interesting that they captured Zebah and Zalmunna without having eaten. Because he didn’t inquire of the Lord, Gideon’s humility gave way to pride and he began fighting God’s people! He did not extend the same mercy and grace for the men of Sukkoth and Penuel as the Lord had extended to him. Although Gideon had been very understanding, patient and kind to the Ephraimites, he lost patience with the Gadites.

Discipleship Never Ends

Our training with the Lord never ends. Jesus is our Commander, the One who loves us and gives us victory. So we must go into His presence daily in submission and worship. Following every victory or blessing in our lives the kingdom of darkness will set it’s sights on us, but we do not have to fail. The Lord Himself is our armor, if indeed we remain in Christ by following the Spirit.

“I was exhausted,” or “My men were hungry,” are not excuses for brutalizing our fellow believers. Trials in the heat of battle come to test our level of faith and humility. They can actually serve to elevate us spiritually if we stay connected to the Holy Spirit.

Who Am I Fighting?

Jesus remained humble even to death on the cross. The motivation of His heart was love and a deep desire for us to be saved from the kingdom of darkness. In the same way, we must remain humble and seek the Holy Spirit’s love in every situation. We are not fighting our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead, we fight the devil’s armies for the sake of Body of Christ— God’s Kingdom! We must extend the same mercy to others that Jesus extended to us, even when it appears they don’t deserve it.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 NIV

Unexpected Bad News

When Gideon captured Zebah and Zalmunna he found out that they had killed his brothers– his own family members. This sad part of the story suddenly turns very dark. Gideon lost self-control. In a rage, Gideon commanded his firstborn son, who was only a boy, to run Zebah and Zalmunna through with a sword! Zebah and Zalmunna scolded Gideon knowing it would cause serious trauma to his little boy. They told Gideon to do it himself, implying that he was behaving cowardly. He did, and the battle was over.

Gideon’s Fall

Right after this incident the people of Israel rejoiced in the victory. No more hiding in the winepress to thresh grain! Israel had miraculously defeated the Midianites and peace could finally settle upon the land. Despair had turned into hope. Hope turned into faith. Faith in the Lord led to a battle, and victory turned into joy and praise! In this wonderful atmosphere Israel asked Gideon to rule over them. But without hesitation, Gideon refused. He gave a very pious response.

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” Judges 8:23 NIV

Gideon’s response sounded rather humble and religious. But strangely, as if he had disconnected from the Lord altogether, Gideon asked all of the men of Israel to give him a gold earring from their plunder. Gideon had already collected his own extravagant plunder from the enemy kings and their camels but he craved more. Out of this plunder of gold, he fashioned an ephod to represent himself, and all Israel spiritually “prostituted themselves” by worshiping it. This idol became a “snare” to Gideon and his family.

Some Very Bad Decisions

God had promised Gideon peace for Israel if he would go in the strength that he had and drive the Midianites out of the land. God kept His promise and gave Israel divine protection from all surrounding enemies for as long as Gideon lived. Sadly, Gideon refused to serve God or His people while accepting all the glory and riches of a king. He did not guide his family in the ways of the Lord as the Lord had so graciously done for him. Although Israel experienced peace for 40 years, Gideon’s rebellion against God lasted for those same 40 years. As far as we know, he never turned back to the Lord.

During his lifetime, Gideon acquired several wives and had 70 sons who lived with him on his father’s land. In the town of Shechem, also known as Beth Millo, lived one more son of Gideon named Abimelek, whose mother was Gideon’s concubine.

When Gideon died and God’s promise had been fulfilled, Israel “prostituted themselves” again by worshiping images of Baal. The demons of hell devised a plan to put Israel back into bondage. Unfortunately they succeeded for a season. Here is how that part of the story begins.

The Rejected Son

Upon hearing of Gideon’s death, Abimelek, full of the spirit of rejection and rage, campaigned for king of Israel in the town of Shechem. He gathered together a band of scoundrels, went to his father’s property and personally slaughtered his 70 brothers upon a rock. Could this have been the same rock where 40 years earlier the Lord consumed Gideon’s offering as a miraculous sign? I believe it was.

After killing his half-brothers, Abimelek returned to his mother’s town. All of Shechem gathered at the great tree for Abimelek’s coronation. Suddenly, there was an interruption! The story continues in Part 7 – The Parable of the Trees.

Offense and Loss

Why did Gideon stop listening to the Holy Spirit? I believe Gideon opened the door to pride when he became offended and scourged his fellow countrymen. He was already vulnerable to the devil’s schemes when he learned that his brothers had been killed. But instead of going to the Lord, Gideon used offense and grief as an excuse for self-promotion and apathy. God had lovingly and carefully coached Gideon through every doubt and fear giving him victory. But because of this traumatic experience, Gideon considered his assignment finished, even without inquiring of God. He chose to throw everything he had learned from God right out of the window of his heart.

Without the Lord’s presence guiding Gideon, the devil led him straight into a very selfish spiral of sins including pride, idolatry, greed and sexual immorality. Although the people experienced “peace” during Gideon’s lifetime, the whole nation was weakened spiritually and the next generation left defenseless. Gideon could have repented at any time, but he chose not to.

It is how we end our lives that really counts. Offense can open the door to pride. Handling any kind of loss outside of the healing power of God’s compassionate arms is an act of pride. Only Jesus can heal our wounds, whether they are spiritual, physical, mental or emotional. The longer we hold on to the hurt, the more likely other people are going to be affected negatively by it.

Selfishness

Gideon’s fall happened when he abandoned the Lord. He used God’s promise for his own selfish desires and became short-sighted and hard-hearted. Gideon was not concerned about the future well-being of the nation or even of his own children. His wound festered with selfish pride. Declaring that his kids would never rule Israel or have to fight battles seemed to be a loving statement, but in reality, it was a sentence of death.

Worship The Lord And Him Alone

Gideon’s Family Legacy

Even if Gideon did tell the story about Israel’s deliverance to his children, his lifestyle proved hypocritical. God intended for Gideon to raise a family in humility, teaching his sons and daughters to be mighty warriors for the Lord. He had 40 years of peace given to him in order to keep growing in relationship with the Lord and experience the mercy and grace of God. His children could have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit upon their father. They could have learned the glory of worshiping God alone. Instead, Gideon taught his children to worship their father instead.

David’s Family Legacy

King David was one of the mightiest warriors of Israel. He was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” Even though David fell into sin at a weak point in his life, he responded to God’s rebuke, repented and turned back to God. When David made mistakes he admitted them, choosing to turn to God and do things His way. David experienced terrible loss, but humbled himself before the Lord to worship Him and receive God’s healing power. He was truly a disciple of the Lord, knowing that without the Lord he would be in the enemy’s chains. David never gave up. He sought the Lord to the very end of his life, giving God all the glory, honor and praise for every victory and blessing!

Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:

“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.“

“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!” 1 Chronicles 29:10-14 NLT

Gideon – Part 7 – The Parable of the Trees

Gideon – Part 6 – Gideon’s Fall