The Icons of The Bible Series will go through all the people of the Bible in chronological order. I will attempt to provide you focused article and videos that will help you become more familiar with those whom God chose to tell us about in His Holy Scripture. - Andy
Icons of the Bible: Gideon - The Story of Fallen Humanity without Christ
Who was Gideon in the Bible?
Gideon was the fifth judge and renowned as the greatest of Israel. The account of his life is recorded in Judges 6:11—8:32. The backdrop for Gideon’s biography begins with the Israelites being ravaged by the Midianites as a consequence of Israel’s disobedience to God (Judges 6:1). For seven years they faced invasions from the Midianites, Amalekites, and Eastern foreigners who ruined their crops and destroyed their cattle. God’s discipline through the foreign nations caused the Israelites to cry out to God for help (Judges 6:6). God sends them a prophet to remind them of how the one true God had provided for them in the past and how quickly they had forsaken Him (Judges 6:8–10).
God hears their cries and graciously intervenes to deliver His people. He starts by sending the angel of the Lord to Gideon to call him into service (Judges 6:11–14). Gideon, whose name means “cutter” or “cutter of trees,” belonged to an undistinguished family of the Abiezrites, and he saw himself as unfit for God’s service (Judges 6:15). During his conversation with the angel, it becomes apparent to Gideon that he is speaking to the Lord Himself (verses 14, 16).
But Gideon needed proof positive that it was, in fact, God calling him to the divine task of leading a military force against Midian (Judges 6:17). Gideon asked the angel of the Lord to stay where he was while Gideon went to prepare a meal. Gideon returned with some food, which he set on a rock (verses 19–20). Then God gave a sign: “The angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared” (verse 21). Gideon built an altar in that place and called it “The Lord Is Peace” because he had seen God and did not die (verses 22–24).
The same night, Gideon destroyed the altar to Baal and the Asherah pole that belonged to his father (Judges 6:25–28). For this bold action, Gideon received the nickname Jerub-Baal, meaning “Let Baal Contend” (verse 32). Later, an alliance of Israel’s enemies entered the land, and “the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him” (verse 34). Men from the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali joined Gideon (verse 35).." from the article: Who was Gideon in the Bible?
Gideons Among Us
"Gideon, fresh off the battlefield, seems to be growing in wisdom and maturity as he rejects the offer to rule over Israel as king. It is an offer that certainly would be appealing to Gideon, encouraging the people to instead look to God Almighty as the Ruler of Israel (Judg. 8:2–23). It is a wise choice and a message that Israel desperately needs to hear during the years of the judges (Judg. 17:6; 21:25). And when we’re honest with ourselves about Gideon, we have to admit that we would welcome a little maturity from him. He hasn’t had a great track record up until now. He doubted the angel of the Lord (Judg. 6:17). He so feared the men of his own family and city that he waited until the cover of night to carry out the Lord’s command to demolish the altar of Baal (Judg. 6:27). And the laying out of the fleece, no matter how some Christian circles have used it as a metaphor for discerning God’s will, is nothing more than Gideon’s unbelief on parade before a God of profound patience. No, Gideon is no paragon of piety, no exemplar of faith or godly leadership. Gideon serves to illustrate the point of the book of Judges—God, by His mercy, uses very flawed men to rescue His very flawed people. And yet it appears as if Gideon has finally grown with this seemingly humble denial of the throne of Israel. We will, however, find that we have every reason to be skeptical about Gideon..
..Gideon is a warning to watch out for the poison of lookalike orthodoxy. False religion that looks similar to true religion can be more dangerous than out-and-out idolatry. Orthodoxy is always in the details, never only in the generalities. It isn’t enough to worship just a pretty ephod in a Christian hero’s home. Any detailed look, even a cursory examination, would reveal Gideon’s religion as a sham. It is incumbent on every Christian elder, every Christian church member, to know orthodoxy in its details. As in surgery, so with theology—imprecision kills. And wolves would be easier to spot if they didn’t always put on those sheepskins, those Gideon-ephods.." from the article: Gideons among Us
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