In our daily devotional on Judges 8, we continue the story of Gideon, a man chosen by God to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. But as the chapter unfolds, we are left to wonder: does Gideon remain faithful to God in his actions, or does he falter in his walk? This passage challenges us to reflect on our own lives—do we stay consistent in our faith, or do we, like Gideon, sometimes stray from the path? As you read or listen to Judges 8, consider how your life and testimony align with God’s calling. To read about the battle against Midian, read the daily devotional on Judges 7.
Judges 8 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Judges 8 is the continuing story of Gideon. Does he stay consistent in his walk? Do you? Please read or listen to Judges 8.
In 1983, I was twenty-eight years old when I started journaling. That was the very first Bible reading journal I ever wrote. About Judges 8, I wrote, “Gideon captures kings of Midian. Israel has forty years of peace under Gideon. Gideon dies. Israel goes back to idolatry. Lesson: we are God’s children regardless of our leadership and need to have that faith and obedience to stand even without anyone else.”
In 1995, at forty years old, I was transitioning out of my current employment into something new, and I have shared various journal entries about that transition. Here is another, “Lousy day yesterday (Saturday). Anger, hurt, self-centeredness. Met with a lawyer. No legal recourse.” On Sunday, I went to church and I wrote about my prayer, “God’s house. Wanted a sanctuary this morning against yesterday’s attitude. Wanted peace, love, direction. Claiming God’s promises. He is my provider. He will never leave me nor forsake me. But why do I have to go backwards to find a job, not forward?” The fact of getting laid off or terminated had its emotional ups and downs.
What Does Judges Chapter 8 Mean?
On that day, I read Judges 8 and wrote, “Gideon became a valiant warrior. Three hundred men chasing fifteen thousand and routed the whole army. Then he killed the leaders of the city that wouldn’t feed his army. He personally killed the kings. He didn’t want to be king, but he did want riches and wealth. He made an ephod, a breastplate, to commemorate the victory but the people worshipped it rather than God.”
In 2016, at sixty-one years old, I read Judges 8 in two days. Here are my journal entries, “Be inclusive. Ask everyone to help. Ephraim was upset that they were not asked to defend Israel against the Midians. Why Gideon didn’t ask them? Who knows? But his silver tongue compliments them in a way that appeases them. No one wanted to help Gideon’s small band of three hundred, but he gets revenge. Still, against all odds. Three hundred versus fifteen thousand. God provided the victory. Once Gideon decided to obey God, he went all the way.”
What Led to Gideon’s Ruin in Judges 8?
The second day of reading Judges 8, I wrote, “Do as I say, not as I do. Gideon says he will not be king and rule over Israel, but his actions are not consistent with his words. If he is not going to accept their offer to be king, why does he take up an offering of gold earrings, crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple garments, all worn by the kings of Midian?”
I continued, “He next makes an ephod, an ornamental ceremonial garment worn by the high priest to inquire of God. There was to be only one in Israel, yet Gideon makes a second. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. It appears, though Gideon said the Lord would rule over Israel, he led them to idol worship. However, this may not be conclusive, because 8:33 says, after Gideon died, ‘The people (of Israel) turned again and whored after the Baals.’ They then forgot the Lord. So maybe part of all the good he did for Israel was keeping them from idol worship.”
What Lesson Can We Learn from Gideon?
I noted my prayer after reading all this, “I can’t tell if Gideon was a good guy or not. So I guess my prayer is that people won’t be confused with my life. Be consistent. Serve the Lord. Be an ambassador for Christ.” That is probably a very good application after Judges 8. What is your testimony before people? Do they think you are a good guy or gal or not such a good guy or gal? Are the messages you are sending inconsistent? Do people see Christ in you?
Prayer
Father, we pray we might have a consistent, God-honoring walk with You in this life. We pray our testimony might be consistent for You. We ask You to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, so we may have a consistent walk with You. Lord, help us not to veer off to the left or to the right but make a straight path honoring You in our lives. We ask it, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
