"The Lord Is King”
Judges 8

May 21, 2006
by C.W. Powell

Earlier I read Judges 8. We should carefully consider the following things. I. The Contention of Ephraim.

Judges 8:1-3: “And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that."

A. Gideon had not called Ephraim when he first mustered his troops at Harod. This was strange, because Ephraim was the most powerful of the tribes in that region. Perhaps Gideon was timid to take authority over the elders of Ephraim who were more noble and prestigious than he. He had commendable respect for them. After the Midianites were routed, Gideon sent messages to Ephraim to secure the fords, and Ephraim played a very important part in the final victory, taking prisoner the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb.

B. The wisdom of Gideon and his humility is shown in the answer that he gives to the Ephraimites. Their anger is turned away from Gideon. The Bible says we are to esteem others better than ourselves and not puff our own balloon. Someone has said, “If your deeds speak for you, then close your mouth so that people can hear what your works are saying.”

C. There is so much wisdom in the Bible. But you have to read the Bible in order to get this wisdom. Whether are not you are reading your Bible will be revealed in the wisdom by which you live your life. Jesus said, “Enter into you private chamber and the quality of your fellowship with God will be revealed to all men.”

II. The cruelty and insolence of Succoth and Penuel.

Judges 8:4-9: "And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

A. These events are not in strict chronological order, for it is likely that the contention of Ephraim came after the final victory was assured. Verse 4 takes up the adventures of the 300, who remained under the command of Gideon and did not turn aside to the taking of stragglers and disorganized contingents, but pressed on after the commanders of Midian.

B. Succoth and Penuel were on the other side of Jordan, where the 2 ½ tribes settled after the conquest of Jordan. They had no doubt suffered severely from the hands of the Midianites, and chose rather not to give aid to Gideon, because they did not want to suffer reprisals from the Midianites and to them the battle was still in doubt, for Zebah and Zalmunna were not yet captures and still had a considerable force of men with them.

C. But there is fear that is weakness, and there is fear that is abominable. They were bound to ally themselves with their brethren in this conflict and Gideon promises terrible punishment upon them when the battle was done.

III. The capture of Zebah and Zalmunna: the punishment of Penuel and Succoth:

Judges 8:10-21: "Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. 18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks."

A. The terrible generalship of the Midianites is further revealed here. They had fled a far distance, and probably felt secure, so much so that they had evidently not even set a watch. They were tired and weary, but they still had some fifteen thousand warriors, a strong number against 300.

B. But suddenly Gideons band appeared again like some bad dream recurring after you have slept again. They thought they were secure [verse 11], but there is no security against the Lord.

C. Perhaps these events are not chronological, either. But the account of the young man from Succoth is recounted in the middle of the account of the defeat of Zebah and Zalmunna. This is interesting for he “described” or wrote down the names of the leaders of Succoth. The is an important witness to the very early development of writing. Of course we know that an alphabet and writing were known to Moses and others of the leaders and educated, but here was evidently a common soldier who could give a list of rulers to Moses, a list that he could use in the condemnation of the traitors.

D. Punishment was harsh: The men of Succoth were “educated” either by being theshed by thorns, or being used to thresh the thorns—either way it was a harsh and violent punishment that evidently resulted in their deaths.

E. Zebah and Zalmunna are executed because of their murder of Gideon’s relatives.

IV. The refusal of Gideon to be king.

Judges 8:22-23: Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

A. This shows that the desire for centralization was even then building in Israel, that would come to a head in the days of Samuel. We will deal with that at a later time.

B. Gideon understood the principle that God had set before Israel after the conquest of the land; they were not to be ruled by kings, or centralized authority, but each tribe was to have elders and each tribe and each man was to take the responsibility to know and to obey the law of the Lord.

C. Moses had said:

Concerning the Passover: “And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.” (Ex 13:9 AV)

Concerning the Law: “If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” (De 30:10-14 AV)

D. Each man was responsible to know the Scripture and follow his conscience: the rule of God is a rule of conscience, for as Proverbs says: “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” (Pr 20:27 AV) Also the Apostle John wrote:

“20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” (1Jo 2:20-23 AV)

Solomon recorded this principle in Proverbs “24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.” (Pr 30:24-28 AV)

This is the fundamental principle of self-government; each man keeping himself under control and ruling his own actions according to the Scriptures, and not by the precept and philosophies of men, whether elite men who fancy that they know what is good for everyone; or by mass man, whose opinions are counted by polls and public gatherings.

V. Gideon’s Idolatry and the aftermath.

Judges 8:24-35: "And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.”

A. It may very well be that Gideon’s refusal of the kingdom was more in name than in reality. His behavior afterwards seems to indicate that he did indeed accept some of the trappings of a ruler, noticeable in the use of the ephod, the establishment of a harem, and the naming of his son “Abimelech” = “My father the king”

B. But there are other indications that Gideon retired to private life. His character, like all men, contained both the good and the bad. We are not connected to God by character, but by faith. We must always remember that.

C. It is our goal, not to make the church perfect, but to instill faith and charity.

D. Gideon’s great error here was in the ephod. The meaning is obscure as to the form of the ephod: originally a garment of the priest, then an object carried; an image of great value—but all forms it was a means of obtaining the will of God. This was the great sin of Israel; to seek after the will of God by means of a creature.

1. Anything that replaces the Scripture: a father, a mother, a king, a state church, as well as grosser forms of idols—even a denomination can become an idol; even a favorite preacher or teacher.

2. We are called to serve the Lord, and Him alone.

I have made the application as I went along, so I will close. May God bless you.

Amen and Amen. May God bless you.