Marvin Phelps

With the defeat of the Midianites, Gideon ushered in 40 years of peace. God blessed his influence in Israel as a judge. Because of Gideon

God

A snare is a trap to catch some prey, but more often refers metaphorically to entrapping people. The ephod Gideon made was soon an object of idolatrous worship for the Israelites including his family. Praise and worship for the created, instead of the Creator (with or without our knowledge) constitutes sin and God hates idolatry. If we are walking closely/alertly with Christ and constantly seeking spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit, we are not likely to sin in ignorance. The Israelites sinned by worshipping and serving the ephod instead of the true God. Their act of abandoning God is the essence of their sin. Gideon was wrong to build the ephod because it represented a source of unfaithfulness, i.e., idolatry. How like his father he has become, instead of Baal, the source of sin is the ephod. It seems no matter how much love and protection and deliverance God showed those who love Him, we still wander off seeking the things that God hates. Lord, please keep me aware of Your lighted pathway and stop me from straying.

Exodus 28 discusses an ephod made for Aaron which was a beautiful two-piece, sleeveless garment, held to the body by a girdle (or ornamental belt) and joined at the shoulders by straps. On the straps were placed two onyx stones (or emeralds) with the names of six tribes on each stone. Only Hebrew priests were allowed to wear this vestment. "Illustrated Concordance of the Bible" copyright 1986 by G.G.The Jerusalem Publishing House Ltd. This source further states that the front of the ephod, the breastplate, carried the Urim and the Thummim which the high priest used as mantic symbols for purposes of divination (Ex 28:31). The ephod was made of blue, purple and scarlet fine linen, distinguished only by strands of gold thread from the tabernacle curtains and veil of the ark (Ex 39:2-3). It thus helped to symbolize the close relationship of the high priest to the tabernacle and the Holy of Holies. It is reported that Samuel wore a linen ephod (I Sam 2:18) as did David when the ark was brought to Jerusalem (II Sam 6:14).

He requested from each Israelite a gold earring from the plunder. Accepting a portion of the plunder as payment for military service was customary back then and was not considered wrong. But, it was wrong of him to fashion the gold into an ephod, or sacred garment. Perhaps Gideon didn

The Israelites bestow credit for their deliverance from the Midianites upon Gideon instead of God. Gideon rejects their praise and gives the credit for victory to God. God is the true King and Gideon felt that his becoming king of Israel would be arrogant disgrace to God and His Kingdom. The Israelites had been leaderless for years and were seeking someone to lead them. They felt Gideon was a strong leader and worthy of being their king. They apparently were concerned only about their present physical needs and gave no thought to honoring God and receiving spiritual strength and guidance.

They refused to help until they were certain that the Midianites were completely defeated by Gideon

Gideon routed the Midianite remnant and captured the two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, to preclude future attacks from them. Gideon was acting under the power and guidance of God who wanted the idolatrous Midianites utterly destroyed. He didn

Gideon asked the Ephraimites to cut off the Midianites at the Jordan River. They were angry because Gideon did not include them in the original battle with the Midianites; hence, they were precluded from the spoils of victory. Gideon takes the high road here, instead of engaging them in argument; he humbly compliments them on their achievements including the capture of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. His words depict Ephraimites as the greater and Gideon

So that carrying out God

Barley bread was the bread of the very poor. Perhaps, the vision means that the camp of the Mideanites with their superior army will be thrashed and defeated by a smaller army and a humble nobody (Gideon) empowered by God Himself.

I am unable to conclude that either the lappers or the kneelers were superior to the other. A case could be made for either being the better pick. Perhaps, God considered those who lapped like dogs to be weak and He used them to emphasize that the victory belonged to Him and not to man. In any case, that

We see things thru a glass dimly while God sees all. That

God didn

New Testament believers probably should rarely, if ever, request a sign from God. In Matthew 12, when Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for requesting a sign, He said an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but none shall be given. We must be careful that we do not demand a sign that in effect is a loosely veiled attempt to manipulate God.