Walter Ice Posted February 19, 2003 Report Share Posted February 19, 2003 I am not one to talk about the source or the orgin of sin by any stretch, but what I see is that Gideon's heart wasn't toward GOD and that was truly the manifestation of sin in his heart. His attention was drawn from GOD and given toward a "thing" a portion of the creation rather than the heart of the creator. I find all too often in my life that when I take my eyes from my LORD (usually to look at things that glitter and sparkel-something you fishermen should appreciate!) I end up off the path, over the hill and down in the gulley somewhere! It's really an awkward place to be because I know better. It is not the gift(s) that GOD gives us, it is what we intend in our hearts to DO with it. Our GOD is a GOD of love and mercy but he knows our hearts and just how desperately wicked they are...I believe that is why Jesus implores us to keep our eyes fixed on him and on his heart. My prayer would be that we would give up the urge to look elsewhere simply knowing that it is most likely not what GOD has intended for us and to keep our eyes and our ears, and most importantly our hearts open to his word and the sound of his voice so that we might see his hand on our lives and his breath in our ears and his blood in our hearts, coursing through our veins in the humble actions of his will. In your Holy name Jesus- Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dickinson Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Gideon asks for just a single earring from each of the Ishmaelites, however, I suspect he already had in mind what he would do with them. I believe Gideon was wrong to accept a reward. To do so, whichever way you want to look at it, was to accept some credit for the victory over the Midianites. On a personal note, I find receiving praise of any kind, quite hard to accept. Basically, because I can literally feel myself puffing up with pride. So, when I do anything successfully for the Lord I am quick to give all the glory to Him. Gideon fell to the temptation of receiving some of the glory himself for what was in essence, God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Hill Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 2 a. Gideon ask for his reward - That each one of them give him an earring from their share of the plunder. 2 b. Gideon was not wrong to take a reward - but sin began when all Israel prostituted themselves by worshpping the golden ephod that Gideon placed in his town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 These are really GREAT responses. I agree that there was nothing wrong with Gideon requesting the gold from the plunder as was customary. A thought did occur to me, though in looking through some of the responses. It doesn't mention that the gold was taken to the priests and sanctified prior to the creation of the ephod. Even after, if the ephod had been ritually cleansed, this would have put the blessing of God on the item and would have reminded the people of who exactly caused the victory for their country. Do you think that we can sin (in this case) on two fronts: 1. doing what we think is right/is a good idea and 2. not consulting God when it comes to spiritual matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debs4jc Posted February 27, 2003 Report Share Posted February 27, 2003 What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Gideon asked for one earring from each of his warriors. This wasn't wrong--it was a just reward for what he had done. However, and this is where the sin could have began, Gideon's attitude about the gold could have been wrong. He could have easily begun to be puffed up with pride here ... "Well I deserve an extra share of the plunder because I was the leader and .." Matters like this, taking an extra salary or whatever because you are in a leadership position can be so treacherous if they are not handled correctly. Trying to maintain a humble spirit is truly a struggle. Anyway, if Gideon at all had a spirit of pride when he took the gold the sin started there. We don't know that but certainly making the ephod and the subsequent worship of it were sinful. Better to have made a monument to God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo Posted March 2, 2003 Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 To ask for a share of the plunder to compensate for the time and the effort and the resources that he used is not a sin. It was only a means of compensation. But when Gideon created an ephod out of what was given him, no matter how well Gideon's intention was, was the beginning of sin. It marked an opening for the devil to capitalize on the Israelites's tendency to worship idols. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Smith Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Gideon asked for a share of the spoils of war, which was his due as their successful leader. However, the sin began when he made the gold into an ephod. He should have known better than to make such a sacred object that the Israelites might worship. If he had asked God, the Lord could have told him this wasn't a good idea, even if his heart was correct. God could have appreciated his heart to give glory to Him while encouraging him not to put it where the people would worship it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanie Posted April 13, 2003 Report Share Posted April 13, 2003 Gideon Lesson 5 Queston 2 What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Gideon had one request, that each of the Israelites give him an earring from their share of the plunder. Modern soldiers are paid for their services, but in ancient times a soldier's pay was from the plunder stripped from the corpses of the opposing army or taken from the villages of the defeated. Terrible! But then, war was and is terrible! Gideon taking the gold, therefore was not wrong. It was appropriate to reward the courageous commander of a successful military victory. The problem came with what Gideon did with the gold. Money is like that. Money is a neutral element, but in how we hoard or spend it comes the sin. "Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. "(8:27) Gideon wouldn't have intentionally created an idol, he had torn down Canaanite idols to Baal and Astarte (6:28). But the precious golden garment he created was an abomination. It appears to substitute for the ephod reserved for the high priest's use only, and may have set Gideon up as a seer to determine God's will for Israel instead of the hight priest. (10) And even if Gideon didn't worship the ephod as an idol, certainly many worshipped it as such. The ephod in Ophrah became a source of sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Hatlestad Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 Gideon asked each man to give a earring that came from their plunder. I don't think it was wrong that Gideon accepted the gold. When Gideon took the gold and turned it in to something that the people started to worship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luray mcclung Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 Gideon asked for each to give an earring from the plunder.Perhaps he was not wrong to take a reward; however, he made the gold into an ephod an Israel began to worship the idol at Ophrah. lmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Gideon asked each person to give him an earring from the plunder. Taking it was not the sin, but rather what he did with it. He made an ephod and ALL of Israel worshipped it. From my understanding, this means that even though Gideon saw God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Woodbridge Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? A share in the plunder, which was a reasonable request. What he did with it was the source of the sin it led to. He created something that became an object of worship, which led to idolotry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjcollin Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Exposition Gideon asks for gold earings which was a small portion of each man's spoils of war. Gold today is trading around $355/toz which Gideon's 19.5 kg (1kg = 32.15toz) would be worth about $222,558 today. I don't think that Gideon was wrong to take a portion of the spoils of war, but he was wrong in what he did with it. The sin begain when he decided to make what turned out to be an idol with the gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Exposition Gideon asked for the gold jewellery plundered from the enemy as his reward. In those times it was not wrong of Gideon. Yes, maybe it was a way of taking something to avoid being made king. It was what he made of the gold that was a snare to Israel and himself and his family. That led on to worship of the ephod, in violation of the commandment not only regarding worship of the one God but also of graven images. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 Gideon asked for an earring from the share of the plunder. Gideon wasn't in the wrong for asking for an earring. It shows that he was sticking to a custom. The sin began when Israel bowed down to the gold that Gideon made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatherdills Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Gideon asks for earrings from the plunder as his reward. Gideon was not wrong to take a reward since it was customary in his time and God had not told him he could not do this. His sin began when the ephod he made from the gold was worshipped rather than God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelOnLine Posted May 21, 2004 Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 Q2.What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) A gold earring from each of them. Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Taking the reward wasn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairead Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 1. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? That each of them gives an earring from their share of the plunder. Gideon should have waited for God to reward and not work out his own worth. The sin began then, right at the very minute that he uttered the words, God would have rewarded him in a way that would have not caused such trouble later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Gideon asked for the gold earrings as his reward. This in itself was not a wrong request, as soldiers were entitled to take from the battlefield when they had conquered an army. The sin began with making an image (in the form of an ephod, having religious significance, being the item used to point them in the right direction and victory) and using it as a point of worship (and monetary gain). It took God's place, even though Gideon would not have himself made king! They had been clearly told, in the Ten Commandments not to make any images..... and not to worship them (in any way). Gideon had obeyed the Lord in taking down Canaanite idols, and probably didn't realise he was creating one of his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maria gonzalez Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 I am not sure if asking for the gold altogether was such a good idea. I am not sure if Gideon had in his mind already to do what he did, an ephod made out of gold. I am not even sure if the Israelites started to worship on their own of if Gideon's family started it out. It became a trap of idolatry. It was the perfect trap, use something that is used to be worn to worship God, to use as an idol. It is a trap we sometimes as Christians fall into. Am I really doing this for God or for a ministry or the church or people? Recently I have been thinking about that issue, why do I do the things I do? What takes me to do what I do? The ephod was supposed to be worn, were Gideon's intentions for anyone to wear it? I am a bit unsure about Gideons intentions altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randi Posted February 8, 2005 Report Share Posted February 8, 2005 Gideon asked for gold earrings for reward. This is an appropriate reward for the successful commander. Gideon was not wrong to take the gold, but he used it to make an ephod which he placed in Ophrah, and the Israelites worshipped it. Sin began with the making of this ephod, because it may have set Gideon up as a seer to determine God's will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandieh Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 Gideon asked for an earring from each of the defeated foes. This was not a sin, but rather in keeping with the tradition of the time. The sin came when the object he made, became an object of worship. The story tells us that it became a snare for him and his descendants. I guess had he any knowledge of what was happening he could have removed it from his village. But lots of times we don't see the "harm" until it's to late. However God continued to bless Gideon for his faithfulness. That is the goodness of God, because He never forgets, even though we may. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyfields Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 He asked for earrings from each of them. Taking money wasn't wrong but making an ephod was the sin. the sin began when they set it up in the city and played harlot there in Ophrah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicea Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Gideon asks for an earring from each person. It appears they gave him more than just an earring each. I think Gideon was more unwise than wrong to take a reward. I think that if he had refused t he reward God would have blessed him abundantly. The sin began when he fashioned the golden ephod and set it up where it began to be worshipped. When that started he did not pull down the ephod and admonish the people but allowed it to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Q2. (Judges 8:24-27) What does Gideon ask for his reward? Gideon asks the men to give him gold, a part of the spoil. Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? No, he was not. In those times, a soldier's pay was from the plunder stripped from the corpses of the opposing army or taken from the villages of the defeated. As leader he probably did not have the occasion to participate in the gathering of the plunder and now ask the men to give him of their share. Where did the sin begin? The sin began when Gideon made an ephod out of the gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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