4th Week of August Adult Sunday School Lesson

Judges Chapter 8

Gideon find himself in a political situation with the descendants of Ephraim. They want to know why there were not in on the original battle hoping to get some of the first fruit of the glory from that fight. Gideon handles the situation well, saying that he only started the battle, but the children of Ephraim have slayed the princes of the enemy and done a far more glorious deed.

Now the tired and thirsty men of Gideon come upon Succoth and ask for refreshments. The people of Succoth probably cannot believe their eyes when they see the small band he has and the comparing them with the things he is insisting. We see here an example for our own lives; in that no matter how great or impossible the promises in God's Word might seem, they are still worth believing in because he will see them through. His ways are not our ways.

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.

Be careful which side of the fight you end up on; God's side will triumph in the end. Gideon warns the people of Succoth that he will return. In Penuel he finds the same answer to his requests and he gives the same promise upon his return.

We learn that there has been an awesome and terrible battle. What makes it so profound is the fact that almost all of these people have killed one another. The tenth verse records that there have been over one hundred and twenty thousand men killed in the flight from Gideon. Now Zebah and Zalmunna are taking a short rest with 15 thousand men; when at the same time Gideon comes another way and slays even more men. Upon hearing this Zebah and Zalmunna flee.

Before the night is over, Gideon finds and captures Zebah and Zalmunna, and then returns while it is still dark to Succoth to keep his word and put the city to waste.

Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

He does the same in Penuel, so keeping his word. After this is all over he slays Zebah and Zalmunna, but first he tries to get his young son to do the dead, and he has no part in it. I suppose this was to make their shame even greater. After his son refuses, he does the execution himself.

Here starts a curious thing that this great leader does. Israel asks him to be king and he refuses. He holds to what God wants and wishes, but as a parting shot, he takes all the earrings of enemy and makes an idol. No of us are perfect or without sin, but this seems so out of character for Gideon. We are to always be on guard  against the wiles of the devil. Ego and pride can cause us to do things we might not otherwise do if we don't intentionally stay humble and close to God.

Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention:.....

We are given some foreshadowing of some of the things to come. His son from a concubine, Abimelech, will come up again in the next chapter. We also see that as soon as Gideon dies, the Hebrews quickly forget to follow God and follow after Baal.