Devotion May 14 - Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Tuesday, May 14 – Judges 7, 8 – Additional reading, “Patriarchs and Prophets” chapter 53, “The Earlier Judges”

Study Questions:

1. How many Israelite soldiers left the camp when Gideon announced that anyone who feared could turn back? How many remained? (Judges 7:3)

2. What did Gideon do with the 1,300 shekels of gold that the Israelites brought to him at his request?

3. What were the consequences for Israel and for Gideon’s household of having the ephod? (Judges 8:27)

Commentary and Reflection:

The Lord deemed the number of people in Gideon’s camp to be excessive. The danger was that Israel might seek to claim credit for the victory. This danger is inherent in success. It can manifest in experience as well, “a Christian for many years”, “a teacher for many years”, “experienced deacon, or pastor”. Losing sight of the Lord’s role and forgetting that salvation comes from Him poses a serious risk of straying from the right path. Pride lies at the root of every sin.

The Lord instructed Gideon to filter his soldiers. In the end, out of 30,000, only three hundred remained. Many would have considered this recruitment campaign a failure, declaring defeat for the army of Israel before the battle even began.

But God declared the army ready for battle, stating, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his [a]place.” (Judges 7:7)

We often fall into the trap of measuring strength by numbers and success by quantity. However, the story of Gideon’s victory teaches us that true success lies in the Lord’s presence, His guidance in battle, and His deliverance.

Regarding the attitude of those from Ephraim, the Adventist Bible Commentary explains:

“Ephraim was the most populous and most important tribe of northern Palestine and was jealous of its position of leadership. The Ephraimites had rallied immediately to Gideon’s call, and had proved their power and fidelity to the national cause. Yet when they met Gideon their injured ambitions and pride led them to reproach him for not calling them before the battle began, just as much as to say that no one had a right to make a move to repel the common enemy without asking them. Their arrogance was due partly to their strength and partly to an attitude formed when Joshua, who was an Ephraimite, was the acknowledged leader of Israel.” SDABC, Judges 8:1

Unfortunately, jealousy and resentment corrupted Gideon’s heart and Israel. This led to Gideon establishing his own place of worship in Ophrah, rivaling the one the Lord had established through Joshua in Shiloh, Ephraim’s territory. To validate this political move, an ephod was made to consult the Lord. An ephod was a vest worn by priests. “Gideon’s ephod and breastplate were constructed in imitation of those worn by the high priest (PP 556). SDABC, Judges 8:27

The Adventist Bible Commentary offers vital lessons from this account:

“His sin consisted in taking over the prerogatives of the Aaronic priesthood without divine sanction. This deviation from the right prepared the way for wider apostasy both in his immediate family and among the tribesmen. The people were thus led astray by the very one who had fonnerly overthrown their idolatry. Gideon doubtless did not intend to turn from the worship of God, and his intentions may have been good. However, his subjective evaluation without divine guidance regarding the need for a new religious center opened the way for disaster. There was no excuse for Gideon to abandon the program that God had marked out regarding divine worship and service. If Gideon had continued to seek divine guidance as he had done formerly, he would have spared his family and his people much sorrow.” SDABC, Judges 8:27

May the Lord protect us from our own hearts, especially during times of success and prosperity. May we always be led and motivated by His Spirit, rather than by the pride and suspicions within our hearts.

Have a truly blessed day.

Pastor Abel Paulin

Devotion May 13

Devotion May 15

Tuesday, May 14 – Judges 7, 8 – Additional reading, “Patriarchs and Prophets” chapter 53, “The Earlier Judges”

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Tuesday, May 14 – Judges 7, 8 – Additional reading, “Patriarchs and Prophets” chapter 53, “The Earlier Judges”

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