TCN's Biblical Journey March 1st

Today's reading Judges 5-9

Sometimes the greatest failures come after the greatest victories. One of the saddest in the book of Judges, and there is a lot, is found in Judges chapter 8:27. Gideon had been used by God to bring deliverance from the Midianites. What made the deliverance more amazing was it was done with only 300 men. After the battle and the cleanup work, Gideon rightly turns down the position of hereditary kingship which shows great wisdom and strength, but then he takes on something he wasn’t supposed to do, took on the position of priest.

The priests were to come from the tribe of Levi. The priestly garments including the ephod were to be only worn by those of the tribe of Levi and only in the tabernacle. We are not told why but after turning down the kingship, Gideon takes up the position of priest. In fact, ephod which Gideon made become an object of worship. This priestly garment not only effected Gideon, and the children of Israel but brought evil on Gideon’s decedents.

The lesson for us here is though we may start well if we don’t finish well, we lose. Paul echoes this concern in 1 Corinthians 9:27 “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize”(NIV) Or as the King James translation puts it, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” The message is clear how you end the race is just as important as how you start it.