Judg 8:35 | KingComments | STEP | The end of Gideon is a testimony of the Spirit about who he has been before God. Of him, and further only of Samson, is said in this book that he “was buried in the tomb of his father”. It is further reported of him that he died “at a ripe old age”. This is also said in the Old Testament of Abraham ( ) and of David ( ). Unfortunately, the Israelites do not follow the good that has been seen in Gideon’s life, but the bad that has also been present in his life. By making the ephod he has brought the people back to the path of idolatry. By this he has ruined his own work ( ) and has laid the seed for a renewed deviation of the people from the LORD. The Israelites “again played the harlot with the Baals”. More than forty years after Gideon demolished the altar of Baal, the Israelites choose Baal-berith as their god. Baal-berith means ‘lord of the covenant’. The worship of Baal is a sign of a covenant with the Canaanites, something which God has explicitly forbidden. God is forgotten and no thought is given to the good that Gideon has done for the people. Despite the fact that Gideon participated in this development, God holds the people responsible for their own behavior. He reproaches them for being ungrateful for what Gideon did. Ungratefulness is also a characteristic of our days. How do we deal with brothers who have served us and who, by preaching God’s Word, have made the Lord Jesus more precious to us, so that we worship Him more? In addition, their service has increased our desire to obey God’s Word, so that we have begun to serve Him with greater dedication. We must be thankful to those who, through their preaching and life, have brought Christ closer to us and brought us closer to Christ. About such people we read for example in Romans 16 and in Hebrews 13 ( ; ).

‏ Judges 8:35

Gideon’s End and Thereafter

The end of Gideon is a testimony of the Spirit about who he has been before God. Of him, and further only of Samson, is said in this book that he “was buried in the tomb of his father”. It is further reported of him that he died “at a ripe old age”. This is also said in the Old Testament of Abraham (Gen 15:15 ; Gen 25:8) and of David (1Chr 29:28).

Unfortunately, the Israelites do not follow the good that has been seen in Gideon’s life, but the bad that has also been present in his life. By making the ephod he has brought the people back to the path of idolatry. By this he has ruined his own work (Jdg 6:25-27) and has laid the seed for a renewed deviation of the people from the LORD.

The Israelites “again played the harlot with the Baals”. More than forty years after Gideon demolished the altar of Baal, the Israelites choose Baal-berith as their god. Baal-berith means ‘lord of the covenant’. The worship of Baal is a sign of a covenant with the Canaanites, something which God has explicitly forbidden. God is forgotten and no thought is given to the good that Gideon has done for the people.

Despite the fact that Gideon participated in this development, God holds the people responsible for their own behavior. He reproaches them for being ungrateful for what Gideon did.

Ungratefulness is also a characteristic of our days. How do we deal with brothers who have served us and who, by preaching God’s Word, have made the Lord Jesus more precious to us, so that we worship Him more? In addition, their service has increased our desire to obey God’s Word, so that we have begun to serve Him with greater dedication. We must be thankful to those who, through their preaching and life, have brought Christ closer to us and brought us closer to Christ. About such people we read for example in Romans 16 and in Hebrews 13 (Rom 16:3-4; Heb 13:7 ; 17).