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The Scriptorium

Gideon

He started well, but finished poorly.

The Heart of God: Judges through 1 Samuel (2)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Read and meditate on Judges 6-8.
The work of Gideon gives us a closer look at the way God called, prepared, and used the judges to further His purposes among His people. Gideon is in some ways a microcosm of the nation, since he began his work in trepidation, pursued it energetically and in faith, but failed to finish well.

For reflection
1.  God’s glory, God’s people, God’s work of redemption: How would you describe the state of these unifying threads of Scripture at the beginning of the book of Judges?

2.  How can you see the grace of God at work in the calling of Gideon? Does Gideon seem like the kind of person to carry out God’s plan for the deliverance of His people? Why or why not?

3.  As Gideon’s calling begins to unfold, how can you see God working to make sure that He is glorified in this effort?

4.  Notice how the people responded to Gideon’s leadership (Jdgs. 8.1-22). What does this suggest about the spiritual condition of Israel at this time?

5.  Gideon declined to serve as king, but it’s clear he was disgruntled and pouting about the way things had worked out. How can you see in chapter 8 that Gideon was seeking some glory for himself (N.B., in v. 31, Gideon named his bastard son Abimelech, which means My father is king)?

Summary
Gideon’s story is one of faith, but failure. He believed God and served Him according to the Lord’s call. But neither he nor the people had the spiritual stamina to stay close to the Lord. Again, even when God’s leaders are faithful, the judges cannot bring the people fully back into God’s covenant through political and military means alone. What is God trying to tell us through these repeated cycles? Do His people need something more in a deliverer? In what they should be seeking from the Lord?

Closing Prayer
How long, LORD?
Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You,
And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name.
For they have devoured Jacob,
And laid waste his dwelling place.
Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us!
Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
For we have been brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation,
For the glory of Your name;
And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,
For Your name’s sake!

Psalm 79.5-9

T. M. Moore

Two books can help you gain a fuller understanding of the terrain we will be covering in this series. Kingdom Documentsprovides a concise overview of the primary teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and shows, through early Church creeds, how our forebears understand the primary teachings of God’s Word. (click here to order). I Will Be Your Goddevelops more fully the idea of God’s covenant and leads us to consider the practical implications of our covenant relationship with God (click here).

Visit The Ailbe Seminary, where our course,
Introduction to Biblical Theology, offers a parallel study of our theme in this series, using brief video presentations and the workbook God’s Covenant: An Introduction. All courses at The Ailbe Seminary are available without charge.

We are happy to be able to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in this series by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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