The Temptation of Triumph

“Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshipping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.”

Judges: 8:27

 

There are times when our collective faith and resolve are low. When our spiritual guard is briefly relinquished. Although we might naturally assume that such ineffective trust is generated in moments of struggle and hardship, moments of God-ordained triumph and victory are equally, if not more, dangerous to the human condition. After all, it is in the overflowing emotion of conquest that pride and self-glorification can so quickly smother an earnest dependency upon God. We see this in the account of King Nebuchadnezzar, who at the height of worldly power naively assumed that his own effort and giftedness caused the Babylonian nation to prosper (Daniel 4). Nebuchadnezzar's conceited thoughts were quickly met with God’s humbling act, as the Lord afflicted Babylon’s king with a mental illness, which caused the civil leader to behave like lowly cattle for a period of time. Clearly, affluence is just as strong a temptation to spiritual modesty as worry and poverty. Perhaps this is why an astute biblical writer asked the Lord to provide neither too much nor too little, but only to provide enough for each day (Proverbs 30:7-9).     

With all this in mind, let us consider the text in Judges 8:22-27. Gideon, a hero supernaturally aided by God to overcome Israel’s oppressors (Midianites), was asked by the people of Israel to rule over them. Fresh off the heels of successful military campaigns, the young man, who was prone to deflect from his worthiness for leadership (Judges 6:11-18), declined the offer for authority. But after supposedly turning down an opportunity for governance he made a special, and unusual, request. Gideon asked each of Israel’s twelve tribes to give him some of their gold. All the tribes willingly complied with Gideon’s appeal. Not long after, Gideon crafted the precious metal into an ephod. Now to appreciate the significance of this action we have to go back in Scripture, to Exodus 39, which prescribed ephods to be a part of the priestly attire utilized in Hebrew sacrificial worship and offerings. So, in essence, Gideon assumed the role of a priest by taking articles from all Hebrew tribes and fashioning them into a clerical garment. Judges 8:27 states that Gideon placed the ephod in his hometown, where it became an object of idolatrous worship for the entire nation.

How tragic is it to note than an ephod, an object sanctioned as a means of drawing believers closer to God, was abused and employed as a vehicle for spiritual rebellion? Judges 8:27 identifies that Gideon’s family was not immune to this fallen behavior. The Bible articulates that the ephod became a snare to Gideon’s entire household. The man who had seen God’s providential hand rescue him from pending defeat and insurmountable odds reduced the Almighty to a decorative garment, a trophy that could be placed in a fanciful display for all to admire, including himself. Gideon verbally rejected leadership, but his subsequent exploits pushed Israel farther away from God theologically. The judge, the hero, knew his kinsmen were watching his steps and still he proceeded to walk a path of shameful reproach and human veneration.

All this to say, God’s followers must be careful with how we handle success. In an instant, the very endeavors that highlight the greatness of God can become stumbling blocks and pitfalls. For Gideon and Israel, an ephod was a vehicle of self-glorification and false worship. What is it for us? Is it our perceived talents (i.e. musical abilities, biblical knowledge, evangelistic gifts, etc.)? Is it the ministerial pastors that we so often expect to shoulder so much of the servant-oriented burdens? Is it the building in which our various congregations routinely gather in for praise and worship? Whatever it is, we need to remove the ephods, so-to-speak, and shift our focus on the eternal God. May the objects that we hold onto only remind us of God’s power, not our own. May trophies not become treasure or a source of vanity. In short, God is the ultimate treasure and He is the ultimate power. Therefore, let us fix our gaze, and heart, on Him.