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The Beginning of the End
by people whom the world honors as great, talented, and brilliant.
They are proud and feel qualified to act without God’s counsel.
Trust in God and obedience to His will are as essential in spiritual
warfare as they were to Gideon and Joshua in their battles with
the Canaanites. God is just as willing to work with the efforts
of His people now and to accomplish great things through weak
instruments. God is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all
that we ask or think.” (
Ephesians 3:20
).
When the men of Israel had joined together to Gideon’s call
against the Midianites, the tribe of Ephraim had remained behind.
Gideon did not send them any special appeal, and they saw this as an
excuse to not join their brothers. But when news of Israel’s triumph
reached them, the Ephraimites were envious because they had not
shared it.
After the spectacular defeat of the Midianites, they followed
up the battle and helped complete the victory. Even so, they were
jealous and angry, as if Gideon had been following His own will
and judgment. They did not see God’s hand in Israel’s triumph, and
this showed that they were unworthy to be chosen as His special
instruments. Returning with the trophies of victory, they angrily
reprimanded Gideon: “‘Why have you done this to us by not calling
us when you went to fight with the Midianites?’”
Gideon Demonstrates Humility
“What have I done now in comparison with you?” said Gideon.
“Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage
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of Abiezer? God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian,
Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?”
Gideon’s modest answer, which revealed a spirit of courtesy rarely
seen, soothed the anger of the men of Ephraim and they returned in
peace to their homes.
In their gratitude for deliverance from the Midianites, the people
of Israel proposed to Gideon that he should become their king. This
directly went against the principles of the theocracy. God was the
king of Israel, and if they placed a man on the throne it would be a
rejection of their divine Sovereign. Gideon recognized this fact, and
his answer shows that his motives were true and noble: “‘I will not