Don’t Stumble to the Finish

Don’t Stumble to the Finish

READ: Judges 8:22-28

Serving in the role of pastor for almost 3 decades now, I’ve come face to face with beginnings and endings. Seen babies born, seen people come to new life and begin the Christian life … also seen the tail end of life on this earth. I’ve seen people – means one day deeper in love with His Savior – and one day more filled with the joy of the Lord - - until the day comes when God takes him by the hand and leads him from this life into eternity.

That is the longing of my heart for every one of our children in this church, and for every one of us adults here - - I want us NOT to stumble across the finish line of life – but to sprint across it with strength.

The life of Gideon speaks to that longing – and it has a lesson for us in finishing well. When you think of Gideon – what image comes to your mind’s eye? Is it a timid young man setting out his fleece just to be sure of God’s leading –

Is it a military conqueror with an army so tiny, so ridiculous against an overwhelming enemy they have no chance of defeating - that he is either a complete fool, or a man filled with earth-shaking faith?

Well, both pictures are accurate snapshots of different points in Gideon’s life … but if we stop with just those two images, we aren’t getting the whole, big picture of this life. this morning, in our third and last study in Gideon’s life, I want to fill in the gaps in the picture.

Background from last week: God takes a skeptical, cowardly, shallow-faith man, and transforms him into a man of mighty faith, who takes the 300 men God gave him, and leads them head on into a battle with the troops of Midian, so numerous that they cover the ground like a swarm of locusts and their camels are too many to be counted. But God isn’t limited by numbers … or by the power of weapons … so with with trumpets and torches and clay pots, as the only weapons, God uses this Gideon to rout the massive army.

You cannot fight the Lord’s battles with fear in your heart.

All the struggles in the book are due to a lack of faith. God was looking for a leader who would simply worship Him and take him at his word. ‘There is a holy moment that God must bring His servant to, when with all human confidence stripped away, he silently sits in humble adoration of his God as the One who is everything and totally sufficient against all odds to accomplish His divine will. Then, and only then, is he fit to move forward to taste God’s victory, though that victory were no more secure or certain than before.”

READ: JUDGES 8:1-5

Chapter 8 begins with Gideon still on the move. He’s moving eastward toward the Jordan river. Ephraimite territory. The Ephraimites are upset. “Why didn’t you call us to fight? We’re not good enough for you?!” (This book has nothing good to say about the Ephraimites. They are that draining family member - everything is always about them - Great miraculous victory given by God - and all they can see is, ‘I wasn’t invited!”). Gideon diffuses the tension like a masterful diplomat.

“What I have done compared to you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?” (Abiezer is Gideon’s clan). What he’s saying is “Your leftovers, your scraps - are better than the very best of our grape harvest! I’ve got nothing on you!”

And that response calms the tensions, keeps the relationship among the Israelites in tact … and he can move on in pursuit of the enemy. This guy is on a roll.

Verse 4 tells us that Gidon ‘Came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him ...”. Something happens here at this crossing. It’s almost as if something changes in his relationship to God as he steps across the border line ...

He and his men are exhausted and they’re hungry. He comes to the town of Succoth and asks the elders of the town for food.

Verse 6: “… Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” “We’re not sure you’re going to win this battle - and we are on the frontier - right next door to the enemy. If you fail - we’re stuck with the consequences.

Gideon goes on to the town of Penuel and asks the same thing. He gets the same answer: v. 8. “… and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.”

Now these responses are understandable from a human perspective. Verse 10 tells us that the enemy still has an army of about 15,000 .... and Gideon is still chasing along with his tiny troop of 300. Terrible odds!

BUT, it is a faithless on the part of these people of God, who can see what God has ALREADY done.

But notice Gideon’s response in vv. 7 and 9,

“So Gideon said, ‘Well then, when the LORD has given Zeba and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.’” WHAT? You didn’t feed me, so I’m coming back to flog you?

Verse 9, “And he said to the men of Penuel,, ‘When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.’”

This is NOT the same Gideon who silently obeyed in faith, sent home his whole army except for a handful. This is a man bent on revenge. No mention of salvation, just angry revenge at injustice.

Well, Gideon is victorious - he does get the enemy and on his way back, he does to the men of the 2 towns, exactly what he promised.

If only the story of Gideon concluded after verse 4, there – it would be a happy ending. And we love happy endings.

Unfortunately, the story goes on. And the more time passes, the more Gideon looks less and less like a mighty man of God – and more and more like a man of the world.

Now, skip down to verses 22 and following.

1. THE LOVE OF MONEY

Gideon executes the 2 kings of Midian – and in the very next verse we see that the king killer is looking a lot like a king in the eyes of his people.

Verse 22: “Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also …” See what he is being offered? He is being offered a kingly dynasty - - “Be our ruler and we won’t have elections for the next judge – you can pass your crown down to your son and grandson after you.”

Verse 22 goes on and tells us why such a great offer: “ … for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” Oh, oh. The Israelites have stepped onto dangerous ground. That is exactly why God stripped Gideon’s army down to a ridiculous skeleton of troops. Remember 7:2, “The people with you are TOO MANY for me to give the MIdianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me saying, ‘my own hand has saved me’.” As we saw last week, God’ in intent on displaying HIS GLORY. He is in pursuit of His glory. He has made it clear in this rescue – not just once, but on several occasions – He’s the One doing the saving. Why the very fact he sent his angel to call a coward hiding his grain in a winepress – is a pretty good evidence. Now the people saved BY God - are giving the credit to Gideon.

Look at Gideon’s response in verse 23, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.” What do you think? Does the answer sound good to you?

“The LORD will rule over you.” GOOD answer – sort of. But do you notice what Gideon does NOT say? He does NOT say, “Don’t give me the credit – I DIDN’T RESCUE YOU – GOD DID.” And what he doesn’t say here is just as important as what he does say. By allowing the glory of victory to be given to him – by NOT challenging it – he is saying, “Yes, you’re right – It was me”.

Does that case you think we are being too hard on Gideon for a simple mistake in his words – let me give you a little tip for reading narrative sections of the Bible - - you can’t always accept the words of the character who is speaking, at face value. Aside from Jesus, himself, the human characters in the Bible are sinners just like you and me – and not always up front. That’s why the narrator often shows us whether we should believe the words of the characters or not. Look at what the narrator here tells us is the very next thing Gideon does.

“I won’t rule over you . . . but I do have something to ask of you,” verse 24, “Let me make a request of you; every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil (from your share of the plunder).” Gideon wants gold from the people.

They bring him 1700 shekels - that’s 43 pounds of gold – that’s worth a lot of money! And that’s not all, Gideon takes the ornaments that were around the necks of the Midianite royal camels AND the purple garments would have belonged to the Midianite kings – and becomes a very wealthy man with royal robes.

Yes, God should rule His people – good answer – but God always uses a human agent – somebody needs to administer the people, make sure justice is done and the people are protected. Israel needs a leader, to shepherd them but Gideon won’t do it – verse 29, “Jerub-baal (that’s Gideon), went and lived in his own house.” He went home.

Verse 30 tells us that he had seventy sons – Now I know some women have a lot of children – 7, 12 . . . but 70? That’s too much for most women. Well, Gideon “had many wives . . .” It was common for the pagan kings of the nations around Israel to have many wives, but God specifically told the people in Deuteronomy 17:17 that when Israel had a king – he must not acquire excessive gold - - NOR many wives. Gideon’s failed on both fronts.

And in case you still aren’t convinced that Gideon wants to look like a king – look at the name he gives his son in v. 31, “Gideon called his name, ‘Abimelech’.” That’s not just another name like Fred, or Mike - - it’s a name with a clear meaning: Abimelech is the combination of 2 Hebrew words: ‘Abi’ – ‘my father’ and ‘melech’ – ‘king’. Honey what should we name the child? “I don’t know, how about, ‘My father is a king?’”.

“I won’t rule over you” Gideon says to the people – but every time anybody is introduced to his son, every time one of the kids call him on the playground: “What’s your name?” ... they will forever be told, “My father is KING!”

2. SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTION

There is another way Gideon stumbles to the finish line. Verse 27 tells us what he does with the gold: “And Gideon made an ephod of it . . .” What’s that? An ephod is a part of the high priest’s clothing – a sleeveless robe put on over his other clothes, made of costly materials and with a breastplate attached that had, set in rows, 12 precious stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. And on the breastplate there is a pouch or pocket for the ‘Urim and Thummim’ – 2 stones used to discover God’s will on certain matters.

The point is – this ephod belongs to the high priest – Gideon is not a priest at all – let alone the high priest of the nation. He has no right to make tools for worship – God is absolutely precise in his instructions about how Israel was to worship him. And this is not it. Remember what happens when Aaron asks the people of for their jewelry, while Moses is up on the mountain receiving the commandments from God? Aaron makes a golden calf – and God doesn’t take too kindly of it – threatens to destroy the entire nation and start over.

And when the ephod is made, Gideon takes it to his hometown. So what? Well in Numbers 27:21, God explicitly commands the people of Israel to worship at 1 sanctuary – the tabernacle, the ark and the worship are taking place, in these days, at Shiloh. So Gideon is introducing a rival center of worship.

Is this the LORD ruling over Israel?! No! Not when you ignore the LORD’s High Priest, not when you ignore the LORD’S commands – and set up a rival place of worship in your hometown – with all the prestige of a king – and none of the king’s responsibility.

God gives His verdict on the end of Gideon’s life pretty clearly – in the second half of v. 27, “. . . And all Israel whored after it (prostituted themselves before the ephod) – and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.”

What a sad ending to a life with such potential! The man God uses to rescue his people from a huge, oppressing power – ends his life in the pettiness of loving gold more than God and by leading his people into spiritual prostitution.

Howard Hughes: Worth 2.5 billion dollars at his death - he was the richest man in the United States. He owned a private fleet of jets, hotels and casinos. When asked to claim his body, his nearest relative, a distant cousin, exclaimed, “Is this Mr. Hughes?”

He had spent the last 15 years of his life a drug addict, too weak in the end to even administer the shots to himself. His 6’4” frame had shrunk to 6’1” and he weighed only 90 lbs.

Did you know that not a single acquaintance or relative mourned his death. The only honor he received was a moment of silence in his Las Vegas casinos. Time magazine put it this way: “Howard Hughes’ death was commemorated in Las Vegas by a minute of silence. Casinos fell silent. Housewives stood uncomfortable clutching their paper cups full of coins at the slot machines, the blackjack games paused, and at the crap tables the stickmen cradled the dice in the crook of their wooden wands. Then a pit boss looked at his watch, leaned forward and whispered, “O.K., roll the dice. He’s had his minute.” (Time, December 13, 1976)

What a tragic ending! Our text is telling us that it is possible to have God do a great work in a person – to do a great work with a person - and for that person to stumble to the finish line of life. Paul talks about this type of ending when he points to Judgment Day - in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15:

"each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15, ESV)

There are people who as they grow older, seem to grow more and more miserable

There are people who, the older they get, the more and more joy they radiate – Christian joy -

I want to urge you this morning friends, “Don’t stumble to the finish line.”

How can we learn from Gideon’s life to avoid Gideon’s finish? Let me give you an application:

Treasure the Bible

When God raises up Gideon to lead His people into battle – how does He do it? He sends His angel to speak face to face with Gideon. Gideon says, “well, if God is with u

s, why are we suffering?” He shows he doesn’t have a good handle on the written word of God from the start – Deuteronomy God promises curses on His people if they disobey or forget Him - - which is exactly what’s going on in Gideon’s day.

Well, the angel doesn’t give up – but keeps speaking – promising, encouraging Gideon ‘face to face’.

It seems that after the victory – Gideon is under the impression that God should ALWAYS speak to His people immediately. I think that’s a major reason why Gideon builds this ephod to get God’s direction. He never really came to trust that the written word was enough. Do you see where I’m going with this?

We may not have ephods to tempt us today – but when it comes to finding guidance for our decisions - it is so easy for us to allow the written word of God to take a back seat.

Remember when Jesus was challenged by the Sadducees – they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead – and they tried to trip our Savior up with a trick question? He responded to them – Matthew 22:29, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” In other words, “If you knew the Scriptures better – you would be kept safe from this eternal-life denying mistake.

Most of us here today believe the Bible to be the Inspired Word of God – Good. But that is not enough to keep us from stumbling to the finish. The only way to keep our footsteps firm all the way to the ribbon at the end of the course – is to treasure the Word and feed on the Word and live by the Word! I want you to think for a moment of the most joyful older saints you have known in your life – is there a single joy-filled, radiant ONE of them who is not saturated with Scripture? Every time you are with them – it is obvious that they are fresh with the experience of God’s presence – and they live by His promises. That’s what I want for us, friends.

One of the greatest passages of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is when Christian and Hopeful are locked up prisoners in the dungeon of Doubting-Castle. The two prisoners languish there until finally, Christian remembers that he has a key to the door:

“What a fool I have been, to lie like this in a stinking dungeon, when I could have just as well walked free. In my chest pocket I have a key called Promise that will, I am thoroughly persuaded, open any lock in Doubting-Castle.” “Then,” said Hopeful, “that is good news. My good brother, do immediately take it out of your chest pocket and try it.” Then Christian took the key from his chest and began to try the lock of the dungeon door; and as he turned the key, the bolt unlocked and the door flew open with ease, so that Christian and hopeful immediately came out.

The key to freedom are the promises of God’s Word – and the fact that the key is in Christian’s chest pocket, I think, points to the fact that Christian had hidden God’s promises in his heart – by memorization – so that it was there in the prison cell with him, when he needed it.

Many of us come to the end of Gideon’s life … and we feel so … dissatisfied. There was some good here - but it could have ended SO MUCH BETTER. So we have a bitter taste in the mouth at the end of chapter 8.

One of the reasons for that is that many of us grow up in church and live with the idea that someone becomes a Christian and … well, they’re not perfect. We get that. But we have this idea in our heads that you when God really gets hold of a person, the battle with sin will come to an end sometime.

And a great leader is someone who may have 1 big failure

What’s the deal? That’s precisely the point - every human WILL let you down. Every human being has feet of clay - they will show flashes of greatness, but there will be clouds of failure.

And this is where the glory of God comes in … God has a pattern of picking up these failure-prone leaders and using them to display His glory. God takes a Gideon, with all of his doubts, his fears, his skepticism and his pride - and He uses that broken pot to carry deliverance for His people. So trust in God. Trust in God, alone.

God is the same God - whether you are Gideon in chapter 6 or 7 or 8 - Oh how we change. Sometimes I’m spiritually hot .... Sometimes I’m a spiritual ice-cube. But God does NOT change. Ever. He’s holy, and I’m not excusing faithlessness - He doesn’t turn a blind eye to pride.

But the sin is covered. It’s been paid for.

And the amazing this is - Gideon isn’t remembered for his failures. This guy is all too real. These are not small things he’s done wrong - leading God’s people into idolatry … But there was so much good about his life: he did tear down the Baal altar and build an altar to the LORD; He did rally the tribes together; he DID trust God to save with 300 men and an arsenal of weapons that were nothing short of foolish; He DID diffuse tensions with the Ephraimites.

And what’s amazing is the New Testament remembers only THAT. Hebrews memorializes this man at his best.

Hebrews 11:32-34, “Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - (33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (34) quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, BECAME MIGHTY IN WAR, PUT FOREIGN ARMIES TO FLIGHT ..