Keeping Perspective

God’s plan for Israel was that every person be personally accountable to God and there was no political organization.  As Judges 17:6 tells us, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  The priests and Levites were to serve as judges, enforcing God’s law, and in special situations he would provide prophets to tell them what God said.  When they went away from God and were punished, if they turned back he sent judges such as Gideon to lead them to follow God. 

Many people do not like taking responsibility, so when Gideon led in defeating the Midianites and Amalekites, the people asked him to be their king, in Judges 8:22.  “Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.”  Gideon recognized that this was not God’s plan but an attempt to substitute human ideas for God’s, and refused, in Judges 8:23.  “And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.”

Many people today want to put some man as their head instead of taking responsibility for themselves.  As a result pastors and church leaders often exercise considerable power.  In Revelation 2:6, God complimented the church at Ephesus for not having fallen into that practice because it is something he hates.  “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.”  A little later, in Revelation 2:14-15, he condemned the Church at Pergamos for allowing this ungodly attitude.  “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”  As Romans 14:12 reminds us, “…every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”  We can’t just sluff off our responsibility on somebody else. 

When we begin to glorify or honor men too much we may encourage a prideful attitude that will hurt or destroy their ministry or turn people away from God.   While Gideon refused to become king, he asked for a small part of the spoil they had taken from the Midianites, in Judges 8:24-27.  “And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.”

Appreciating what he had done, the people willing gave Gideon what he asked, and he used it to make an Ephod, a symbol of the priestly power and God’s love for Israel, as we see in Judges 8:27.  “And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”  Gideon had intended his ephod to be a means of focusing people’s attention on the Lord, but it became a distraction, with his own family going to worship there instead of going to Shiloh to worship at the Tabernacle as God had commanded.  Over the years, many well intentioned pastors and church leaders have established programs and organizations to support and encourage Christians.  Unfortunately, over time, they have become a distraction, with people focused on those things rather than on the local church.  Even organizations and programs such as Focus on the Family, Promise Keepers, a denominational group or fellowship all have this potential to distract from what God intended.  We need to keep our focus on god rather than anything else.