Judges 8:29-35
29 Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
30 Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives.
31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again committed infidelity with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god.
34 So the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had saved them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;
35 nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accordance with all the good that he had done for Israel.
Gideon’s Death
Acting as a king
Observing Gideon’s life, we learn that all good things are given by God’s grace and that with the Lord by our side, we can overcome any enemy. At the same time, we see that the greatest obstacle to God’s work is the people’s unbelief. Additionally, when leaders raised by God exploit His work for their own gain, it becomes a significant hindrance. Gideon, who was once poor, became wealthy, fell into corruption at the end. Although he refused to be a king, his actions resembled those of a king. He had many wives, and he had as many as 70 sons. Additionally, he had a concubine in Shechem, and she bore him a son. Gideon named the son Abimelech, which means “My father is king.” It seems that Gideon had thought that he had already become a king. Gideon lived a long life and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah. After his death problems began to arise.
Baal-berith
After Gideon died, the people once again began to behave lawlessly. They started worshipping Baal-berith, the god of fertility among the Canaanites. Baal-berith means “Baal of the covenant,” namely, “the lord of the covenant.” Surprisingly, they forgot the true “Lord of the Covenant,” the God of Israel, and turned to the idols of the Canaanites. Furthermore, they also forgot the covenant they had made with Gideon and began mistreating his family. The God of Israel is the God of Covenant, the God of grace. If we turn away from Him, we become ungrateful both towards God and towards others. That’s why the Bible teaches us, “Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). Are you walking each day, remembering the grace of the Lord?
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father God, today, I thank you for filling my life with goodness. May I continue to be connected to your covenant. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.