Jerubbaal, who is Gideon

2022-04-09

The rise of Gideon, the son of Joash, as judge in Israel came after seven years of Midianite rule, forcing the Israelites into hiding. The lowest among the poorest people, Gideon, was visited by the Angel of the Lord, who ordained this young man to save Israel.

Gideon was the perfect candidate to deliver Israel because of his poverty and weakness. There was nothing within himself to trust. The Lord uses the lowly to demonstrate His power, because then all will know the power was from God and not from men.

Gideon needed a lot of reassurance throughout the beginning of his career. He needed the sign of the meat and the cakes being consumed, the miracle of the fleece, and the dream of the Midianite to prove that God was with him. God reassures us who are weak in faith to trust in Him.

We see much growth in this man, as Gideon went against the tide to burn his family’s idols, putting his life in his hands. He earned the name of Jerubbaal, because the people learned that if Baal were a real god, he could stand up for himself. With 300 men, he went to the camp of Midian to battle. At this point, we see him become a great warrior and leader because God was with him. A great host led by the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, fell.

However, a point came where Gideon’s faith became misplaced. He initially said that he did not want the honor of a king, saying, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23). However, he had a son whom he named Abimelech, whose name means “father is king.” This son turned out to be a traitorous and murderous ruler over Israel. Likewise, Gideon made some manner of idol of gold that caused him, his family, and his country to go back into idolatry, even after God had delivered His people.

Despite these failings, Gideon is listed in the faith chapter, in Hebrews 11:32. Even if we have faith, we can stumble.

The lesson of Gideon is this: to remember our lowliness before the Lord. All that the Lord does through us truly is His work, and not ours. He chooses the weak to serve Him, not the strong. If we get honor and blessing from others, these must be a testimony to the Lord’s goodness, because we contribute nothing to His power. Stay humble, stay lowly. Otherwise, we will be led into the sin of pride, and we will take people with us.

This is a part of the Judges of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.