Judges 8, Proverbs 16, Hebrews 1

God's assignment for Gideon included war, which was physically exhausting. It cost him the lives of his relatives and at the very end, when he and his men were famished, no one would help them or feed them. They were left to conquer the last two kings with no resources except faith in God.

Returning as victors, they subdued those who had ridiculed them and withheld food from them. The thrill of victory was so sweet that Gideon apparently believed he could let his guard down. So he set up a golden ephod which the people worshipped instead of God. It may have started out as a reminder of God's victory, but it became a substitute for God instead.

Because of his sin, Gideon's influence shrank until no one even remembered God by the time of his death.

It's too bad Gideon didn't have Proverbs to read. If he had realized that a proud heart is an abomination to the Lord, pride goes before destruction, wisdom is much better to get than gold, and it's better to be humble than to divide the spoil with the proud, his legacy might have been different.

Jesus is exalted above the angels. He is God's Son and they are ministering spirits sent to help those who "inherit salvation." Angels helped Gideon. Jesus himself, pre-incarnate, gave Gideon his assignment and went before him into battle.

Gideon needed to remember, as should we, that there is only one God, and whatever we do for Him only happens by His power.