“What more can I say, then? I’ve run out of time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets” Hebrews 11:32 NTE).
After Gideon received some of the gold that the men of Israel plundered in their victory over the Midianites, Judges 8:27 tells us what he did with it: “Gideon made a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family” (NLT).
It is difficult to find fault with Gideon’s initial request for financial recognition. However, it’s clear that Gideon used those assets inappropriately. Remember that Gideon was a farmer and military leader who received God’s call to deliver Israel from the Midianites. But in creating an ephod (a symbol of spiritual leadership), Gideon clearly moved outside God’s call upon his life. Not surprisingly, the results were disastrous.
Paul the Apostle’s message to the Corinthian church is instructive at this point…
“We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you” (2 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).
Unlike Paul the Apostle. Gideon did not observe the God-ordained boundaries of his work when he chose to create this ephod. He also demonstrated an alarming lack of discernment in creating this image, especially when we consider Israel’s long-standing bias towards idolatry. In light of this, 2 Corinthians 10:13 (along with Gideon’s example) reminds us of the need to “stay in our lanes,” lest we venture outside God’s agenda for our lives.
To be clear, this does not mean we cannot move forward in a venture of faith when a need or opportunity exists. However, there is no benefit to stepping outside our “comfort zones” if we seek to enter an arena where we do not belong. While it is true that we sometimes learn the boundaries of God’s calling when we experience failure in an area of work or ministry, that was not the case with Gideon, for he was clearly not called to a position of priestly leadership.
This ill-advised decision hurt Gideon, his family, and many others because he took it upon himself to do something that God had not called him to do. Thus, we can avoid causing spiritual injury to ourselves and others if we seek to “…stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us” (2 Corinthians 10:13 GNT).