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GIDEON:  A JUDGE AND A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR

 

The Protest by Ephraim

Judges 8:1-3

Lesson #14

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     After the initial conflict with the Midianites, Gideon called Ephraim to the battle.

 

B.      They willfully joined in the attack.

1.       They made any crossing of the rivers impossible for Midian.

2.       Too, they captured and killed two of their princes:  Oreb and Zeeb.

 

C.     Ephraim was a close kinsman to Manasseh, the tribe from which Gideon originated. 

1.       Ephraim and Manasseh were the two sons of Joseph born to him in Egypt. 

2.       Their mother’s name was Asenath.

3.       Manasseh was the firstborn and Ephraim was Joseph’s second son.

 

D.     When Ephraim brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, they had a “bone to pick” with him.  In Judges 8:1-3, we read of “The Protest by Ephraim.”

 

I.                    EPHRAIM REMONSTRATES WITH GIDEON (Judges 8:1)

 

A.     The Confrontation (Jud. 8:1a)

 

And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?

 

1.       Ephraim wanted to know why they were not initially called to the fight.

a.       They were Gideon’s brethren.

b.      They were the largest tribe.

c.       They may have been the superior fighting force within Israel.

2.       Two questions come to mind:

a.       Why didn’t Gideon call the Ephramites?

1)      This question springS from common sense and common courtesy.

2)      As kinsmen, surely they should have been notified of the battle.

3)      NOTE:  They were eventually called upon for assistance.   Why not at the first?

4)      QUESTION:  Can leaders make mistakes by not considering everyone who could be of assistance in a program of work?

b.      Why was there any obligation for him to call the Ephramites?

1)      Aren’t leaders free to make decisions they feel that are the best for battle?

2)      Ephraim’s pride seems to have been hurt.  Could their pride have been one of the reasons Gideon did not call them.

3)      Could Gideon have reasoned that he would need them later in the battle rather than at the beginning?  If so, his plans came to pass.  He did use them in the war.

4)      QUESTION:  Leaders are given freedom of choice when they make their plans.  Sometimes the plans they make could leave someone out for a period of time.  Followers need to accept the decision of leaders.

 

B.      The Chiding Described (Jud. 8:1b)

 

And they did chide with him sharply.

 

1.       Two definitions:

a.       Chide

1)      Strong (7378):  to toss, grapple, wrangle, hold a controversy

2)      BDB:  to strive, contend, make a complaint, to quarrel, contend against

b.      Sharply

1)      Strong (2394):  vehemence (usually in a bad sense)

2)      BDB:  force, might, strength, violence

2.       Had we been present that day, we might have been very uncomfortable with the way the confrontation was conducted.  It was strong and more than one person was probably involved in the conversation with Gideon.

3.       There may have been many reasons the Ephramites were so antagonistic.

a.       Wounded pride

b.      Heightened emotions, esp. the emotion of anger or jealousy

c.       A dislike for Gideon

d.      Disappointment

4.       LESSONS

a.       It is easy for situations that were never intended to harm or slight anyone to become highly charged.  Words can be said and actions taken that can do much harm to relationships.

b.      Leaders have to be extremely cautious when they handle these situations.  They made the decisions.  Regardless, people have been wounded.  How they respond can make or break the situation.

 

II.                 GIDEON’S RESPONSE TO EPHRAIM (Judges 8:2-3a).

 

A.     The Call for Ephraim to think (Jud. 8:2a)

 

And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you?

 

1.       Gideon does not address the questions raised by the Ephramites.

2.       Instead, he turns their attention to the facts of the battle. 

a.       The Ephramites were focused only upon the call to battle.

b.      They had not seen the whole picture.

3.       LESSON

a.       This often happens when individuals get angry.  They can only see one thing.  They fail to see everything in perspective.

b.      Most of the time anger fails to think.  It merely reacts.  If we are confronted by a person who is angry, we should attempt to get them to stop and think.

 

B.      The Comparison Made by Gideon (Jud. 8:2b)

 

Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?

 

1.       Definitions:

a.       Gleaning

1)      Strong (5955):  gleaning, gleaning time

2)      BDB:  gleaning

3)      Gleaning involves the gathering of the parts of the crop that are extremely useful.

b.      Vintage

1)      Strong (1210):  clipped, the grape crop

2)      BDB:  vintage

3)      The annual produce of the grape harvest

2.       In some way, what Ephraim had reaped in the gleaning process was far greater than the entire vintage, the victory over Midian, that Gideon has acquired.

 

C.     The Capture of the Princes Highlighted (Jud. 8:3a)

 

God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb:  and what was I able to do in comparison of you?

 

1.       We are not told the impact that was made on the battle by the capture of these two men.

a.       These could have been the most powerful commanders of the Midianites.

b.      Their capture and death may have completely demoralized the Midianites.

c.       It was important enough that it is mentioned again in the Biblical text (Isa. 10:26a).

 

And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb…

 

2.       Even though Gideon conquered the Midianites, the decisive battle was fought by Ephraim.  What he had done did not compare to what Ephraim had done.

 

III.              THE RESPONSE OF EPHRAIM (Judges 8:3b)

 

…Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

 

A.     Gideon had made a very wise reply to Ephraim.

1.       He was not just stroking their ego.

2.       If he had been exaggerating the situation, they would have known it immediately.

3.       His words would not have pacified them.

 

B.      Their anger was abated.

1.       Abated

a.       Strong (7503):  to slacken

b.      BDB:  to sink, relax, abate withdraw

2.       LESSON:  If a person truly considers a situation, his anger might be relaxed because of the facts of the case.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     Gideon never answered the question asked by the Ephramites.

 

B.      The facts of the case turned out to be advantageous to Ephraim.  Had they been involved in the battle from the beginning, they might not have captured and killed Oreb and Zeeb.

 

C.     Fortunately, a horrible situation was diverted.  When brethren are at odds, the organization is weakened.  Too, the enemy is strengthened when there is internal fighting.