It is sad to see people finish badly. Can you think of anyone in the Bible who had a promising beginning or started well but finished badly? For two weeks, We have studied the deliverance that God brought His people using a man named Gideon. Introduced to us as a frustrated, God-doubting, fearful man hiding from the enemy, Gideon has now led a small band of men to defeat the massive Midian force. When we left Gideon, he was the remnant of the enemy army and trying to capture their fleeing leaders. Ultimately, Gideon and his 300 men catch and defeat the enemy; however, Gideon quickly displays a dramatic shift toward deep personal failure. He leads Israel into horrific idolatry. Gideon was remarkably obedient and filled with faith in the extreme moment of battle, but the routine of daily living seems to have been a greater test of his character. (This is true for many of us, and the challenges of daily living are more difficult than those of the extreme moment.) Not much detail is given to us about why Gideon seemed to turn from God, but there are hints in Judges 8 that we may hear echoed in our own lives.

Scripture References: Exodus 28:29-43, 1 Samuel 21:11, Genesis 26:1, Judges 8:1-35

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From Series: "A Study of Judges"