CHARACTER STUDY ~ GIDEON

Gideon is a gender-neutral name of Hebrew origin that embodies the potency of will which means "Hewer, feller, one who cuts down, or warrior". He was the son of Joash the Abiezrite from the tribe of Manasseh. He became a Judge of Israel when the Midianites oppressed his nation. He was nicknamed Jerub-baal and was listed as one of the heroes of faith in the Book of Hebrews.

Some Characteristics of Gideon:

✔ He encountered an Angel of the Lord while threshing wheat in the winepress. The Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to his father, and declared unto him “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” 

✔ His response to the Angel's word implies he knew the mighty works the Lord had done in Israel. However, he was not pleased the Lord had forsaken and delivered them to the Midianites. Read the Bible and seek for understanding by the Holy Spirit. 

✔ He gave excuses for not being able to rescue Israel from the Midianites because his clan was the least in Manasseh while he was also the least in his father's house. God does not perform His mighty acts in the skillful or the qualified but rather, He qualifies whom He chooses. 

✔ His hospitality gave him confirmation the Lord was with him. We need to learn to welcome others for we can never tell when the Lord passes us by. Gideon built an altar there to the Lod and called it "The Lord-Is-Peace".  

✔ He pulled down the altar of Baal and raised an altar in the Name of the Lord with the help of ten men at night because of fear. When the people wanted to attack him for destroying the altar of Baal, his father defended him, and from then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal defend himself,” because he broke down Baal’s altar. When ought to be tactical when carrying out assignments in the Name of the Lord or even in our normal routines.  

✔ He tests God to be sure He will save Israel through him. We ought to learn how to address our fears before God. God performed the signs to prove His loyalty. 

✔ He led an army of three hundred to defeat the Midianites. He was encouraged by the dream and its interpretation given to strike the Midianites when he went with his servant Purah to the camp of the Midianites.  

✔ When the Ephraimites criticized Gideon “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” He dealt with the criticism with great charm and tact; “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the leftover grapes of Ephraim’s harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of Abiezer? God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeeb, the commanders of the Midianite army. What have I accomplished compared to that?” When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, their anger subsided.

✔ Gideon and his 300 men were exhausted yet kept up the pursuit despite being denied food by the men of Succoth, and Penuel. He later dealt with them.

✔ He refused to be made king of Israel when the offer was given. We ought to be careful how we accept positions. Ask God before you initiate the acceptance.   

✔ He made an ephod with the gold earrings he took from the people which became a snare to his household. Do not make any graven image or idol to worship but rather serve the Lord wholeheartedly.

✔ He had seventy sons born to him, for he had many wives. He also had a concubine in Shechem, who gave birth to a son, whom he named Abimelech. 

✔ During the days of Gideon, Israel had rest for forty years but after the death of Gideon, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-Berith their god. 

✔ Gideon died when he was very old, and he was buried in the grave of his father, Joash, at Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer.

Supporting Scriptures: Judges 6:11-8:35 & Hebrews 11:32