Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 5/21/2019
As we come to a close on the brief brush stroke covering the life and death of Gideon, we come to the last segment of the series where we take a moment to reflect on the man’s legacy. A legacy that is unique to Gideon and to Gideon alone. This week we will examine what the author of Hebrews has to say about the many figures of faith in history, including Gideon. Starting in Hebrews 11:1.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.” (NASB Hebrews 11:1-2)
“And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” (NASB Hebrews 11:32-34)
Now the author of Hebrews is a never-ending issue because since its canonicity, no one truly knows who wrote the letter as it has the writing style and rhythm of many different people. Such as most notably Paul the Apostle, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Priscilla, or even Clement of Rome just to name a few. Regardless of who wrote this letter, God inspired the author to write it and so we will examine it as such: God’s Word.
Within Hebrews chapter 11, the author outlines and makes mention of many historic figures that appear in this text like Enoch, Moses, and our guy Gideon. Although mentioned briefly at the end, the author takes note of Gideon and describes him, along with Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets (v32). The author describes this bunch as those that conquered kingdoms (Judges 8:28), performed acts of righteousness (Judges 7:19-22), obtained promises (Judges 6:16, 8:28), shut the mouths of lions (Daniel 6:16-23), quenched the power of fire (Judges 6:19-22, Daniel 3:8-27), escaped the edge of the sword (1 Samuel 23:6-14), went from weak to strong (Judges 6:15, 8:22b), mighty in war (Judges 8:10-12), and caused armies to flee (Judges 8:12b).
See a pattern among these nine categories? Gideon nearly matches every category listed here and is praised by the author for his tremendous faith alongside some other faithful figures of history. What a legacy am I right? That Gideon is known for his years of prime faithfulness and not his latter years of consistent compromise. I find it fascinating that people of the past are remembered the way they are remembered.
Like how Albert Einstein is esteemed as one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century, yet was extremely unfaithful to both of his wives during his lifetime and cheated all the time on them with countless other women. Yet he is presented unanimously as a great man. Why? Because his feats overshadowed his faults. And the same can be said of Gideon whose journey was one that began with fear, flourished with faith, bore fruit that brought about feats that gave glory to the Father, and then ended in a series of sinful faults.
The hero’s journey encapsulated in one sentence. It is a journey we all have the opportunity to take, but not all do take it. As is said in an ancient Chinese proverb, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. We all are called to live lives of great importance in this world like that of Gideon, even more so for the kingdom of God.
Yet most of us never take that first step. That step from fear to faith. The one toward ultimate meaning, purpose, and value by abiding in the will of Christ for our lives. Is it a risky step of direction? Yes. Is it a rewarding change in scenery? More than you could ever imagine. But in order to reap those rewards of diligence along this journey in life, we must act and take the first step of many steps.
It is a narrow path that few take because of the cost of following Christ, but it is essential in living fulfilling lives of heroic proportions. Look no further than how many people are mentioned in the Bible and how many are mentioned in the hall of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. A stark contrast of the few faithful versus the many who remain inactive in life.
Who will you be? A Gideon that is faithful to God or like the men of Succoth that stood back as the world darkened. The choice is yours and it’s only one step away from fruition. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.
Footnotes
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