Gideon is chasing the Midianites and stops to ask for help. He is refused. No one will give him bread. And this is after being fussed at for not letting a certain tribe come to the battle. We see here that everyone is after their own interests. No one is thinking about how to help one another or how to pull together. They are all only thinking about themselves. We see that remains true in the New Testament, and we see it remains true, even today. Working together is often one of the hardest things we can do. But it is also the only way forward.

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Well, good morning. It’s good to be with you on this Friday as we continue in our time together in Judges. I was doing some reading and looking over today’s passage—and the ones coming up—and let me just say: Judges gets wild, y’all. I hope you’re ready. Buckle up, because we’re about to take a turn with Gideon, and it doesn’t really get any better from here.

I hope you’ve already picked up on this, but just in case you haven’t: these judges are imperfect. Every single one of them. And we’ve actually seen the best of Gideon so far. Starting today, things take a turn.

We’re going to read most of chapter 8 today—verses 1 through 28. In my Bible, the subheadings for this section are “Gideon’s Triumph and Vengeance” and “Gideon’s Idolatry.” That about sums it up.

It almost feels like every judge has a moment of real moral clarity—where they do the right thing and are faithful—and then something unravels. That’s exactly what we’re going to see with Gideon. Yesterday, we read about God delivering Israel through Gideon, using just 300 men. That was a high point. Today, we’ll see what happens after the victory.

Let’s begin with verses 1–9:

Then the Ephraimites said to him, “What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?” And they upbraided him violently. So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? God has given into your hands the captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?” When he said this, their anger against him subsided.

Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the three hundred who were with him, exhausted and famished. So he said to the people of Succoth, “Please give some loaves of bread to my followers, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” But the officials of Succoth said, “Do you already have in your possession the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna, that we should give bread to your army?” Gideon replied, “Well then, when the Lord has given them into my hand, I will trample your flesh on the thorns of the wilderness and on briers.”

From there he went to Penuel and made the same request. The people of Penuel answered him as the people of Succoth had answered. So he said to the people of Penuel, “When I come back victorious, I will break down this tower.”

So, Gideon is pursuing the Midianite kings. He and his men are exhausted and hungry. He asks the people of Succoth and Penuel for help—and they both say no.

Now here’s the thing: we’re starting to see internal division among the Israelites. Ephraim’s mad they didn’t get called to the battle. Gideon smooths that over by reminding them they got to capture two enemy leaders. Then he asks for help from two towns, and they both refuse him. What does Gideon do? If we kept reading through verse 21, we’d see him go back, capture the kings, and then return to exact revenge on those towns. He beats the elders of Succoth with thorns and briers. He tears down the tower at Penuel.

This kind of disunity and division shows up throughout the Old Testament. God’s people aren’t always pulling together. They’re often not on the same page. In fact, later in Ruth, we’ll meet Ruth the Moabite—and one of the reasons the Moabites were looked down on is because, back in the Exodus, the Israelites asked them for help and they said no. That kind of failure to stand together had lasting consequences.

As I was thinking about this, I was watching another great theological work—Star Wars. Specifically, the show Andor. One thing that stood out was how the rebels, by the end of the season, start to actually trust one another. They begin to win because they’re working together. The empire, on the other hand, is full of selfish ambition and internal competition. They’re always trying to one-up each other—and that’s why they fall.

That speaks to a real truth: division is easy. It’s unity that’s hard. Getting along is hard. We don’t have to try very hard to find something to be upset about. But laying down our pride? That’s the challenge.

And that’s what the New Testament spends a lot of time addressing—especially in books like 1 Corinthians and Galatians. The early church struggled with division, too. Everybody wanted their own way. They wanted what theywanted, how they wanted it.

Friends, it is so easy to fall into the trap of making it all about me. That’s the way of the world. That’s what we’re used to.

But the way of Jesus? That’s different. The way of Jesus requires humility. It means laying down our preferences. It means loving people we may not like. It means working with people we don’t agree with. It means enduring, forgiving, staying at the table.

My friend Keith Keeton says all the time: relationships are a means of grace. They’re how the Holy Spirit shapes us. Being in community—especially when it’s hard—forces us to grow, to pray more, to rely more on God, and to live out our faith in tangible ways.

Years ago, I worked with someone who was difficult. I mean really difficult. So I printed out Philippians 2 and taped it to my computer. It reminded me that Christ served us while we were still his enemies. That kind of sacrificial love is what we’re called to. Not turning away. Not hardening our hearts. But serving. Loving. Forgiving. Even when it’s hard.

What ultimately unraveled Israel in Judges wasn’t just outside enemies. It was their division. Their disunity. Their self-interest. They turned inward, and they turned on each other.

So today, remember: division is easy. Unity is hard. But it’s worth it. Because in choosing community—especially when it’s difficult—we find life. That’s where Jesus meets us.

Alright, we’ll pick up on Monday with verse 22 and look at Gideon’s idolatry. Our boy’s about to take a real turn.

Have a great weekend. See you then.