The people come to Gideon and ask him to be king. He responds in the right way, no, that is not what you need. So, he gets that right. But then asks for golden earrings and makes an idol from these earrings. So, we see here an idol that will trap the people. Friends, there are always idols. There will always be idols that whisper to us. It would be easier if they were as obvious as a golden idol. But they are there, whispering to us.

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Well, good morning. It’s good to be with you on this Monday morning as we get close to wrapping up Gideon’s story. This will be our last Rooted for about a week. We’re flying out tomorrow—or early Wednesday—for Thomas’s senior trip. We’re heading to Niagara Falls and some other fun spots, so I’ll be out of pocket most of this week. And, of course, Monday is Memorial Day, so we won’t meet then either. We’ll pick back up on Monday the 27th.

Today, we’ll finish Judges 8:22–28, and then on the 27th, we’ll pick up with verses 29–35 to close out Gideon’s story. So just a heads-up—you’ll be on your own this week for reflections and devotionals. If you don’t already use it, I recommend The Upper Room as a great daily devotional resource. If you prefer something more structured, consider The Daily Office from the Book of Common Prayer—a great tool for staying grounded. But for now, let’s dive into today’s reading.

We’re going to look at a section titled Gideon’s Idolatry. I told you Friday: get ready. This is where the story starts to take a hard turn.

Judges 8:22–28

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson—for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.”
But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”

Then Gideon said, “Let me make a request of you: each of you give me an earring you have taken as plunder.” (For the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

They answered, “We will willingly give them.” So they spread out a garment, and everyone threw in an earring.
The weight of the gold earrings he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, not counting the crescents, pendants, purple garments worn by the Midianite kings, or the collars from the necks of their camels.

Gideon made an ephod of it and placed it in his hometown, Ophrah. And all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

Let’s unpack that.

So, Gideon wins the battle—not by his own strength, but because God delivered Israel. Now, in the aftermath, the people come to him and say, “Hey, we want you to be our king. And your son after you. And your grandson after him.” And to his credit, Gideon gives the right answer. He says, “No. I will not rule over you. My son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

Great answer. Right answer. God-honoring answer.

But then…
He asks for gold from their plunder.
And what does he do with that gold?

He makes an ephod—some kind of sacred object, perhaps meant to symbolize divine leadership or worship. And then he puts it in his hometown, and Israel ends up worshiping it.

Let that sink in.

Gideon saw the angel of the Lord.
He saw the fleece soaked with dew—and then dry.
He saw the Lord win the battle with 300 men—after sending 31,700 troops home.
He saw God prove over and over again that God alone was Israel’s Deliverer.

And what does he do?
He takes the gold from the victory that God gave them… and makes an idol.

Bless him. Bless him.

As the old hymn says:
“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.
Prone to leave the God I love.”

Gideon is so human. So frail. So us.

And this story is a powerful warning about what happens when we live without accountability and without guardrails. One of my favorite quotes is:
“Before you fall in public, you fall in private.”

Gideon may have looked like a hero on the outside, but something had shifted inside. Maybe it was pride. Maybe it was entitlement. Whatever it was, it led him to make something with the plunder of God’s victory—and that thing became a snare not just for him, but for all of Israel.

Friends, there is always going to be an idol demanding your attention. Always.

If only our idols looked like cartoonish golden calves, they’d be easy to avoid. But they don’t. They look like success. They look like influence. They look like financial security. They look like a need for control. They look good.

But ask yourself:

• What do I trust in more than God?
• What demands my allegiance more than Him?
• What whispers to me and says, “I can give you life”?

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Only Jesus can offer real rest. Real peace. Real security.

The idols—money, power, reputation, even good things like family or ministry—can never deliver what they promise. They will whisper that they can give you life. But they can’t.

As the prophet said, “Don’t exchange the glory of God for something made by human hands.”

I’ll leave you with this thought:
You will be tempted by idols today. So will I. And the most dangerous ones will look just good enough to seem godly.

So stay rooted in Jesus. Only He has the words of life.

Thanks for being with us. I’ll see you again on Monday the 27th.
Have a great week. Walk faithfully.
See you then.