Judges 8:10-21
Gideon pursued relentlessly until he captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. On his return, he severely punished the people of Sukkoth and Peniel, executing divine justice. However, during the interrogation of the two kings, the nature of the war subtly shifts. Gideon mentions how his brothers were killed by them at Tabor, stating, “If you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.” This suggests that the ‘War of the Lord’ had transitioned into a private ‘blood feud’ of Gideon’s family.
Gideon commands his son Jether to kill the kings, attempting to establish him as a warrior, but ends up wielding the sword himself when the boy is afraid. Though victory is achieved, the edge of that victory is stained more with Gideon’s personal prestige and revenge than with God’s glory. The humble, desperate heart of Gideon that started with 300 men is now evolving into a heart seeking to validate its own power and authority.
Our lives face the same temptation. When tasks started by God’s grace succeed, we quietly try to claim our “share.” We settle personal grudges under the name of divine justice and elevate our own names under the pretext of God’s glory. But true victory is not in defeating the enemy; it is in maintaining the confession that “this battle belongs to the Lord” until the very last moment.
How am I finishing my mission today? Am I forgetting the God who used me as an instrument at the moment I reap the fruits of victory? Completing the mission is important, but what is more crucial is fading one’s self until the end, revealing that God alone is King. I earnestly pray that God’s reign not my revenge and God’s holiness not my dignity will be the final fruit of my life.