The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

23 But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 24 And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

25 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. (NIV)

I remember hearing Doctor Howard Hendricks tell a story about a young man having a conversation with a godly, and very elderly pastor. The old minister was asked, ‘At what age will lust cease to be a problem to me?’ His reply, ‘Son, when I reach it I’ll let you know!’

But my point here is not primarily about sexual temptation. It’s about temptation in general, and our spiritual vulnerabilities, which can be there even towards the back end of life and ministry. In Hebrews 12 we hear this call and warning: ”See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done” (vv.16,17). It seems to me that the ”single meal” may appear in various forms.

It is a sad, and regrettable thing, to see once great spiritual leaders go into decline in later years; and it does seem that this may have happened to Gideon. We must never forget, of course, that he appears in the Hebrews 11 gallery of faith (v.32), but he is mentioned alongside the likes of Samson, who was indeed a very flawed individual.

Today and tomorrow I’m going to highlight two areas where I think Gideon may have slipped.

When the people wanted their great military hero to rule over them, and establish a dynasty, he rightly refused. God alone was to be Israel’s King.

‘Gideon rejected their generous offer purely on theological grounds. He would not take the place of Jehovah God. Every Jew should have known that the mercy seat in the tabernacle was the throne of God from which He ruled in the midst of His people.’ Warren Wiersbe (see Ps.80:1;99:1)

But then he did a quite baffling thing. Having rejected the kingship, he lived like a king. He had great wealth, and, as we will see, many wives and at least one concubine. All of which reminds me that we can live below the level of our convictions. We can speak in one direction and live in another. The danger of hypocrisy lurks around every corner, and constant vigilance will be required to detect it, and deal it the death blow it so richly deserves, recognising that one such blow will never be enough. Hypocrisy is one tough cookie: it is highly resilient.

‘Nobody would deny that this courageous soldier deserved honour and rewards, but his ”retirement plan” seemed a bit extravagant.’ Warren Wiersbe