Judges 8:18-22: a reflection

18Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.” 19He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.” 20He said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up and kill them!” But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks. 22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”

After Gideon delivers Israel from Midian, the people come to him with an offer: Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son's son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian. They want to make Gideon and his descendants their rulers, crediting him with the deliverance. But it was not Gideon who had saved them; it was God, who had used Gideon as his instrument. The people, in their gratitude, were ready to exalt the human instrument, crediting Gideon with what God had done.

Notice the temptation the people fell into: crediting and exalting the human instrument rather than God. They said, you have saved us, and wanted to make Gideon king; but the deliverance had been God's work, Gideon merely the instrument God used. In their gratitude they were ready to give Gideon the glory and the rule that belonged to God, exalting the human deliverer rather than recognizing that God had done it. The credit for the deliverance was God's; but they were ready to give it to Gideon, the instrument.

That temptation is worth taking to heart, for we too can credit and exalt human instruments rather than giving God the glory for what he does. When God works through people, delivering, providing, helping us through human instruments, we can be tempted to credit and exalt those people, giving them the glory that belongs to God, forgetting that God is the one who acted through them. But the deliverance was God's, not Gideon's. Do not credit and exalt the human instruments God uses as though they had done it, giving them the glory that belongs to God; recognize that it is God who acts, even through human instruments, and give him the glory. When God helps or delivers you through people, give the glory to God, who worked through them, rather than exalting the instruments as the people would have exalted Gideon; for the credit belongs to God, who does the work, not merely to the instruments he uses.

Lord, after Gideon delivers Israel from Midian, the people come to him with an offer: rule over us, both you, your son, and your son's son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian. They want to make Gideon and his descendants their rulers, crediting him with the deliverance. But it was not Gideon who had saved them; it was you, who had used Gideon as your instrument. The people, in their gratitude, were ready to exalt the human instrument. Show me the temptation the people fell into: crediting and exalting the human instrument rather than you. They said, you have saved us, and wanted to make Gideon king; but the deliverance had been your work, Gideon merely the instrument you used. In their gratitude they were ready to give Gideon the glory that belonged to you. Take that temptation to my heart, for I too can credit and exalt human instruments rather than giving you the glory. When you work through people, delivering, providing, helping me through human instruments, I can be tempted to credit and exalt those people, giving them the glory that belongs to you. But the deliverance is yours, not theirs. Keep me from crediting and exalting the human instruments you use as though they had done it; help me recognize that it is you who act, even through human instruments, and give you the glory. When you help or deliver me through people, help me give the glory to you, Lord, who work through them, rather than exalting the instruments.