Judges 8:28 – 35 “In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon, and he—Jerubbaal son of Joash—returned home and settled down. Gideon had seventy sons of his own, since he had many wives. His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
Later, Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god. The Israelites failed to remember the LORD their God who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. They did not show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) for all the good things he had done for Israel.”
Well, Israel is at it again! Gideon’s body has barely cooled when the Israelites are off into Baal worship. Forty years is two generations, plenty of time for people to forget when nobody teaches them about the goodness of God in the first place.
What did Gideon teach his sons? Did Gideon really teach his sons the truth about how God had used him to deliver Israel, or did Gideon edit the story to make himself look braver and stronger than he actually was? Did Gideon think that it was somebody else’s job to teach those 70 sons about God’s miraculous deliverance?
Who or what was Baal – berith? Wikipedia offers this information from the Rabbinic literature: The idol Baʿal Berith, which the Jews worshipped after the death of Gideon, was identical, according to the Rabbis, with Baʿal Zebub, “the lord of flies,” the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2). He was worshipped in the shape of a fly; and Jewish tradition states that so addicted were the Jews to his cult that they would carry an image of him in their pockets, producing it, and kissing it from time to time. Baʿal Zebub is called Baʿal Berith because such Jews might be said to make a covenant (Hebrew: berith) of devotion with the idol, being unwilling to part with it for a single moment (Shab. 83b; comp. also Sanh. 63b). According to another conception, Baʿal Berith was an obscene article of idolatrous worship, possibly a simulacrum priapi (phallic symbol.) This is evidently based on the later significance of the word “berit,” eaning circumcision.”
All indications are that Baal worship generally involved sexual orgies as a means of encouraging the earth to be fruitful. This kind of religious was a no – holds – barred affair, in contrast to the rules and regulations God had set forth for the Jews. For someone who had never been taught about the goodness of God, the grace of God, or the mercy of God, such a choice would be a no – brainer: “Baal – how fun! Elohim – BORING!!!”
APPLICATION: God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the other laws so that the Jews would follow a holy life style. God already knew exactly how evil and perverted Baal worship and Ashtorah worship was. God also knew those restrictions that would help keep the Jews healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Who knows how many Jews died prematurely because they refused to heed God’s laws and wandered off into Baal worship instead?
When God gave Moses the laws for the Jews, He expressly forbade them from worshiping any kind of idol. The Jews were not even allowed to carve the form of any animal or person on their altars. Jewish altars were to be made of undressed stones and to be extremely plain. God knew that the second that the Jews had anything they could make into an idol, they would do so immediately. Look at what happened with Aaron and the golden calf or Gideon and the ephod.
What are you worshiping? What is most important to you? As I am writing this, I am reflecting on our experiences of Sunday afternoon, August 29th. After rushing back to the U.S. so that we could see my brother – in – law, we found him dead in his house that afternoon. By the grace of God, we had gotten to spend a significant amount of time with him over the previous two days. My late brother – in – law loved mechanical things and had a classic car that he would proudly drive to cruise nights. He also had a jeep and a pickup truck, as well as a four – wheeler. Now all those vehicles are sitting useless in the drive and in the garage. Blessedly, my brother – in – law was a Jesus follower and had been for forty years, but for many of his friends, their vehicles are idols.
There is an old saying that goes, “Only one life; twill soon be passed. Only what’s done for God will last.” The only thing any of us can ever do FOR God is to worship Him; He must do everything else in our hearts.
Jesus told his disciples a parable recorded in Luke 12:16 – 21 “And He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere I will store up my fruits?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns, and will build greater ones, and will store up there all my grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your rest; eat, drink, be merry.”’ And God said to him, ‘Fool! This night, your soul is required of you; and what you did prepare—to whom will it be?’ So is the one treasuring up for himself, and not being rich toward God.”
My brother – in – law collapsed in his kitchen while fixing his supper. He was alone. There was no time left to follow God; however, he had chosen to serve God forty years ago and was continuing. None of us knows the day or hour in which we will die.
2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “ Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” You must choose now, but choose wisely! Eternity may come upon you without warning.
PRAYER: Father God, help each and every one who reads this to come to a saving knowledge of Your Grace and of Your Salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment