Bible character overview - Gideon
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Time to read 5 min
Introduction:
Welcome to an insightful character overview of Gideon. Here you'll learn about who Gideon was, what he did, and his strengths and weaknesses. Also, we have provided questions related to the story of Gideon to provoke thought. They can also be used for personal/small-group studies.
Who was Gideon from the Bible?
Key facts
- When: roughly around 1200 B.C
- Where: Ophrah
- Name meaning: ‘hewer’ or ‘feller’
Glimpse: Gideon was a mighty warrior for Israel who came from humble beginnings. Although he was from one of the weakest families, Gideon was exalted by God to be a judge of Israel and lead them to victory over their enemies.
He is called in Judges 6:14 'Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?'.
Humble beginnings
Gideon was a notable warrior who lived around the 12th century BC and served as a judge of Israel. One day, while threshing wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites, an angel of God appeared to him. The angel instructed Gideon to go and deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. However, Gideon felt inadequate for this task, believing that his clan was the weakest in all of Manasseh and that he was the least among his family.
Despite his doubts, the angel insisted that Gideon was the chosen one. To confirm that this was indeed a divine message, Gideon asked for a sign. He requested that the angel wait while he prepared an offering. Gideon hurried to gather the offering, and when he returned, the angel was still there waiting.
Questions
→ Why does God tend to use the weakest people?
→ Is there strength in being humble?
" So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house."
Gideon Doubts
Judges 6:20-22 describes the sign Gideon received from the angel of the Lord:
“The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And Gideon did so. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!’”
As the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed the Jordan River, Gideon prepared for battle. Despite this, he still had doubts, so he requested another sign from God. Gideon placed a wool fleece on the ground and asked God that if, in the morning, the fleece was wet with dew while the ground around it remained dry, he would know that God had given Israel the victory. God granted this request, and the fleece was wet while the ground was dry.
However, Gideon needed further confirmation. The next night, he asked God for the opposite sign: that the fleece be dry while the ground was covered with dew. Once again, God provided the sign, confirming His promise to Gideon.
Questions
→ Have you ever struggled to trust God?
→ Why should we trust God and not ourselves?
'So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.'''
The war is won
Gideon and his men camped, preparing for war. However, God told Gideon that his army was too large. God knew that if they defeated their enemies with such a large force, the glory would be attributed to human strength rather than to God. Following God’s instruction, Gideon reduced his army to just 300 men. Despite facing an enemy force of 135,000, Gideon and his small army achieved a decisive victory, with God delivering the Midianites into their hands.
However, we read in Judges 8:27 that Gideon used some of the spoils from the victory to create a golden ephod. This ephod was placed in Israel and eventually became an object of idol worship. Thus, despite his efforts to lead Israel away from idolatry, Gideon inadvertently caused the people to stumble once again.
Gideon eventually died of old age and was buried in Ophrah.
Questions
→ What stands out to you most about Gideon's story?
→ What impossible situations has God done in your life?
“ When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath..”
Strengths:
- Ear to hear: Gideon clearly heard what God was asking of him and obeyed
- Courage: Gideon went to war in an impossible situation but trusted God the whole way and won the victory
- Good heart: Gideon despised idolatry through most of his reign and led the nation in the correct way
Weaknesses:
- Doubt: He doubted God and His word even asking Him to perform many signs to confirm His word was true
- Idolatry: After everything Gideon made an idol which was worshipped by the Israelites
Conclusion
Gideon teaches us that God can use anyone and any situation and in Gideon's case, he led a nation to victory with only 300 men. Gideon did have some doubt at times but God gave him grace and Gideon fulfilled the calling upon his life.
''For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life''
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