1. Temporary vs. Eternal Judges 8:22-35

3. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon talked like a servant (8:22-23)Gideon talked like a servant (8:22-23) Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”

4. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26)Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26) And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

5. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26)Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26) And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil.

6. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26)Gideon gathered fortunes like a king (8:24-26) And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels.

7. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king

9. “crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian,“crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian,

10. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon assumed spiritual authority like a king (8:27)Gideon assumed spiritual authority like a king (8:27) And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

11. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon assumed spiritual authority like a king (8:27)Gideon assumed spiritual authority like a king (8:27)

12. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon gathers a harem like a king (8:29-30)Gideon gathers a harem like a king (8:29-30) Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.

13. Gideon rejected the throne but lived like a king Gideon assumes a hereditary rule like a king (8:31)Gideon assumes a hereditary rule like a king (8:31) And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.

14. Gideon’s “kingdom” lived like their king (8:32-35) They returned to their true love: money and success (8:32-33)They returned to their true love: money and success (8:32-33) And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

15. Gideon’s “kingdom” lived like their king (8:32-35) They returned to their true love: money and success (8:32-33)They returned to their true love: money and success (8:32-33) As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

16. Gideon’s “kingdom” lived like their king (8:32-35) They did not remember their God (8:34-35)They did not remember their God (8:34-35) And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side,

17. Gideon’s “kingdom” lived like their king (8:32-35) They did not remember their God (8:34-35)They did not remember their God (8:34-35) and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

18. Bottom Line: Success is not always measurable by what you see.Success is not always measurable by what you see. So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

19. For those not yet living a Jesus-centered life Get some inside help.Get some inside help.

20. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

21. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

22. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

23. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

24. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

25. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

26. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

27. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

28. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

29. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

30. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

31. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

32. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

33. For those living a Jesus-centered life Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.Beware of your guilty pleasures – they will destroy you.

34. For those living a Jesus-centered life Focus on the author of your story because it is really His story!Focus on the author of your story because it is really His story!

35. For those not yet living a Jesus-centered life Remember the source of your victoriesRemember the source of your victories