[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Judges 8:22-23) Why does Gideon refuse to be king over Israel? In what sense would becoming king be treason? Why didn't the Israelites see bestowing kingship as treason?

[Omie]

+ Gideon knew only God could rule over Israel. This was before Kings ruled over Israel. Gideon shows wisdom & humility in refusing this dubious honor.

+ It might be treason, as he would put himself in the place of God! The Israelites seem to ignore once again that God is who saved them in the battles they fought over Midianites. They credit Gideon.

+ The Israelites worshiped idols so very often; now they see a man who has been "anointed by God" to lead them into victory. They again were ignorant or ignored "The Law" God gave Moses for their own good..

+ These people don't recognize God's rule over them, just as we all too often ignore Him as Ruler in our lives.

[Darleen Nelson]

Gideon never lost sight of the fact of the importance for both the nation and the individual to put God first in their life. If would show disloyalty to God if Gideon would try to take His place as king. Gideon would serve them as a judge but God would remain their king. The Isrealites were short sighted and easily led away from God no matter how much He had done for them. They kept demanding a king until God finally gave them Saul. They wanted to be like other nations and have a king.

[Peggie]

Gideon refused to be king over Israel because he never forgot that there was only one king....The Lord.

Gideon becoming king would become treason in the sense that only God was suppose to be king over Israel.

From the beginning of this study, we learn that although Gideon has fallen away from God as has Israel, Gideon comes back at God's calling. Gideon knows who it is that is leading the battle and who has won the victory for them. His countrymen don't seem to see that.

[Pat Beckner]

Gideon knew it would be sin or treason to take the honor that belonged only to God.. The Israelites just didn't get it....they seemed to believe that it was Gideon who delivered them instead of giving God the credit. Sometimes we can have a lot of respect for one of God's workers but we must remember that it is God doing good through a man and that no man can do good of himself.

[DebChats]

Gideon refuses because he knows the Israelites need God, not a human leader.

It would be taking credit for something that someone else did. In other words .. It was God's idea to free the Israelites, not Gideon. It was God's plan that worked to free the Israelites.

They were not in correct covenant with God and they were hungry for a leader.

[photobug]

Gidden knew there was only one king and that was God god was with them in battle and they won ,They ignored the law of god .the one he gave to mosses.We are like that some times to we can and do get other gods in our lives and that aint good.

[johncuse]

Q1. Why does Gideon refuse to be king over Israel? (8:22-23) In what sense would becoming king be treason? Why didn't the Israelites see bestowing kingship as treason?

Gideon refused to become because God is the only ruler anyone needs . The Israelite's faith was not as strong as Gideon's and needed a visible king to rule over them. Without a ruler the Israelites felt their nation would disinegrate.


In Christ Jesus,
John

[Helen Spaulding]

The people of Israel had accepted a "contract" with God in the desert
wanderings that God would be their "King". To have usurped God's place
would have been treason--just as today, if someone were to put the
Queen of England in prison and take her place, this is treason. The
Israelites wanted to be like other nations around them, who had kings.
They blinded themselves to the truth that they owed allegiance to God
and no other! I agree with Pat that the Israelites were giving Gideon the
credit for their victory, not God! They were asking for the judgement and
punishment of God upon such insolence!
Helen

[Linda Stanley]

Gideon or his son and grandson would not except ruleing over the Israelites because Gideon said :The Lord will rule over you".Gideon refused to be King over Israel.Becoming king in a sence would be treason,as we read in our lesson about"The Tabernacle Throneroom".The God who inhabits the tabernacle is invisible,unseen~~yet he is king.That is Israel's unique momotheistic faith.With this understanding of God as the nation's sovereign,it would be treason,sacrilege,for Gideon to allow himself to be named king.
The Israelites attributed to Gideon,rather than God.They looked at Gideon as the savior,but Godeon saw the Lord as savior,and to his credit,humbly points them io God.Isreal was quickly forgetting Gideon was led by God and the victory was all suppose to be given to God.The people were forgetting what God was doing for them,not what man can do.
We can do nothing with out God,and we should always give God the glory and praise and honor in what He does for us.Amen

[Connie]

God was to always be Israel's king; Joshua understood this. Oh, that I would make hin king of my life! I think people want to have human heroes.....i.e. our making over sports players, Hollywood's people, etc. To choose somone other than God is treason, a betrayal. It is adultry!

[Julie]

Gideon felt that this would of replaced Gods rule, it would of been a monarchy of just his rule with out God. The Israelites have a terrible time of comprehending a God they can't see or touch .

[luminosa]

Gideon understands that the one true king over Israel is God Himself. Gideon knows in his heart that God is the one who delivered them from the oppression of the Midianites. God, Creator of heaven and earth, our provider and saviour, deserves kingship over us.
Becoming king is treason because it ursurps God's rightful place in our lives. It is giving authority over to a man, full of frailties and faults, instead of giving it to God.
The Israelites probably thought it fitting for Gideon to be king because he led the charge against the Midianites. People sometimes are lured into idolizing mere mortals because they have attractive qualities: they are powerful, bold, rich, good-looking etc. What we forget though is that all good things come from God and if anybody's got these things, its because God has given them. The Israelites forgot that God masterminded and orchestrated their deliverance. They wanted to pin their hopes on Gideon, their conquering hero.

[Peter Huang]

Gideon refused to accept the Israelites' invitation to be their King because he considers it a sacrilege for a person to be King. It would be treason because one would be usurping God's place as ruler of the people. The Israelites forefathers had made a covenant with God accepting Him as their ruler but they had forgotten it and wanted a human King whom they admire and can see. Besides they wanted to be like other nations who had kings. In fact later on when they continued to clamour for a King to rule over them God finally gave in and gave them Saul.

[nelda huffman]

God is the only king and ruler and Gideon knew this. The Isrealites lost view that their alligiance was to God and not Gideon.

[David Maher]

Why does Gideon refuse to be king over Israel?

God was Israel's king. Gideon knew and respected that.

In what sense would becoming king be treason?

He would be acting in direct opposition to Israel's king, God.

Why didn't the Israelites see bestowing kingship as treason?

They were being themselves. It seems throughout their history, they continually forget what God has done for them. This time is no different. The Lord made sure that the victory was His, not man's, but the Israelites see it as Gideon's victory, even when Gideon is continuously giving the credit to God. They desire an earthly king, they do not recognize God as king.

[Helen Williams]

Why does Gideon refuse to be king over Israel?
Gideon refuse because God was King and God would rule over them.

In what sense becoming king be treason?
Becoming king in a sense would be treason in that it would an attempt to overthrow the kingship of God. Gideon was not a savior.

The Israelites did not see bestowing kingship as treason because they needed him, had been leaderless for years. They saw Gideon as a savior and he was only an instrutment of God's Salvation.

[Vickie]

In denying the kingship, Gideon was trying to live up to his new name "Jerubbaal" (Let Baal Plead) and focus the Israelite's attention on their true king: The Lord. Until the Lord decided to appoint the first human king (Saul), any other appointment could be viewed as treason against the Lord. Of course, the Lord would not have allowed it anyway if it weren't in keeping with His will.

I think the reason the Israelites wanted a human king was to have someone tangible to worship...someone they could see and hear...much like those believers of today who must have an artist's rendition of Jesus to view in order to make Him "real". God wants our faith that He indeed is real, is omnipresent, and is omniscient!

[Fina]

Gideon refused to be king over Israel because he knows that it is God who save the Israelites.

Gideon knows from the beginning that the battle he fought and won is not for him but for God. God wants Israel to recognize Him as their God and no one else, and to put their trust on Him alone and he only used Gideon as instrument to obtain this purpose. Accepting that would mean, rejecting God's will and a treason.

Israelites seemed to have short memory to remember their unfaithfulness and God's faithfulness to them over and over again. They are stubborn. They can see but they don't want to open their eyes.

[Tom Gilbert]

Gideon refuses to be king over the Israelites because he rightly recognizes that God is the sovereign king of the people. To accept being king would mean putting himself above and in place of God.

I don't know why the Israelites were blind to the treason they were proposing in asking Gideon to be king, except to say that they were placing their trust in a man. They saw the heroic leadership of Gideon and, perhaps were swayed by that. Not unlike today, we are often looking to follow the next, bright leader.

Here is the danger for when the son of perdition appears.