[Pastor Ralph]

Q4. (Judges 8:24-27) What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel? How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin? What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed? What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

[Darleen Nelson]

A snare is a trap. The ephod ensnared the Israelites and the members of Gideon's family and even Gideon himself. They began to worship the ephod which had been meant as a commemorative of the victory but soon became an idol to the people. What was meant for a good purpose produced negative results. The Israelites were always looking for a change in their worship and this provided one. They focused on the gold ephod and gave it special powers.

[Omie]

+ The snare is a trap in which one becomes a prisoner. There many types of traps, for animals and situations in which we become imprisoned. Just as Israel was prone to build idols and didn't recognize it as a sin against God - we too become trapped in things we don't recognize as sin...

+ The essence of the sin is that no one can serve two masters. The tragedy is that even Gideon and his family were ensnared by the ephod. Could it have been that Gideon felt as if he "deserved" the ephod for doing God's will? Or was he hiding from the One True God at this time?

[Fina]

Snare means a trap - entrapping people.

Gideon and his family become caretakers of a new object of worship. Rather than serving the invisible God, they focus their attentions on caring for the golden ephod which draws many pilgrim worshippers -- with their money -- into the town."

When the Israelites focus their attention to the ephod and not to God.

Gideon created something which unknowingly it will be the cause of the people's unfaithfulness to God because instead focusing their attention and worhip Yahweh, they diverted their attention to the ephod and worship it. This is the essence of Gideon's sin - a sin which he is unaware of. Yet, God blesses Gideon's influence in Israel as a judge.

[Wendy Reid]

Q4. What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel? (8:24-27) How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin? What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed? What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

A snare is a trap.

His father used to be the caretaker of the Baal alter, now thay have become the caretakers of the Ephod.

Even if we don't see something as sin. God still does. He warns us that these things will ensnare us and lead us to death.

The Israelites committed Spiritual Adultery.

He in advertantly gave the Israelites something else to worship instead of worshipping Yahweh alone.

[Julie]

Q4. What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel? (8:24-27) How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin? What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed? What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

A snare is a trap. Why did Gideon make this ephod, The Israelites knew that this garment was associated with the priesthood, and usually worn by high priests, by Gideon making this garment and hanging it in town the people made it into an idol, for they were always looking for a god to worship, one they could see, so Gideon places a trap for them.

[Helen Spaulding]

A snare is a device to catch and hold something--such as small animals,
rabbits, moles, or whatever. Gideon's ephod is considered a snare because
it has hidden within it the temptation to consider it something that can be
in the place of God--in other words, to worship it instead of God. Sin is
whatever God has said is sin. If we keep close to the Lord, asking His help
to outwit the wiles of the devil, we will know whether we are following satan or
God, and can resist the temptation to sin. When we try to decide on our own
as to what is sin, we put ourselves as higher than God! We must submit to
the Lordship of God and obey His commands. The essence of the sin of the
Israelites is that they came to worship the ephod in place of God. If you
construct the idol, and it has no power, you can set yourself up as the
authority and thus do as you please, with no constraints on yourself! The
utmost in arrogance! Gideon's sin is in making a snare for the Israelites
by making the ephod and displaying it before the Israelites.

[nelda huffman]

A Snare is a trap. Gideon made the ephod, to tell the truth I still don't understand why Gideonmade the ephod other that the Isrealites associated this ephod making it an idol, but it seems to me that God would of let Gideon know that it was going to be a problem for him and would of told him not to make it. I believe if we really listen and wait for Gods answers we would know what to do. OK so did God have him make this ephod as a trap for the Israelites, to get them in one place? Gideons sin was making the ephod in the first place, which gave the Israelites something else to worship.

[Pat Beckner]

Webster's say a snare is anything serving to entrap, entangle, or catch unawares. To capture by trickery or wiles. It would seem that Giddeon had good intentions...to build something to remind the people of what God had done for them but as we learned in the past studies, if God isn't in it, it doesn't work. If it's not God's idea....it's a bad idea.

[Helen Williams]

WHAT IS A SNARE?
A snare is a trap. The wicked entraps people and so does idoatry as in the case of Gideon. It lured them away from the true worship of the true God.

IN WHAT WAY DOES GIDEON'S EPHOD ENSNARES HIS FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?
Gideon's father was a caretaker of Baal's altar in Ophrah, now a caretaker of a new object of worship. The focus was on a golden ephod which draws pilgrim worshippers and their money. This was no longer an invisible object of worship.

HOW CAN SOMETHING BE A SIN IF WE DON'T SEE IT AS A SIN?
SIN IS SIN whether we see it as sin or not.God should be our focus of worship. We need to guard against other things in our lives becoming entrapments. WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS!

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF GIDEON SIN?
It was not the taking of the gold, it was what he did with it. Not only did his family, his people get caught in the trap but Gideon himself. Let's keep our worship for real because God is a jealous God

[Vickie]

Q4. What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel? (8:24-27) How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin? What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed? What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

The ephod ensnares (traps) Gideon's family by becoming a millstone around their neck: Gideon probably made it as a reminder of their victory, but the idolatrous people of Israel were soon looking at it as their new tangible god, and now Gideon and his family were seen as the caretakers of the ephod, maybe even as demi-gods themselves.

So many times we don't see a mistake as a sin...or we justify the sin we're committing with excuses: "Everybody cheats a little on their taxes! The government doesn't need my money!" "It was just a little lie so I wouldn't hurt her feelings." "It's not hurting anybody, and nobody will know." If it says in Exodus 20:1-17 or in Matthew (or anywhere else!) that it's a sin, THEN IT IS A SIN!

The essense of the sins committed were in not following the One True God and in not seeking His counsel before creating a graven image. AGAIN

[mindy]

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

I guess God knew what He was talking about in those ten commandments! We humans cannot be trusted to resist the temptation (the snare) of worshipping what we can see instead of worshipping God whom we cannot fathom.

[DebChats]

A snare is anything that keeps us in bondage and disobedience. It is a trap.

The ephod becomes the center of focus and worship among the Israelites. Just as the altar of Baal had been a snare of Joash and his family and all who came to worship the altar.

It becomes sin when it results in disobedience to God and His Word. Therefore, we must be aware of God and His Word. Sin is sin, with or without our knowledge of sin.

Idolatry was the essence of sin here. The ephod was worshipped, not God.

Gideon has provided the ephod and he knows better that to leave the ephod standing, for the Israelites to come worship.

[linda bass]

A snare is a kind of trap. Not only do the Israelites worship the ephod as an idol,it also ensnares Gideon and his family. They become the caretakers of this new object of worship.
Gideon's sin was that the worship, that should of been God's alone, was given to the golden ephod he had made.

[photobug]

A snare is a type of trap. We humans fall into many types of snares in our life time if we arent carfull. The entrop lured the people away from worshipping the true god. this was israels probblem they woeshiped the ephord more than god

[johncuse]

Q4. What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel? (8:24-27) How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin? What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed? What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

A snare is a trap used to catch a desired prey. Gideon became like his father an idol worshipper and so did Gideon's people. The Israelites worshipped the ephod not unlike the Israelites worshipped the golden calf. Gideon became consumed with the accumulation of riches.

In Christ Jesus,
John

[Linda Stanley]

A snare can be masked,so be careful.A snare is a trap,like the ephod that was made,not only a source of spiritual unfaithfulness,it is also a trap-Its like satan sets up a trap,something like getting involved in a situation of some sort,and then before you realize it you are caught up into something sinful.Just like Gideon's family,his father once took care of an idol,Baal's altar,but now this other object slipped in and now Gideon <and his family> has become caretakers of a new object of worship,instead of serving the invisible God.Their attention is on the golden ephod,which draws many pilgrim worshippers~with their money~into town.His family did not see this as a sin.The fact is the ephod is causing the sin which the whole town is entrapped with greed of the money the pilgrim worshippers bring into the town.You cant serve two masters,and the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.We as christians should always remember,everything we have comes from God,and God only we worship,not money,wealth,materialistic things.All of this can become our idols{A snare} ,a trap in our lives if we are not careful to reconize the set up from satan.Let us pray to always be alert to what the enemy will try and do,always seeking Gods help and guidiance and protection in our life.

[Peter Huang]

A snare is a trap. Gideon's family were entrapped by the gold ephod because they became caretakers of it and unwittingly became so engrossed in this job that they forgot about giving worship to God. Sin is disobedience to God and when we sin we often do not know it thinking that it is alright but sin is sin in the sight of God. Gideon's sin was in making the gold ephod which inturn had the disastrous consequence of entrapping not only his family but the people of Israel. The people of Israel by worshipping the ephod committed idolatory:they allowed it to usurp the place of God

[Marvin Phelps]

A snare is a trap to catch some prey, but more often refers metaphorically to entrapping people. The ephod Gideon made was soon an object of idolatrous worship for the Israelites including his family. Praise and worship for the created, instead of the Creator (with or without our knowledge) constitutes sin and God hates idolatry. If we are walking closely/alertly with Christ and constantly seeking spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit, we are not likely to sin in ignorance.

The Israelites sinned by worshipping and serving the ephod instead of the true God. Their act of abandoning God is the essence of their sin. Gideon was wrong to build the ephod because it represented a source of unfaithfulness, i.e., idolatry. How like his father he has become, instead of Baal, the source of sin is the ephod.

It seems no matter how much love and protection and deliverance God showed those who love Him, we still wander off seeking the things that God hates. Lord, please keep me aware of Your lighted pathway and stop me from straying.

[David Maher]

What is a snare? In what way does Gideon's ephod ensnare his family and the people of Israel?

A snare is a trap. The ephod became an object of worship. The people began to worship it instead of God. Gideon's family were the caretakers of the ephod as Gideon's father was caretaker of Baal's alter before.

How can something be a sin if we don't see it as a sin?

In the case of the ephod, I can think of at least two ways it led to sin. First was with Gideon's pride. Second was worshiping the ephod instead of God. In both cases, God was moved to an inferior position. With pride, we place ourselves first, with the worship of the ephod, it was first. We struggle today with our own idols or gods, money, material possessions, pride, etc. So many times these things that take our focus off the Lord are very subtle. Isn't that the way Satan normally works?

What was the essence of the sin the Israelites committed?

The israelites chose to worship something, the ephod, before God. They broke the first commandment.

What is the essence of Gideon's sin?

He was probably prideful when he made the ephod. He allowed the Israelites to worship the ephod by maintaining it. In essence, he led the Israelites away from God, even though it probably was not intentional. The responsible thing to do would have been to destroy the ephod and turn the Israelites back to God. He didn't do that.