Judges 8, part 3: the snare of Gideon in Israel and the church

Despite God’s miraculous salvation through Gideon, Israel fails to recognize Yahweh as their true savior and lord. They therefore seek to establish a dynasty through Gideon. Though he rebuffs them, his nerve seems to fail. He won’t be king—but he will try to uphold God’s kingship in a way that God never commanded: through a new “office” of “priest-judge.” Thus he ultimately subverts and destroys God’s rule, leading Israel into a snare which still appears in many forms throughout the church today.