Judges 8:22-35

Judges 8:22-35
This is a sad end to the story of Gideon. It begins well, with Gideon refusing the kingship over Israel because the Lord will rule over you. In a few years Samuel will tell the people this when they ask him to anoint a king over them, so they might be like all the other nations.

But, instead of leaving it there Gideon takes up a collection and then makes an ephod. An ephod is some sort of ceremonial garment worn by the High Priest and used by him in divination. When you asked the Lord for guidance, you asked a question that could be answered yes or no, and the Priest would use the ephod in divining the answer.
There was one ephod, and the Lord only wanted one in Israel. Why did Gideon make another? We are not told, we are only told the sad outcome of this failure.

It is failure, sin, because Gideon is perverting the worship of God. Gideon is taking what belongs only to the Priests for himself and his town. Worship should be offered to God only in ways that God is willing to receive.

The language used is very strong, 'Israel whored after it [the ephod]'. Idolatry is usually pictured in the bible using language of sexual sin, prostitution or adultry. The intimacy of our relationship with God is pictured in marriage and faithful sexual relations, this [our relationship with God] is perverted in idolatry in similar ways to the perversion of sexuality out with marriage.

Let Gideon be a warning then. It is possible to serve the Lord faithfully in great things and fall into sin leading others with you.