Jdg 8:22 – 35 Gideon, Rule Thou Over us, Both thou, and thy Son

[Study Aired April 26, 2021]

Jdg 8:22  Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 
Jdg 8:23  And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 
Jdg 8:24  And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 
Jdg 8:25  And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 
Jdg 8:26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 
Jdg 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Jdg 8:28  Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Jdg 8:29  And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
Jdg 8:30  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Jdg 8:31  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
Jdg 8:32  And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Jdg 8:33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
Jdg 8:34  And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Jdg 8:35  Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

The first half of chapter 8 of Judges deals with the pursuing of the enemies who escaped in the war with the Midianites and how they were defeated together with the slaying of their leaders – Zebah and Zalmunna. This reflects the war in our heavens in the course of our walk with Christ to rid them of false doctrines which is a symbol of the Midianites. During the pursuit, Gideon and his men went by the way of those who dwell in tents. That is to suggest that in this conflict with our old man, we need to exercise faith that God who has started this journey with us will see to its completion.

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Heb 11:9  By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
Heb 11:10  For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Gideon and his men grew weary as they pursued the enemies, and so they requested for food from the men of Succoth and Penuel.  In both cases, they were denied because these men were not convinced that Gideon and his men would completely overcome the enemies as long as they saw Zebah and Zalmunna free. What this tells us is that both the world (represented by men of Succoth) and the church system of this world (represented by Penuel) do not recognize us as God’s overcomers in this life. Rather, they classify us as spiritually dead in the streets of Jerusalem.

Rev 11:8  and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9  For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,

Gideon therefore promised the men of Succoth and Penuel that when he returns in victory, he will use thorns and briars to hurt the flesh of the men of Succoth and break down the tower of Penuel. This speaks of our enthronement with Christ to judge all humanity by breaking down their false doctrines (tower) and also correcting them with their false doctrines (thorns and briars).

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Eventually, Gideon and his men won the battle with the Midianites just before the sunrise. This speaks of the certainty of victory for those who are in battle now in this life to remove all that offends from their heavens. This victory will come just before the sunrise, that is, when our Lord Jesus comes (the sun of righteousness) to make the kingdom of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christs. That is the beginning of our rulership which is part of the subject for today’s study as follows:

Jdg 8:22  Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

After Gideon’s conquest of the Midianites and the putting to death of Zebah and Zalmunna, the men of Israel requested Gideon to rule over them. This victory over the old man or the flesh is what will qualify us as overcomers and to be manifested as sons of God during the first resurrection. That is what the world is looking for – the manifested sons of God!! Our victory will cause the world to voluntary hand over to us the governance of this world. This verse is therefore foretelling of the rulership of the elect after they are manifested as the sons of God during the next age when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The scriptures make us aware that what has been, is what will be.

Ecc 1:9  The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Ecc 1:10  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Let’s look at two instances in the scriptures where God caused the rulers of particular nations to hand over their power to God’s people, who were not even citizens of those nations. This is to assure us that when the time comes, God is able to cause the whole world to surrender their power to the elect seamlessly.

Gen 41:1  And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Gen 41:2  And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
Gen 41:3  And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
Gen 41:4  And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Gen 41:5  And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
Gen 41:6  And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Gen 41:7  And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
Gen 41:8  And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

Gen 41:16  And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Gen 41:37  And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
Gen 41:38  And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?Gen 41:39  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Gen 41:40  Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
Gen 41:41  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:42  And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

The second Witness

Est 6:1  On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 
Est 6:2  And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 
Est 6:3  And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. 

Est 6:10  Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. 
Est 6:11  Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

Our God knows what He can do to cause the whole world to hand over the governance of the world to the elect, and He has given us two witnesses to make us aware that what he intends to do is well established and that He will shortly bring it to pass.

Gen 41:32  And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

Jdg 8:23  And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 

Gideon’s answer to the people is another way of saying that our rulership is not of this present world. Jesus made us aware of this as follows:

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 

As long as we are in this flesh, we cannot inherit the promise. “The Lord shall rule over you” is another way of saying that the Lord rules in the kingdom of men.

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 

Jdg 8:24  And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 
Jdg 8:25  And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 
Jdg 8:26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 

On a positive note, the giving of the gold ornaments by the Israelites to Gideon represents the fact that whatever knowledge of the word of God that the existing churches of the world know is being/has been taken away and given to God’s elect as spoken by Jesus.

Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

On a negative note, Gideon did not adhere to the principle ‘freely we have received, freely we must give’ just as the Babylonian system refuses to heed to this admonition. From the previous review, we noted that Gideon removed the ornaments of gold from the necks of the camels of the enemies – Zebah and Zalmunna. That is to suggest that he craved for worldly mammon. In spite of his defeat of the Midianites, he coveted their possession.

Jdg 8:21  Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

This propensity towards error is common to us all. That is why we must cry to the Lord to rid us of all that offends in our heart and minds for we cannot serve God and mammon. This craving for mammon is the stumbling block of iniquity which has derailed many potential God’s children from the reward. Examples of Old Testament types include Saul, Solomon and Gehazi, the servant of Elisha. The New Testament list includes Judas Iscariot and Demas.

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 

At a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we were willing to give our money to our “men of God” in Babylon just as we see the willingness of the Israelites to give to Gideon. We share in the sins of these men of God who were/are fleecing God’s people. We therefore were as guilty as the ministers in Babylon, as we thought that gain is godliness. One of their own prophets prophesied the following about the fleecing of God’s children in Babylon:

“Enough is enough; no longer will I suffer or tolerate ministers and ministries who operate in My name and fleece, yes, fleece My people. You manipulate them and prey on their emotions to part with their hard-earned income. You say it is for My Kingdom and promise them blessings in My name, which I have not spoken to you. Furthermore, you twist and distort My Word to fit in with your own evil schemes”.

1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 
1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain. 
1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 
1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

What happened to Gideon is no different from what Saul did in the sense that both thought of worshiping the Lord with what they got from the enemies.

1Sa 15:1  Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. 

1Sa 15:3  Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 

1Sa 15:8  And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 
1Sa 15:9  But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 

1Sa 15:20  And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 
1Sa 15:21  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 
1Sa 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 
1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Jdg 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 

According to Strong, an ephod can be a girdle or an image. In this particular instance, it represents an image. An image is not the real thing. So this ephod represents another Jesus that is worshipped in Babylon. This is confirmed by the fact that the ephod was placed at Ophrah, which means a young deer in its first year. So what this means is that when we were young in our walk with Christ, we were easily entrapped into worshiping another Jesus because of our carnal nature.  It is in Babylon that we learn to become a whore and so go after every wind of doctrine that sweeps us away from the true living God.

2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear wiath him. 

Our Lord is always calling His children from Babylon. Thus, being in Babylon is a necessary part of our walk with Christ as demonstrated by the marrying of Leah and Rachel by Jacob.

Gen 29:16  And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 
Gen 29:17  Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 
Gen 29:18  And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 
Gen 29:19  And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 
Gen 29:20  And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 
Gen 29:21  And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 
Gen 29:22  And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 
Gen 29:23  And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 
Gen 29:24  And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 
Gen 29:25  And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 
Gen 29:26  And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 
Gen 29:27  Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 
Gen 29:28  And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 

When we start this walk with Christ, we end up in the churches thinking it is Rachel. All of this takes place in the night of our lives until the morning comes when the sun of righteousness begins to shine in our lives.  That is when we realize, like Jacob, that we have married the wrong woman – Leah (Babylon). As we can see in the above scriptures, Leah is said to be tender eyed, which means her eyes were weak. This is to tell us that God has not given the churches eyes to see or ears to hear. Through the grace of God, when the morning comes and we see who we have really married (Leah), that is when we start our journey out of Babylon and end up coming into the New Jerusalem (Rachel).

The fact that Leah had many children also demonstrates that Leah represents Jerusalem which now is. She thought that by giving Jacob many sons, she will be loved by her husband. That is exactly what the churches do – they think they can please God by the good works they do. However, the barren woman (Rachel) is blessed!

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 

Gen 29:34  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 

At the end of the day, Gideon made serious mistakes in his relationship with Christ as a result of his covetous attitude which led him to build an ephod which became a stumbling block of iniquity even though he has seen the Lord face to face. Gideon’s errors were grave just like that of Hezekiah who showed off his spiritual wealth to the Babylonians and appropriated to himself the glory which belongs to God. In both cases, they were shown mercy, and the reason they were shown mercy was that God has determined before the world began that He would show them mercy. That was not the case with Esau and Saul.  What we see of Gideon’s, Hezekiah’s and David’s experiences are to make us aware that as God’s elect we are human and weak. We should therefore humble ourselves as we see ourselves as greatest sinners to whom God has shown mercy and is in the process of making us fit for a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. These things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.

2Ch 32:22  Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. 
2Ch 32:23  And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 

2Ch 32:25  But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Jdg 8:28  Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 

The fact that the Midianites were not able to lift their heads again during the time of Gideon is the same as saying that when we become enlightened and we makes mistakes, we do not end up going back to Egypt or Babylon.

This rest of forty years by the Israelites under Gideon is a period where the devil’s activities are constrained by the Lord just as at the beginning of the millennial rule Satan would be bound for a period of “thousand years”. As a result, the Israelites had a period of rest from war with the other nations in their land. It is therefore a physical rest, and as we journey with Christ, we also experience these periods of rest intermittently. However, this is not the spiritual rest for the elect which we must endeavor to enter. As indicated in Hebrews 4:9-11, this spiritual rest is to cease from our own works. We can enter into this rest when we believe that what the Lord has started in our lives, He is able to finish it on our behalf.

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 

Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

Jdg 8:29  And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

Gideon going to live in his own house spiritually symbolizes that in sinning this way, Gideon did not regard his inheritance or reward as precious or something to die for, as demonstrated by the following scripture:

2Ch 10:16  And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 

2Sa 20:1  And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. 

Gideon’s attitude was the same as that of Esau who rejected his inheritance for one morsel of meat, and afterward he sought for his inheritance with tears but could not bring himself to repentance.

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 

All this is to tell us of the failures of Gideon after being enlightened. Because God has selected Gideon before the world began with the purpose of showing His glory through him, he was shown mercy. The failures of Gideon even become clearer in the following verses:

Jdg 8:30  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 
Jdg 8:31  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 

Gideon having seventy children is to tell us that Gideon’s situation is just like being in Babylonian captivity. This means that when we sin, we are no different from the Babylonian system that we left.

Jer 25:11  And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Gideon’s deplorable situation is further confirmed by the fact that Gideon married many wives and even had concubines. Marrying many wives and having concubines is a spiritual way of saying that Gideon’s heart was not perfect with the Lord. As we get enlightened, we must seek the Lord to deal with all our weaknesses so that we can be able to offer ourselves as living sacrifice to Him.

1Ki 11:3  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

As Paul said, even though we speak this way, we are persuaded of better things concerning our salvation. As long as we are depending on the Lord to rid us of anything evil in our heart, testing the spirit, admitting our faults to one another, gladly receiving multitude of counsel and deferring to our leaders, we are sure that He who has started this great work in us will see to its completion!!

Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 

Jdg 8:32  And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 

Dying in a good old age is a phrase used in the scriptures for the elect types in the Old Testament as follows:

Gen 25:8  Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

1Ch 29:28  And he (David) died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

This verse means that Gideon, in spite of all that he did – that is marrying many wives and concubines and building an ephod which became a snare to the people of Israel, received mercy from the Lord. He was therefore counted as one of those who demonstrated their faith in God in the Book of Hebrews chapter 11 where the heroes of faith were listed.

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

Jdg 8:33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 
Jdg 8:34  And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Jdg 8:35  Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. 

As indicated earlier, the forty years of rest under Gideon was only a physical rest where God restrained the enemies of Israel from attacking them. This rest therefore did not result in spiritual growth. It was a period during which what was in their hearts became evident. To understand the significance of the number forty years rest, let us look at what happened to the Israelites when they were in the wilderness for forty years.  During that period, it became clear that they were not cut out to please God because their hearts were always erring.  In that situation they were not able to discern God’s ways. That is what happens to us when we come under bondage to the flesh. We will always be erring, and we cannot please God during that period because we do not know His ways. However, forty years on a positive note also signifies the period of God’s provision and protection. The Israelites lacked nothing during the wilderness experience.  It is also the period in our lives that we begin the dying to the flesh process and get ourselves ready to drive out the giants of our land.

This period is also characterized by our raiment not waxing old as it happened to the Israelites in the wilderness. As we know, raiment stands for our righteousness. So what it means is that we do not change our righteousness to put on the righteousness of Christ. We bask in our own righteousness just like Job as we wear our own clothes and eat our own food and only desire to have the name of Christ as our husband. This is what happens to us when we come under bondage to the flesh for a symbolic forty years during our walk with Christ.

Psa 95:10  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 
Psa 95:11  Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. 

Num 32:13  And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

Deu 2:7  For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

Deu 8:4  Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

So the forty years rest under Gideon was a period during which the Israelites were found wanting. Therefore God comes in seeking an occasion to judge the Israelites by causing them to return to idol worship at the death of Gideon.  We also have been weighed in a balance and are found wanting. That is why we are all going through judgment. The good news is that the judgment we are going through now is working for our salvation by destroying every seed of rebellion in our lives. Praise be to God!!! In the next review of Judges Chapter 9, we will see how God judged the Israelites using one of His four sore judgements.