God is Sovereign over the Authentic Community

Synopsis     Judges 8:23-34     6/22/2018

Although he had been offered kingship over Israel, Gideon refused to form a dynasty. And, he reminded the Israelites that God alone was to be their ruler.

Gideon requested and received a gold ring from each soldier’s battlefield spoils. With this, he made an ephod and placed it in his hometown of Ophrah. Reportedly, all the tribes of Israel worshipped before it.

Gideon lived on in his hometown and had seventy sons from his many wives. He also had a son named Abimelech from his concubine who lived in Shechem.

Gideon lived to be very old before he died. After Gideon’s death, the Israelites once again began the worship of Baal.

God Alone Shall Rule Over You

Gideon’s refusal to be made king and to form his own dynasty showed his understanding. He recognized the difference between the Authentic Community and synthetic communities. He recognized that God’s rulership was not subject to human demands or any kind of social contract. Instead, it was given as a covenant relationship between God and His chosen people.

The Authentic Community persists. It’s the same now and forever. It remains, the same community to which Gideon counted himself a citizen.

God is Sovereign Over the Authentic Community

So should I refuse to pay taxes because I count myself a member of the Authentic Community?

“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” Jesus said. “And give to God what is God’s.”

The two communities cannot be reconciled. Neither can one be reduced to the other. They are separate. Though I find myself contractually subject to the one with little choice, to the other I choose only to accept or reject. In the authentic, I embrace the most important opportunity of my life.

Yes, I’ll pay the tax. But more importantly, I’ll follow Jesus.

“Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.” John 6:15