Gideon’s success drove him to do what he thought was right in his own eyes, pursuing a personal agenda he thought was morally just under the guise of obeying God. It’s easy for each of us to do evil because sin lurks in even the believer. None of us, even our leaders, is far from the internal clawing of the sin nature.
Jesus, however, fulfills God’s promise of the perfect Man and leader of God’s people (Heb 1:1-3): He is prophet (speaking for God), priest (ministering to God’s people), and king (ruling over all), holding the munus triplex, God’s three-fold office.

I. Gideon the King (Judg 8:22-26). Israel long desired to be like the nations from which God called them. While Israel lingered on the outskirts of Canaan, God explained His provision for a future king (Deut 17:14-20): the king’s qualifications (Deut 17:14-15), his behavior (Deut 17:16-17), and his education (Deut 17:18-20).
Out of gratitude for delivering them (and maybe fear of what he did to Succoth and Penuel), Israel’s elders asked Gideon and his descendants to rule as king. Unlike Barak and Deborah’s victory song (Judg 5), there is no hint of God, His deliverance, or His rule in Gideon or the tribal elders.
All Gideon requested was a single gold earring from each of the dead Midianite soldiers. These earrings weighed 42.5 pounds (worth 1.2 million dollars). He also took the dead kings’ clothes and jewelry, and stripped the crescent ornaments from their camels (Judg 8:21, 26).
Gideon rejected the title of king, but he lived, ruled, and acted as one. Like a king, he gathered a harem and had 70 sons (Judg 8:30). He also named his bastard son of a Canaanite woman, my father is king (Judg 8:31; 9:1-5).

II. Gideon the Prophet and Priest (Judg 8:27-32). Gideon’s motives aren’t revealed, but from the gold he made an ephod (a thigh length dress worn by the high priest while ministering in the tabernacle). On the shoulders of the ephod were two stones bearing the names Israel’s 12 tribes, and over the ephod was an elaborate breastplate and pouch holding the Urim and Thummim used to discern God’s will (Ex 28:5-16; 39:9).
We’re introduced to Gideon as a man needing signs; now he’s made signs of his position and power. He assumed the role of king, but also of a prophet speaking for God, and of a priest ministering to the people (Judg 8:24-27). There are only two mentions of the tabernacle in Judges (Judg 18:31; 20:27-28). Whether intended or not, Gideon’s ephod became a rival place of worship.
Sin always craves more than God provides. Eve’s temptation was that God had withheld something valuable from her (Gen 3:1-7). This is a great snare to us too.
Gideon craved a ministry and office God didn’t give, nor was he qualified to hold. His usurpation led to idolatry for Israel and snare of sin for him and his family (Judg 9:27). Never assume a spiritual office God hasn’t given nor are you qualified to hold. To usurp such is rebellion and idolatry.

III. God’s Grace (Heb 11:32-34). Like Noah, Jacob, and David, Gideon is described as a man who acted by faith in God, but he was not sinless (nor are you). God didn’t approve of Gideon’s sin and reveals him as he was: a weak man made strong by God’s grace, but who struggled living that faith. Before we’re too hard on Gideon, remember God is just as gracious with us, whom He also saves and keeps by grace through faith. His grace in Jesus is greater than all our sins.
Forty years of peace were graciously given by God during Gideon’s judgeship, but there was spiritual anarchy. Israel was unfaithful to the Lord, but He was faithful to them, giving both time and opportunity to repent. His goodness is great, but it is not to be misused or taken for granted (Rom 2:4).
Judges mentions no more peace in Israel; but in Christ Jesus, His kingdom reign of peace will never end!