The story of Gideon is primarily known for the sheepskin on the threshing floor and, of course, that of his band of 300 men with jars and torches. The last passage, which we are now concerned with, may be less appealing to the imagination on a superficial reading, but it is full of typological treasures.
Judges 8
22 And the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son and your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”
23 And Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD, He will rule over you.”
24 And Gideon said to them, “I will make a request of you.” Give me to each man a pendant from his spoil, for they have pendants of gold, since they are Ishmaelites.
25 And they said, “We will give, yes, give.” So they spread out the robe and threw upon it a pendant from his spoil for each man.
26 And the weight of the gold pendants he requested was a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescent moons, the earrings, and the purple robes of the kings of Midian, and besides the necklaces that were around their camels’ necks.
27 And Gideon made it into an ephod and put it in his city, in Ophrah (…)
not a king
When we read a history and want to interpret its typology, the tendency quickly arises to explain what follows chronologically. After all, it follows one another. But then you would expect Gideon, as a representation of Christ, to assume the kingship after the final battle. But that doesn’t happen, because the book of Judges depicts the time of Israel’s unbelief, not the time of the Messiah’s kingship. It speaks of our time. That is the theme that is repeated repeatedly.
high priest indeed
And we find that here too, for when Gideon is offered the opportunity to become king and thus establish a dynasty, he declines and does not assume rule. Instead, he requests that gold be given to him, and Gideon uses it to make an ephod. The ephod is one of the garments of the high priest (Ex. 28:4, 28). The purple robes of the kings of Midian are also used to make the ephod. Purple was the prescribed color for making the ephod (Ex. 28:6; 9:2). Purple is a mixture of red and blue, uniting both colors. Red speaks of the earth and blood, while blue speaks of heaven. Purple represents the Mediator between heaven and earth (1 Tim. 2:5).
Gideon, who refused kingship and had a priestly garment made, is a type of Christ in our time. The Kingdom is not revealed, and Christ is seated in heaven as High Priest (Heb. 8:1).