In this daily Bible reading is the account of Gideon taking some of the spoils of the defeated Midianites and making an ephod. He placed the ephod in his city, Ophrah. Even though Israel had peace while Gideon was alive, the ephod became a snare to Gideon and his household. After Gideon died, the people once again returned to worshiping demons and turned away from God.
Gideon’s ephod was an icon. I believe icons are dangerous religious objects. They become idols to those who are weak in the Faith. That is probably why one of God’s commandments forbade the making of images.
Mankind has a tendency toward a superstition Those who are weak in the Faith allow superstition to guide them. Satan uses superstition to his advantage to keep people in bondage to religion. Without God’s Word, the Bible, people cannot break free from this bondage.
