Judges 8-9: Worshipping an Ephod

Gideon was wise and followed after God.  As a result, he was successful in saving Israel from the Midianites.  He made at least one fatal mistake.  He took the gold that had been given to him as his share of the plunder and made an ephod.   Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. - Judges 8:27 NIV

What was this ephod?  Originally the ephod was part of the garment worn by the high priest.  Obviously, this is talking about something different, but what?  Or does it really matter.  Whatever it was, it became a snare to Gideon and his family because they worshipped it.  That may not have been Gideon's original intent, he may have thought he was creating something holy, but any object, even one that is intentioned as holy, can become a snare when it becomes the object of our worship.  We have always had the inclination to worship the creation rather than the creator.  What are we worshipping today?  Something we have built of our own to honor God or God himself.  It really does matter. 

2010 Post - Judges 8-9:  Fire in the Thornbush