Judges Part 9

IX. Judges 9. A. The pendulum of peace and oppression in this chapter rests at its nadir for a season of civil strife and war. 1. When Satan is not trying to destroy the church from without, he is much willing to destroy from within (and sometimes through petty strife or power seizures). ACT 20:29-30; JAM 4:1; 1CO 6:6-8; 3JO 1:9-10. 2. As regenerate believers, we need to be ever on guard against internal factions of our old nature frustrating our purpose in Christ. GAL 5:17; 1CO 9:27. B. This chapter sets forth a stark example of ruthlessness in politics by ambitious men, and how God allows both the rise and the frustration of troublers who are his leashed whips for chastening and purifying His church. 1CO 11:19; 2TI 3:8-9. 1. Remember that the time of Judges (with its chaos and swings) was when “...there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (JDG 21:25). 2. Yet in this chapter, a rebel son of Gideon was by treachery and ruthlessness made king, contrary to Gideon’s wishes. v. 6 c/w JDG 8:23. 3. It is strange that Gideon named this son of a concubine, Abimelech (my father is king). JDG 8:31. C. vs. 1-6. 1. Abimelech pushed for power by tribal factionalism, a base move for ambitious men, insinuating without proof that other of Gideon’s sons would push for power (v. 2). People who themselves design ill are most likely to suspect that others do likewise. 2. The city of Shechem may have had the historical residue of the treachery of Simeon and Levi (GEN 34:25-31) in its memory as well as a false god, Baalberith (lord of the covenant) and his house. v. 4 c/w JDG 8:33. 3. Abimelech played to their lusts (v. 3 c/w 2SAM 15:2-6) and they financed his campaign out of an idol’s treasury. v. 4. 4. Abimelech then used the funds to hire rabble to do his dirty work, as Trotsky and Lenin (and perhaps George Soros) would do thousands of years later. vs. 4-5 c/w ACT 17:5. 5. Discipleship excludes regard for brethren (LUK 14:26) but not like this. 6. Abimelech’s murderous campaign got him elected, which says as much about them as it does about Abimelech. v. 6 c/w PSA 12:8; ECC 10:6. 7. But Jotham escaped by hiding (v. 5 c/w 2KI 11:1-2), and we do well to hide in Christ when Satan’s powers are after us. COL 3:3-6 c/w 1CO 10:13. D. vs. 7-21. 1. Jotham bravely reproved the wicked with a parable: there were plenty of honorable sons of Gideon that could have been their ruler but restrained themselves in accord with Gideon’s intentions. vs. 7-15. 2. But Shechem chose the prickly bramble, Abimelech, and the harshness he represented (vs. 14-15). Fools who rely on tyrants to lead them should consider that tyrants are tyrannical in general, not just when aimed. 3. Jotham reminded them of how good Gideon was for them and how evil they were therefore for the ill treatment of his sons, leaving them with a curse of mutual destruction. vs. 16-21. a. The curse causeless shall not come. PRO 26:2. b. But there was plenty of cause, and God respected the curse later. c. Let us never trivialize how good our Savior has been to us, in spite of our Judges 6-26-25 Page 16  circumstances, and bring a curse to pass on ourselves. 1CO 16:22 c/w HEB 10:29-31. E. vs. 22-33. 1. The love affair between Abimelech and Shechem didn’t last long, and another power-grasper, Gaal, arose to capture the support of Shechem. Alliances of wicked men may run no longer than the first tiff. But godly saints will strive to work their way through tiffs. MAT 5:23-24; 18:15; LUK 17:3. 2. Gaal spoke very brazenly in challenging Abimelech (v. 29) but “...Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off” (1KI 20:11). 3. Zebul was not impressed with Gaal, especially since Zebul had been included in Gaal’s diatribe, so he alerted Abimelech. vs. 30-33. 4. Sin was on all hands here, and was contesting with itself. Have you ever found yourself in spiritual chaos and your sins at war against themselves to see which one would gain the day? F. vs. 34-49. 1. These verses set forth the folly and futility of sinners and sin struggling for mastery in a wicked cause. The way of transgressors is hard. PRO 13:15. 2. If Gideon were able to look down from heaven, he could see his enemies again destroying one another. His son, Jotham, though, could fondly reflect upon the whole situation in view of his curse. 3. The tower of Shechem’s sin provided no protection against the sinful designs of Abimelech. We never get anywhere by hiding from one sin in another sin, so choose your pavilion wisely. PSA 27:5. 4. Contrast v. 48 with JDG 7:17 and “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (PHIL 4:9). Choose your patterns wisely. 5. There was much collateral damage to others. v. 49. a. There were no Rahabs to be found among them who saved themselves as she did from that untoward generation. HEB 11:31 c/w ACT 2:40. b. The main targets of Abimelech’s wrath perished not alone in their iniquity. c/w JOS 22:20. G. vs. 50-57. 1. Abimelech’s tower strategy failed this time because of overconfidence. His tactical error resonated throughout Jewish history. c/w 2SAM 11:21. 2. His head was broke and his brains probably leaking out but at least his damnable pride was still intact! v. 54. 3. God’s vengeance may sleep for a while but not forever. LUK 18:7-8. Judges 6-26-25 Page 17