Burunche’s Blog

Judges 11: 12 – 28 “Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?” The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”

Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites. But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he refused. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.

Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border. And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’ But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.

Then the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hands of Israel, who defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who inhabited that country, seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.

Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it? Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us. Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them?

For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time? I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.” But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.”

The king of the Ammonites really made a bad mistake. Israel had controlled their lands east of the Jordan for 300 years. Now the king of the Ammonites was trying to use ancient battles 300 years old as an excuse for attacking Israel. Perhaps the Ammonites had heard that now the Israelites were no better than all the other tribes around them as they worshiped the baals and not just the One True Living God. At any rate, Jephthah gave a wonderful reply, culminating in the question “Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whateveer the Lord our God has granted us.”

APPLICATION: When we are threatened, where do we go for protection? If we are trusting in ourselves, we are in trouble. But if we are trusting in the One True Living God, then we can fearlessly confront our attackers. Jephthah knew the Lord and was trusting Him for victory; therefore, he could advise the Ammonites to possess whatever Chemosh gave them. The Ammonites trusted a demon that could not save them.

Today, many of us feel threatened by various things. But if we are trusting in God, we can be confident that He will act on our behalf. Trusting in anything less or in anything else would be ridiculous.

PRAYER: Father God, we DO trust in You and in nobody else. Only You can save us. Only You have forgiven our sins and can save us from those attacking us. Help us to always trust You and to give control of our lives to You. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 11:1 – 11 “Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father. And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”

So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him. Some time later, when the Ammonites fought against Israel and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”

Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and expel me from my father’s house? So why then have you come to me now when you are in distress?”

They answered Jephthah, “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”

But Jephthah asked them, “If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.” So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.”

Poor Jephthah! Through no fault of his own, Jephthah was the son of a prostitute, even though Gilead was his father. When it came time to divide up his father’s estate, Jephthah’s half – brothers drove him away, so that they could get more wealth. Those brothers may even have threatened Jephthah’s life; why else would he have left the land of Gilead completely? With no inheritance, Jephthah had to go to a different land and become the head of a roaming group of “worthless men.” The actual meaning of this term does not necessarily imply bad or evil men, but rather poor persons without property or employment. Jephthah and his band may have operated much as David did later, protecting towns and villages and only raiding the enemies of Israel. The area in which Jephthah was living was in modern day Syria just beyond the eastern border of Israel. Yes, Jephthah was an outcast. But then came the Ammonites.

Jephthah’s brothers might have been greedy, but they were not military leaders. One of the elders suddenly had the bright idea to invite Jephthah back to help them. When Jephthah questioned the elders’ sincerity, they made big promises. To protect himself, Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the Lord so that later on those same elders couldn’t renege. (The term “Mizpah” means “Watch,” and implies that God was watching as the Israelites made their promises to Jephthah.

APPLICATION: Have you ever been used, only to be discarded when your usefulness ended? There are few feelings more horrible than that of giving your best to a situation, only to find that the same people who begged you to come are now pushing you out the door after getting your help.

Ironically, it is possible that had Jephthah remained in Gilead, he might not have ever found his true identity as a military commander. Jephthah might have accepted whatever meager resources the family would have allotted to him just so that he could remain as part of the family. It was Jephthah’s isolation that brought out his abilities as a commander.

In those days, family was everything. Men without families had no inheritance and little chance of finding wives and having families of their own. Cutting someone off from their family could practically constitute a death sentence. No, the elders of Gilead had graphically demonstrated that they were only interested in money.

As we read the story of Jephthah, several things stand out:

1. God was not worried about Jephthah’s low status as the son of a prostitute. God gave Jephthah courage and the ability to lead in battle. We can take heart from this story, knowing that it is God who empowers us and that our worth as human beings does not come from men.

2. God created the opportunity for Jephthah to be received back into his father’s family. Reading the account, you can almost see these elders wringing their hands and glancing at one another out of the corners of their eyes. Jephthah was probably the very last person the family wanted to ask for help, but they were desperate.

3. You have the feeling – as did Jephthah – that the elders were hoping to renege on their promises as soon as the Ammonites were defeated. That’s why Jephthah repeated his terms in the presence of the Lord. Jephthah trusted the Lord, even if the elders had no regard for Him.

4. God was using the elders of Gilead to call Jephthah into the role God had already designed for him, that of military commander. Many times, God may use people to bring us into His perfect will for our lives, even though the motives of that group may be anything but pure. In the end, it is God who calls and who acts sovereignly.

What if you are used and then discarded? If God has called you into a certain position, God will sustain you and God will guide you. If those who once claimed they needed you attempt to throw you away, God will open new avenues of opportunity. Trust people? No way! Trust God? Absolutely!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You that You love us, that You care for us and that You will never leave us or forsake us. Thank You that Your promises are sure. Help all who feel that they have been used and abused to look to You for their guidance and support. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 10:15 – 18 “We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.

Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”

The Israelites are under attack from the Philistines on the west and from the Ammonites on the east. Despite all the warnings God has already given the Israelites regarding false gods, they have continued to follow these same worthless idols. When enemies attack, have the Israelites sought deliverance from their idols? Have they sacrificed animals in hopes of getting the attention of their gods? There is no record that any such thing has happened.

God has reproved the Israelites and they have actually taken that reproof to heart and have repented. Amazingly, once the Israelites repent, God begins to act on their behalf. These verses constitute an amazing demonstration of God’s mercy. The Israelites have made a complete mess of things. Most of us would tell them “Tough! You made your bed; you can lie in it!” But God gives second chances, and third and fourth and fifth chances. If not for the mercy of God, there would not be a nation of Israel today.

APPLICATION: How many of us put our trust in something, only to have it fail? Perhaps we have put in years as a professional, admired by our peers. Perhaps we have trusted friends or family members to help us. Perhaps we have highly placed friends in government. But people can die; governments can change; your peers can turn on you, and in this age of vindictive social media, your reputation can be in tatters overnight.

Psalm 146:3-10 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them– the LORD, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.”

The Israelites have made terrible mistakes, but God has shown them mercy. The lesson for all of us is this: put your trust in the One who can help you and not in anything else. And if you find that you have trusted the wrong things, pray to the One True Living God, the only One who can save you. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, forgive us! We have trusted all the wrong things and we have worshiped money, position, reputation, and even our own brilliance. Lord, help us to worship You and nobody else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 OBEDIENCE OR CHAOS 36: WHAT USE IS A GOD WHO CANNOT SAVE YOU?

Judges 10:1 – 14 “After the time of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose up to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir.

Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair. When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites, who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, and did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.

The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.” The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonitesc oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands? But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”

Well, the Israelites are at it again. Two more generations have passed without the Israelites training their children in the ways of God. As soon as the strong judges/leaders die, the Israelites go right back to the worship of the gods of all the nations who have previously oppressed them, even though those gods have proven worthless to save their adherents. Now the crunch has come yet another time and the Israelites have suddenly wakened up and remembered that they have a real God who has saved them in the past. But this time, God is fed up and says so.

The fascinating part about this story is not the backsliding – that is the normal state of affairs. No, the question is this: how does God speak to the Israelites and how do they KNOW that this is God speaking and not some other spirit? Perhaps some nameless prophet has arisen to give this particular message and then fade back into obscurity. Perhaps God speaks to them in a voice of thunder. All we know is that God speaks and the Israelites understand that this is GOD and not one of the gods that they have been serving.

APPLICATION: Psalm 20:1-3 says, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; may He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice.” This psalm was written by a believer who worshipped regularly for other believers who also worshipped regularly. But notice that the believers to whom this psalm is addressed are worshiping God and not the demons honored by surrounding tribes.

Why haven’t the Israelites learned anything? Spiritually, the Israelites bounce around as much as a new golf ball in a tile bathroom; they are all over the place! The answer is simple: each generation has deliberately refused to teach their children the things of God and to follow His laws. Rather than choosing those practices which would keep them safe and lead to long lives, the Israelites have chosen cheap and easy substitutes that are worthless. By refusing to teach their children the laws of Moses, the Israelites have doomed themselves as a people. And God informs them of their mistakes and advises them to see if any of these worthless spirits they have been worshiping will save them.

What are we teaching our children? Are we reading the Bible with them and praying with them? Are we taking them to church or to prayer meetings where they can see others worshiping God? Or are we leaving our children to be taught and entertained by social media? Veteran kindergarten teachers are raising alarms that children who have had too much screen time are unable to function effectively. Rather than learning how to interact with people personally, these children have been insulated. Rather than learning about their surroundings or even about simple things such as the layout of the grocery store, these children remain spectators, bound by an invisible umbilical cord to their electronic devices. The results of all this screen time are children who don’t know how to behave with other people and who have no knowledge of the world apart from the tiny screen of a cell phone or tablet. Over – use of electronic devices has become a modern equivalent of Baal worship.

Am I against cell phones, tablets, and computers? Absolutely not! Used in moderation, these things can be very helpful. But electronic devices can fail at any moment, leaving those who are totally dependent on them stranded and unable to function. An electronic device is only as positive an influence as the media you view. We have many friends who carry Bibles in tribal languages on their smart phones or tablets. Other friends carry copies of devotional books. But remember this: if you do not teach your children about God, the world will teach them about gods.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to be diligent in modeling worship and Bible study for our children. Help us to love You so much that our kids will know Who You are and why we love You. And help us to be faithful and to continue to pray for our families and others. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 9: 50 – 57 ”Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it. But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.

When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire. But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’”

So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died. And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers. And God also brought all the wickedness of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.”

Well, it finally happened! Abimelech’s earlier successes went to his head and he decided to extend his conquest to Thebez, a village 9 miles northeast of Shechem. But things didn’t turn out as expected. The citizens of Thebez locked themselves into their huge tower. Abimelech probably was rubbing his hands with glee; all that he and his men had to do was to gather up wood pile it up against the tower and burn them to a crisp just as they had to the people of Shechem.

Evidently the residents of Thebez had already stocked this tower with deadly missiles that could be dropped on attackers. Seizing an upper millstone, one brave lady dropped it on Abimelech’s head. Just as Abimelech had murdered the sons of Gideon on a single stone, now a single stone would prove to be his undoing. The only thing Abimelech could do was to beg his armor bearer to stab him and end his life quickly in a vain attempt to avoid the lady from Thebez being credited with killing him. Fat chance! It’s likely that Abimelech’s body wasn’t even cool before the ladies of Thebez were singing mocking songs about him as they came down the stairs from their tower. Abimelech’s men quietly slunk away into obscurity.

APPLICATION: When the Israelites defeated the tribes east of the Jordan, the Reubenites and Gadites came to Moses and asked permission to settle in that area because they had large herds and flocks and the land was excellent grazing land. Moses gave permission but warned these tribes that they had to commit themselves to helping the other tribes conquer Canaan. Moses further warned them that if they failed to carry out this commitment, God would punish them. Numbers 32:23 says, ““But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” 

God is merciful and gives us many opportunities to behave righteously. But God is also a God of justice. When Gideon’s son Jotham stood on Mount Gerizim and pronounced curses on the men of Shechem and on Abimelech, he was speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jotham pronounced doom for Abimelech and for those from Shechem and Beth – millo if they failed to repent.

How does this scripture illustrate God’s mercy? Had these evil – doers repented and sought God’s forgiveness, they would have saved themselves. But Abimelech and his supporters were certain that they could get away with murder and mayhem. When these men chose to massacre the people of Shechem and when they attacked Thebez, they sealed their own doom.

“But what does this have to do with me?” You might ask. “Hey! I’m a good person! I don’t run around murdering people.” But search your heart. Is there anyone with whom you are angry? Anyone at school, at work, or in your family whom you are avoiding because you don’t want anything to do with them? How honest are you?

God does not grade on a curve; sin is sin. And all of us are sinners in need of a Savior. If there were ever even one perfect man or woman who was totally sinless, then the potential would exist for the rest of us to be sinless as well. But while we are appalled at the blood thirstiness of Abimelech, we are unaware of the darkness within our own hearts. The only reason that a just God has not already turned us all into cinders is that Jesus Christ already paid the price for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross at Calvary.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Help everyone who reads this to turn to you and to beg for salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 9:30 – When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger. So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields. And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.” So Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.

Now Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelech and his men came out from their hiding places. When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountains!” But Zebul replied, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.” Then Gaal spoke up again, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”

“Where is your gloating now?” Zebul replied. “You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the people you ridiculed? Go out now and fight them!” So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought against Abimelech, but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. And many Shechemites fell wounded all the way to the entrance of the gate. Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

The next day the people of Shechem went out into the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech. So he took his men, divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them. Then Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two companies rushed against all who were in the fields and struck them down. And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith. And when it was reported to Abimelech that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem were gathered there, he and all his men went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees, which he lifted to his shoulder, saying to his men, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.”

So each man also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. Then they piled the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire above them, killing everyone in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women.

Some of the stories in the Book of Judges would give “Game of Thrones” a run for its money! Let’s review: God used Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites, and Gideon had 72 sons, one of them being Abimelech and another Jotham. Abimelech was the son of a concubine but was power – hungry and convinced his mother’s brothers to back him as he murdered 70 of Gideon’s legitimate sons. Jotham escaped the slaughter and then pronounced curses on Abimelech and his supporters from Shechem and Beth – millo. When backing Abimelech failed to yield the wealth and power the men of Shechem had expected, they began highway robbery. Soon a fellow named Gaal showed up to challenge Abimelech. As it turned out, Gaal was “all hat and no cattle.”

Zebul, the Shechem city governor, (probably another one of the uncles), was loyal to Abimelech and informed Abimelech about Gaal’s threats. When Abimelech showed up, Gaal was defeated; however, Abimelech also took his revenge on the city of Shechem, destroying the city and sowing the ground with salt so that nothing would ever grow there again. The Shechemite leaders, presumably including Zebul and all of Abimelech’s uncles, took refuge in the tower inside the temple of Baal – berith. This was a fateful decision because Abimelech and his men set fire to the tower, killing a thousand men and women. All of this happened because “God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully, in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. Judges 9:23-24

APPLICATION: Galatians 6:7 tells us, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” The men of Shechem conspired to mass murder of Gideon’s seventy sons, and now they and their entire city were destroyed.

The men of Shechem made the fatal mistake of turning their backs on God and assuming that He was not watching their actions. But actions always have consequences. In recent times, the concept of “situation ethics” has become popular – judging any situation on its own merits without regard to standards. But if there are no standards, how can you assess anything? We might not want rules for ourselves, but we are incensed when others fail to follow the same rules we choose to flout. Human nature has not changed; neither has the nature of God. Another translation of Galatians 6:7 reads, “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked..” When we insist that we can do anything we choose without fear of divine retribution, we are mocking God, behaving as if God is not omnipresent (present everywhere), omniscient (all – knowing), or omnipotent(all – powerful.) God’s nature does not change because we choose to ignore Him.

The evil we do today sows the seeds of disaster for us tomorrow. Human beings are created with a need to worship something greater than themselves. Fail to worship God, and you are setting yourself up for destruction. Fail to teach your children about God, and they will copy your example and find something or someone else lesser to worship. But remember the men of Shechem. The Shechemites refused to worship the God who had delivered them and fixed their affections on Baal – berith (“Lord of the flies”) instead. The very evil that these men had instrumented caught up with them.

PRAYER: Father God, we open our hearts to You. Show us those things that do not please You and clean up our hearts and minds! Let us truly know You as our God and King. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 9:22 – 29 “After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully, in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

The leaders of Shechem set an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

Meanwhile, Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem put their confidence in him. And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.

Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’”

When you compare Abimelech with his relatives from Shechem, it’s difficult to know who was worse. Abimelech was a greedy, power – hungry tyrant, but then there were his uncles. Had Abimelech’s uncles been righteous men, when he came up with the crazy idea of seizing power, they would have laughed and told him to go home and forget it. Gideon’s seventy sons would still have been alive and the entire course of history in that area would have been different. But Abimelech and the uncles were cut from the same bolt of cloth. It’s quite likely that Abimelech shot off his mouth a few too many times, insulting his relatives. And when supporting Abimelech didn’t pay off as expected, the men of Shechem began systematic armed robbery of all the travelers on the hilltops where the paths were narrow and easily barricaded.

This bunch of deplorables found themselves a new leader in Gaal, son of Ebed, who showed up with some of his brothers. Gaal was another big talker, making threats about Abimelech, and the men of Shechem were fed up with Abimelech.

APPLICATION: The big mistake the men of Shechem made in the first place was that they turned their backs on God and worshiping Him. Once these men plunged into baal worship with its orgies and its drinking bouts, they simply lurched from one bad leader to another. Being driven by lusts, these men had no clue what their tribes actually needed, nor did they realize the destruction that would eventually come upon them. There was no thought given to the things that would protect families and help their area develop.

Today, many people have made the same mistake as the foolish men of Shechem. Driven by a sense of entitlement, many people flout traffic laws, cheat on school work, steal from companies, and do as little work as possible while on their jobs. But actions still have consequences.

It was George Santayana who said that ‘”Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Today there are many people who are attempting to rewrite history to suit particular agendas. But truth has a nasty habit of coming out, no matter how hard one tries to suppress it. There are many parts of human history that make grim reading; however, if we refuse to learn from the past, we will definitely repeat mistakes that could have been avoided.

The men of Shechem refused to worship God, settling for something easier and more convenient. But in turning away from the One True Living God, those men set themselves and their families up for disaster.

Times have changed, but human nature has not. We all are still sinners in need of a Savior. And there is no other way to salvation apart from Jesus. Christ. You are free to choose to follow Christ or to ignore Him. But at the end of time, you will still face Him.

PRAYER: Father God, please let everyone who reads these words take them to heart. Help them to know how much You love them and how much You long for them to love You. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 9:7 – 21 “When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you. One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves.

They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’

Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves— for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian, but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother— if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you. But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.”

Jotham was Gideon’s youngest son and the only survivor of Abimelech’s massacre. Mount Gerizim is roughly 2.6 miles from the original site of Shechem. Evidently there must have been something about the configuration of Mount Gerizim that would allow sound to travel long distances. At any rate, Jotham bravely confronted the men of Shechem and Beth – millo with their perfidy and then escaped.

To whom was Jotham referring when he mentioned the olive tree, the fig tree, the grape vine, and the bramble? In some rabbinic traditions, the olive tree represented Othniel, Caleb’s son – in – law, who delivered Israel and who judged them for forty years. The fig tree represented Deborah, who together with Barak defeated the Canaanites, while the fruitful grapevine represented Gideon. The bramble obviously represented Abimelech. The men of Shechem and Beth – millo were willing to ignore Gideon’s refusal to rule in hopes that they would gain wealth and power by supporting Abimelech. Eventually, Abimelech truly proved to be a bramble tree, tearing and wounding those around him.

One telling statement Jotham made was the description of Abimelech as “the son of his (Gideon’s) maidservant. Generally, the offspring of concubines did not enjoy the same status as that of sons born into a marriage. Jotham was reminding Abimelech’s supporters that the men they murdered had far better claims to be rulers than did Abimelech.

APPLICATION: Gideon became a leader because God called him and then empowered him. Gideon risked his life on the battlefield and still refused to become king. Abimelech wanted everything to be handed to him and had done nothing to earn anyone’s respect.

Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Through the years, we have had experience with a number of chiefs and elders in various places in Ghana. Those chiefs who have cared about their people work for their good.

The question for each of us is this: how do we handle leadership positions when we are thrust into them? If we humble ourselves and ask God for help, He will inspire us and give us the grace and the courage to do the right thing. But if we become petty tyrants bent on our own wants and desires, we are failing God. We can grimace at Abimelech, but we must find good role models of leadership if we are to leave a blessed legacy behind us.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to follow You and to seek You in all the work to which You call us. Help us to take Jesus as our Example and to follow in His footsteps and not in those of greedy self – aggrandizing leaders. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 9:1 – 6 “Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother, “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”

And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him. He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself. Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.”

Remember Abimelech, the son of the concubine? This guy is a snake in the grass! Although Abimelech is a semi – legitimate son as opposed to his seventy half – brothers, his lust for power knows no bounds. Look at theses arguments:

1. Being ruled by seventy versus one. Huh? There is no indication that Gideon was trying to found a ruling dynasty in the first place. When asked by the Jews to become their ruler, Gideon refused. Judges 8:23 “But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.”

2. There is no indication that any of Gideon’s sons wanted to rule over anybody either.

3. Abimelech’s big problem was that he hadn’t inherited as much from his father as had his half – brothers.

4. Abimelech was trying to act on the meaning of his name. “Abimelech” means “My father is king.”

5. Abimehech’s uncles were more than happy to try to seize power over Israel, provided that their nephew would take the lead. After all, if their nephew succeeded, then they would become rich and powerful. If their nephew failed, they could always claim that they really didn’t believe in him…. of course, those seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal – Berith might be difficult to explain. So Abimelech’s uncles allied themselves with “worthless men,” eventually sealing their own doom.

One question is this: how did one man manage to murder seventy other men? The only reasonable answer is that those “worthless men” who were hired with the money from the temple must have helped. A second question follows: why did the men of Shechem and Beth – millo think they would get away with mass murder of the sons of the man who had delivered Israel?

The problem again was one of parents refusing to teach their children. Forty years – two generations – elapsed between the time of Gideon’s victory and his death. The Israelites continued to refuse to teach their children about the One True Living God and all the wonders that He had done on their behalf. Two generations was long enough for people to forget about God and Gideon and to chase after Baal – berith.

APPLICATION: When we are choosing someone to follow, how carefully do we examine their credentials and their character? These days, social media and mainstream news media have so muddied the waters that it is difficult to ascertain the truth about potential leaders. Carefully orchestrated publicity campaigns may hide or downplay major character failings of one individual while exaggerating those of a second individual.

In the story of Abimelech, it would appear that his uncles really didn’t think things through very much. They probably figured that they were in a reasonably remote area and that nobody would oppose their power play. But these men forgot that God selected Gideon and that God empowered Gideon to be successful in battle. They really didn’t think Baal – berith had power, but they forgot that Elohim did.

During our decades as missionaries, we have observed an important fact: any organization, be it a mission, a church, or a para – church organization, only functions along Christian principals if the leaders are truly committed Christians willing to do what it takes to see that their organization runs along Christian lines. If the topmost leadership is not thoroughly committed, the organization will operated just like any secular business. Leadership is critically important.

In a previous day and age, sports figures and others were admired for their character. We all want heroes. But be careful! Sometimes those who are most heroic are the most obscure while those who are highly publicized turn out to be weak individuals who will falter and fail under pressure. Remember: you are likely to copy those individuals whom you most admire. Choose wisely!

PRAYER: Father God, help us to search out men and women of integrity and to let their examples inspire us. But most of all, Lord, help us to copy Jesus, the ultimate example. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 8:28 – 35 “In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon, and he—Jerubbaal son of Joash—returned home and settled down. Gideon had seventy sons of his own, since he had many wives. His concubine, who dwelt in Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

Later, Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god. The Israelites failed to remember the LORD their God who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. They did not show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) for all the good things he had done for Israel.”

Well, Israel is at it again! Gideon’s body has barely cooled when the Israelites are off into Baal worship. Forty years is two generations, plenty of time for people to forget when nobody teaches them about the goodness of God in the first place.

What did Gideon teach his sons? Did Gideon really teach his sons the truth about how God had used him to deliver Israel, or did Gideon edit the story to make himself look braver and stronger than he actually was? Did Gideon think that it was somebody else’s job to teach those 70 sons about God’s miraculous deliverance?

Who or what was Baal – berith? Wikipedia offers this information from the Rabbinic literature: The idol Baʿal Berith, which the Jews worshipped after the death of Gideon, was identical, according to the Rabbis, with Baʿal Zebub, “the lord of flies,” the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2). He was worshipped in the shape of a fly; and Jewish tradition states that so addicted were the Jews to his cult that they would carry an image of him in their pockets, producing it, and kissing it from time to time. Baʿal Zebub is called Baʿal Berith because such Jews might be said to make a covenant (Hebrew: berith) of devotion with the idol, being unwilling to part with it for a single moment (Shab. 83b; comp. also Sanh. 63b). According to another conception, Baʿal Berith was an obscene article of idolatrous worship, possibly a simulacrum priapi (phallic symbol.) This is evidently based on the later significance of the word “berit,” eaning circumcision.”

All indications are that Baal worship generally involved sexual orgies as a means of encouraging the earth to be fruitful. This kind of religious was a no – holds – barred affair, in contrast to the rules and regulations God had set forth for the Jews. For someone who had never been taught about the goodness of God, the grace of God, or the mercy of God, such a choice would be a no – brainer: “Baal – how fun! Elohim – BORING!!!”

APPLICATION: God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the other laws so that the Jews would follow a holy life style. God already knew exactly how evil and perverted Baal worship and Ashtorah worship was. God also knew those restrictions that would help keep the Jews healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Who knows how many Jews died prematurely because they refused to heed God’s laws and wandered off into Baal worship instead?

When God gave Moses the laws for the Jews, He expressly forbade them from worshiping any kind of idol. The Jews were not even allowed to carve the form of any animal or person on their altars. Jewish altars were to be made of undressed stones and to be extremely plain. God knew that the second that the Jews had anything they could make into an idol, they would do so immediately. Look at what happened with Aaron and the golden calf or Gideon and the ephod.

What are you worshiping? What is most important to you? As I am writing this, I am reflecting on our experiences of Sunday afternoon, August 29^th. After rushing back to the U.S. so that we could see my brother – in – law, we found him dead in his house that afternoon. By the grace of God, we had gotten to spend a significant amount of time with him over the previous two days. My late brother – in – law loved mechanical things and had a classic car that he would proudly drive to cruise nights. He also had a jeep and a pickup truck, as well as a four – wheeler. Now all those vehicles are sitting useless in the drive and in the garage. Blessedly, my brother – in – law was a Jesus follower and had been for forty years, but for many of his friends, their vehicles are idols.

There is an old saying that goes, “Only one life; twill soon be passed. Only what’s done for God will last.” The only thing any of us can ever do FOR God is to worship Him; He must do everything else in our hearts.

Jesus told his disciples a parable recorded in Luke 12:16 – 21 “And He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere I will store up my fruits?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns, and will build greater ones, and will store up there all my grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your rest; eat, drink, be merry.”’ And God said to him, ‘Fool! This night, your soul is required of you; and what you did prepare—to whom will it be?’ So is the one treasuring up for himself, and not being rich toward God.”

My brother – in – law collapsed in his kitchen while fixing his supper. He was alone. There was no time left to follow God; however, he had chosen to serve God forty years ago and was continuing. None of us knows the day or hour in which we will die.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “ Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” You must choose now, but choose wisely! Eternity may come upon you without warning.

PRAYER: Father God, help each and every one who reads this to come to a saving knowledge of Your Grace and of Your Salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.