In Today's Email:
Judges 9 Notes
In this chapter we have the fate of the first man to claim kingship in Israel, Abimelech.
vs. 1-6 – Abimelech, the son of Gideon through a concubine that we met briefly in 8:31, persuades the people of Shechem to back him as leader. They financed his rebellion with money from the local shrine to Baal. Abimelech murders the 70 legitimate sons of Gideon, except for Jotham (“Jehovah is perfect”) the youngest.
vs. 7-21 – Jotham calls out the sin of Abimelech and Shechem by addressing a fable to them. In this fable, the trees seek a king, but no tree or plant will take the crown, that is until the lowly bramble. The lesson is that men like Abimelech that seek greatness without God raising them up are doomed for destruction. In vs. 20 Jotham pronounces a curse that would mean mutual destruction of Shechem, their acropolis (Millo means “mound or rampart”), and Abimelech. Jotham then flees a few miles south to a town called Beer (“well”).
vs. 22-49 – After three years, the relationship between Abimelech and Shechem has soured. In vs. 25 we see that the town made plans to attack him on his return. In vs. 26 we see the town enlist a man named Gaal (“contempt”) to help rid them of their king. Zebul (“habitation”), who is Abimelech’s puppet in Shechem, warns him of the danger and advises swift action. Abimelech surrounds the city at night and begins approaching at daylight. Gaal sees this but Zebul delays him in responding. Finally, Gaal leads a force against Abimelech but is defeated and driven from Shechem. Abimelech then turns his attention to the city, killing its people and destroying the town. Some men hold out in the fortified acropolis; Abimelech burns them alive.
vs. 50-57 – Abimelech turns his attention to Thebez (“brightness”), another town which appears to have rebelled against him. The people holed up in the city’s fortress, and Abimelech sought to repeat his tactic of burning them alive. In the desperate defense, a unnamed woman threw down a piece of a millstone that hit Abimelech’s head and wounded him. In his pride, he refused to have it said that woman killed him and his armorbearer finished him. The followers of Abimelech disperse and this tragic period in Israel’s history ends.
Judges 10 Notes
In this chapter we have two more judges and another call to rally against oppressors.
vs. 1-2 – The judgeship of Tola (“scarlet worm”) of Issachar.
vs. 3-5 – The judgeship of Jair (“enlightener”) of Manasseh.
vs. 6-9 – Another round of oppression under the Philistines and Ammonites come after Israel turns from God again.
vs. 10-14 – Israel attempts a half-hearted repentance, and God tells them to go trust in the idols that they worship.
vs. 15-18 – Israel truly repents and rids themselves of their idols. The Israelites assemble to face the Ammonite army but lack a leader. This sets up the next chapter which we will read tomorrow.
Closing Thoughts
Who was the first king over Israel? David? Saul? Actually it was the brief reign over a few cities by Abimelech. His reign was rooted in sinful ambition and was not sanctioned by God. We saw in Deuteronomy 17 that God had prepared for there to be kings in Israel, but Abimelech was not God’s choice. He is a warning to trust in God’s timing and will. Human endeavor is fruitless without the hand of God blessing it.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today, John Newton’s “See How The Worthless Bramble Stands”, is only tangentially related to our text. Alas, there is a dearth of hymns based on today’s reading. But it does mention a bramble, like Jotham compared Abimelech to. Here the sinner is likened to a bramble in the desert to illustrate the need for a Savior. Do not be like Abimelech and reject God!
See how the worthless bramble stands
Beneath a burning sky;
Wither'd and parch'd in barren sands,
And only grows to die.
Such is the sinner's awful case,
Who makes the world his trust;
And dares his confidence to place
In vanity and dust.
A secret curse destroys his root,
And dries his moisture up;
He lives a while, but bears no fruit,
Then dies without a hope.
But happy he whose hopes depend
Upon the Lord alone;
The soul that trusts in such a friend
Can ne'er be overthrown.