This will be the only lesson of the week. Lessons will continue on June 21, 2021, God willing.
Lesson continued...
I hope you were able to finish reading the rest of chapter 9 and you had an opportunity to think about or discuss the ending. Let’s jump back into the lesson.
We left off with Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, addressing the people of Shechem about their decision to follow Abimelech, Jotham’s half brother, after he killed all of Jotham’s brothers.
The remainder of the chapter outlines the events leading up to God punishing Abimelech. It continues, “After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, God stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the people of Shechem, and they revolted. In the events that followed, God punished Abimelech and the men of Shechem for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons.” (Judges 9:22-24) Wow...just when you think you are in control, you are not in control.
Let’s think about this for a moment. Abimelech thought he was running things, but God is in control. Do you think Abimelech knows that God is in control? Of course not! He’s too caught up trying to get his way and control others. The question is....Have we fallen in the trap of thinking we are in control...that we are running things...that from our own strength, we are controlling the outcomes playing out in our lives?
Let’s hope we are not thinking that we are in control. The text continues, “The people of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot.” (Judges 9:25)
Side note: You know how we get bold when we find out the truth about someone’s actions against us? We immediately think…”Oh, you ain’t controlling this; I’ve got your butt now!” I imagine that that’s how Abimelech is feeling, but what he doesn’t know is that God is in control. The text said, “God stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the people of Shechem.” (verse 23)
The text continues, “At that time Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the people of Shechem.” Wow! You could finish writing this story yourself! The writing is on the wall! Did Gaal just happen to move to Shechem or did God orchestrate that? Remember the text said, “After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, God stirred up trouble…” (verse 22) So God may have planted the seed three years ago for Gaal to move to Shechem. Did Gaal know he was being used by God? Did Abimelech know that God was moving against him? Absolutely not! Just like we don’t know how God is moving on our behalf, working things out, planting seeds that will eventually produce fruit...if we just be still, trust in HIM, and allow HIM to work!
Well, Gaal, not knowing it was his job, stirred up some trouble. He started cursing Abimelech at an annual festival, and said he would get rid of Abimelech if he was in charge. One of those Trump supporters...oh, I’m sorry...Abimelech supporters told Abimelech, Gaal was inciting rebellion against him (Sounds familiar, right?). Abimelech was obviously upset, gathered his army, and fought Gaal and the men of Shechem. Gaal was defeated and ran away...job completed! The next day, the men of Shechem went out to battle again, and Abimelech destroyed them, killing the people and leveling the city (Abimelech is feeling good, mighty, and in control).
“Then Abimelech attacked the city of Thebez and captured it. But there was a strong tower inside the city, and the entire population fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, a woman on the roof threw down a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.” (Judges 9:50-53) Wow! This is how he died...this was his punishment? Just a little anticlimactic. But what God taught us in this lesson was good!
The chapter ends with, “Thus, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon came true.” (Judges 9:56-57)
Lord, thank you for your completed Word today! Help us to recognize that you are moving for us and sometimes against us (so that we can grow), and help us be on the right side of those two options. Help us to be still and trust in you, knowing that you are working behind the scenes, ordering steps we have no clue about, and planning our victories well in advance. We love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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