Judges 9 Bible Study / Podcast

This morning we're going to be studying Judges chapter 9. This covers the story of Abimelech, who was the wicked son of Gideon.

Judges chapter 6 -8 told us the story of Jeroboam, also known as Gideon.

He was a judge in Israel, really a military man. He was used mightily by the

Lord and after Gideon subdued the Midianites, Israel, they wanted to make him king, but he refused.

But now that Gideon is gone, he died at the end of the last chapter, now his son

Abimelech, he decides that he wants to be king. So Abimelech hatches a plan to eliminate his competition, mainly his 70 brothers.

So while Gideon, in one sense, was a great man of God, he did make many mistakes. One of the mistakes is how he took to himself many wives.

And on top of that, Gideon had another woman who he kept on the side, who was not his wife.

This is what the Bible refers to as a concubine. So Abimelech was the illegitimate son of Gideon, he was the son of the concubine.

And whenever this type of thing happens, polygamy, having concubines just like with Abraham and Hagar or in the life of David and Solomon, anytime a man takes unto himself in the

Old Testament many wives, polygamy always leads to trouble. So Judges chapter 8 ended with verses 30 and 31, it says

Gideon had 70 sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son whose name he called

Abimelech. So that's who we're going to be reading about this morning, the story of Abimelech.

So here in Judges chapter 9, this section is broken down into three parts, verses 1 through 6, covers the conspiracy of Abimelech.

He's going to kill the 70 sons of Gideon, just again, eliminating his competition.

Verses 7 through 21 is the parable of the trees. And verse 22 through the end of the chapter, it's 57 verses in all, that covers the downfall of Abimelech.

So Abimelech is not going to get away with this. This is a really interesting chapter. And let's begin with verses 1 through 6.

Judges chapter 9, 1 through 6. And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him and the hearing of all the men of Shechem.

And their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.

So they gave him 70 shekels of silver from the temple of Baal Beerith, of which

Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him. Then he went to his father's house at Aphra, and killed his brothers, the 70 sons of Jerob Baal, on one stone.

But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerob Baal, was left, because he hid himself.

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Milo, and they went and made

Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.

So this is Abimelech's conspiracy. He convinces one side of his family to get rid of the other side of his family.

So remember, Abimelech's father was Gideon, or as we read, Jerob Baal.

But his mother, most likely, was of Canaanite descent, which is probably why

Gideon didn't marry her. So Abimelech, he has 70 half -brothers from the wives of Gideon, meaning

Abimelech is kind of the odd man out. He was, I'm sure, seen as not at the same level that the 70 sons, because they're sons of the wives.

He's the son of the concubine. He would have been seen as the illegitimate son. I'm sure he was treated differently.

He wasn't fully accepted. You can just sort of imagine the tension. So what does he do?

He goes to his uncles and he asks for their support in basically pulling off a coup.

So Israel wanted to make Gideon king. He refused. And then after he died, his 70 sons sort of became the de facto leaders in Israel.

And Abimelech says, well, if I get rid of all them, then I'll be the leader. So that's his plan.

And he conspires with his mother's brothers. So after Gideon died, his 70 sons, the legitimate sons, acted as the nation's leadership.

No doubt there's a lot of bad blood between them and Abimelech. But on top of that,

Abimelech's uncles probably feel their sister was not treated well. Their nephews not accepted.

Whatever is going on in their mind, whatever the case, if Abimelech is king, that's going to greatly benefit them as well.

Verse four says, so they gave him 70 shekels of silver from the temple of Baal -barith.

That's the God that Israel was worshiping at the time. With which

Abimelech, he took that money and hired worthless and reckless men.

And they followed him. So Abimelech's uncles, they're not willing to shed blood themselves, but they are willing to fund the revolution.

Isn't that often the way it is? The wealthy, powerful men, I mean, they're not going to get their hands dirty.

They will donate money and they'll have worthless and reckless men, as the

Bible calls them. They'll let them do the grunt work. Nothing new under the sun.

It happened back then. It's happening now. So Baal -barith is the false

God Israel is worshiping. So clearly some time has passed between the death of Gideon, because Gideon wouldn't have put up with this.

Gideon would not have allowed Israel to fall into the worship of Baal. We don't know how much time has passed, but a considerable amount of time, most likely.

So Gideon is gone. Gideon didn't want that absolute power, but Abimelech does.

Why? Because Abimelech is a wicked man. You know, wicked people often want power.

Now somebody has to rule, but Abimelech, you know, nothing is going to stop him from being king.

That's how he sees this. So now that he has enough money to hire, you know, whatever you want to call them, mercenaries, assassins, the

New King James Version calls them worthless and reckless men. The King James Version calls them vain and light person.

So what does that mean? Vain? Well, we know what vain means, but what does it mean that they were light persons?

Well, they basically have no sense of morality. The people that Abimelech hires, they will do anything for money.

And that's what happens. They go to the estate in Aphra, where Gideon's family was, probably during a feast or some family celebration where Abimelech knew everyone would be there, and they murder the 70 sons of Gideon.

And it says that they did it on one stone. What does that mean?

It means they probably rounded them all up and held a public execution, killing them one by one on this one site, on this one stone.

So what is Abimelech doing? He's again, eliminating his competition. He's eliminating all his rivals.

And afterward, the men of Shechem, they make him king. It says beside the

Terebinth tree, you know, by the pillar. So this was a sacred site.

And here's why that's important. You know, there's no detail in the Bible that's just sort of a throwaway statement.

Why does it mention that he was made king at this sacred site?

One commentator writes this, the Terebinth tree or the oak of the pillar, this is where Joshua erected a pillar as a witness of the covenant renewed between God and Israel.

That's Joshua 24 verse 26. This place they chose to signify that they still owned

God and their covenant with him and did not worship

Baal in opposition to God, but in conjunction with him or in subordination to him.

Now that's really important. I want to read that again. So why did they make Abimelech king at this worship site?

This is where Joshua set up the pillar. They chose this site to signify that they still own

God. They still believed in God. They still believed in their covenant with God. They did not worship

Baal in opposition to him, but in conjunction with him. So if that's correct, and I believe it is, that's significant.

Remember, Abimelech's uncles, they got the money to fund the revolution from the temple of Baal.

You know, Christians oftentimes will read how Israel was worshiping Baal or worshiping the Baals and Asherah.

And we often think that Baal replaced Jehovah. And while I'm sure that did happen at times, more often, and what's happening here is that the two faiths were blended together.

So did Israel still worship Jehovah? Yes. Were they worshiping

Baal? Yes. They were worshiping both. Now, in God's eyes, if you're worshiping

Baal at all, you're not worshiping him because the worship of God has to be pure. God is a jealous

God. If you're worshiping Jehovah, Baal, and Asherah, you're not worshiping God. But in their eyes, we're just going to recognize all these different gods.

So just as an Israelite man would marry a Canaanite woman, these two faiths would often both be upheld.

So just imagine this, a Jewish man, or they weren't called Jews back then, but an

Israelite man marries a Canaanite woman. The Israelite, he worships

Jehovah, the Canaanite worships Baal. And they just kind of decide and make this agreement, well, okay, the family, we'll just kind of recognize both.

And they blend the two together. Just to help us understand this, because this still happens.

A few years back, the Pope brought a pagan idol into the

Vatican before the high altar. And this made a lot of waves. It was in the news. And Pachumama, I think was what the idol was called.

It was basically a naked Amazon goddess that was brought into St.

Peter's Basilica. And the Catholic Church is known for this. They'll go into a country, missionaries will set up a church, and they'll take the pagan gods and they'll all just worship everyone together and worship

Jesus and these Pachumama and these other idols. It's very common.

It happens all over the world. Again, there's nothing new under the sun. So an

Israelite man worships Jehovah, Canaanite woman worships Baal, they get married, their children are brought up with both faiths.

You just blend it all together. There are people today who profess to be Christian.

Maybe they are. Lord knows. You know, sometimes, sometimes saved people do really dumb things.

And I don't want to say that, well, it's a mistake, we'll just put it that way. But there have been

Christian men or Christian women who have married Jews, religious Jews, and that's two different religions, husband and wife, they get married, they agree that their kids will, and I've known people who have done this, they say, well, we'll take our kids both to church and to the synagogue.

We'll celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Of course, more often than not, over time, one spouse ends up getting their way more than the other.

So one faith naturally takes precedent over the other. Or maybe both faiths are dropped in favor of secularism.

But the point is here in Judges, it happens today, happened back then. Just because they were worshiping

Baal doesn't mean Jehovah is completely out of the picture. They made a

Bimelech king, even when they were worshiping Baal Bereth, and they did it at this worship site for the

Lord God. So let's just blend it all together. That's what's happening. There's a long history here at this site where Joshua set up the pillar.

So what, and this is actually smart, if you think about it, in a cunning type of way, but a

Bimelech wants to do everything he can to be seen as the legitimate king.

And it might have worked, except that one of his half -brothers, one of the 70 sons of Gideon, Jotham, somehow he hides himself.

So this is, in some ways, a brilliant move by a Bimelech and the men of Shechem will take this holy site that all the people of Israel recognize and will do this coronation and make a

Bimelech king. It's sort of like today, whoever's at the White House, they're the president.

And this is oftentimes throughout history when revolutions have happened. As long as the man who's now the leader is at the

Capitol, as long as he's in the building, that gives him legitimacy. So that's what's happening here. A Bimelech is made king at this site, established by Joshua.

Brilliant move. Now he is seen as legitimate. But there's still one little wrinkle, and that's that one of the legitimate sons, the youngest,

Jotham, one of Gideon's sons, is still out there. And God is going to use the son of Jeroboam, Jotham, to take down a

Bimelech. God is not going to allow this treachery to go unpunished.

The 70 sons of Gideon murdered, or 69, or 68 if a

Bimelech is counted in the 70. I guess he's 71. You know, Jesus said in the

Gospels, those who live by the sword will die by the sword.

Scripture also teaches that what a man sows, that he shall also reap.

So in verse 7 of Judges 9, when they are told that Jotham, or when they told

Jotham about what had happened, he, the son of Gideon, went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and he lifted up his voice, and he cried out, and he said to them,

Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. And now he tells them the parable of the trees.

He said, The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree,

Rain over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honor

God and men, to go to sway over trees? Then the trees said to the fig tree,

You come and rain over us. But the fig tree said to them, Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?

Then the trees said to the vine, You come and rain over us. But the vine said to them,

Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over trees?

Just one statement. The new wine that cheers both

God and men. Remember, this is a parable. So we would not interpret this that God drinks wine.

I think it's simply best to view this as poetic language. Also, it's not that several men.

This parable is not meant to be taken too literally, in the sense that one tree represents this man who was offered to be made king, and he said no.

Someone else was offered. That's not what happened. Gideon was the only man that was offered to be made king, and he refused.

Remember what he said. God is your king. The point of this parable comes out here, starting in verse 14.

So the trees, they go to the fig tree and the olive tree and these noble trees that are worth something.

And they all say, No, no, we have a job. We're not going to rule over you. Nobody accepts it.

And then they go to the bramble. They go to the thorn bush, which is clearly inferior to all these other trees.

The bramble is meant, obviously, to represent Abimelech. Jotham continues,

Then all the trees said to the bramble, You come and reign over us.

And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me as king over you, then come and take shelter in my shade.

But if not, let fire come out from the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

So Jotham, remember, this is scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit. I believe

Jotham is moved by the Holy Ghost to speak these prophetic words.

Of course, he knows, I'm sure, the character of his half -brother, along with having these divinely inspired insights.

And this is just something that is common. He knows where this is going. Abimelech is an evil man.

God is not going to bless this. He is the bramble. He is worthless.

He's a vain and light person, as the KJV says. A vain and light man hired vain and light men.

So, again, people who have a lust for power are usually rotten people.

And that perfectly describes Abimelech. In the

New Testament, why do I say that? Because in the New Testament, godliness is described as living a quiet and peaceable life.

Being content, being thankful, accepting whatever the hand of God has given you.

That is godliness. Selfish ambition is clearly spoken against.

Now, on the other hand, leadership is necessary and any godly person would want godly leadership.

Of course. But good leaders are often reluctant. Gideon was a reluctant leader.

You think of Moses. Moses was a reluctant leader. God appeared to him in the bush and told him the plan.

Moses said, no, don't use me. You can find somebody else. David had the opportunity to kill

King Saul long before he took the throne. He could have taken the throne years earlier.

He refused to do it. So, godly leaders in the Bible are often reluctant leaders.

So the point is, we should beware of anyone who has a lust for power.

Like Abimelech. So, Jotham continues his speech. He says in verse 16, Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making

Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jeroboam in his house, and have done to him as he deserves, for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian.

But you have risen up against my father's house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made

Abimelech king, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem.

Why? Because he is your brother. If then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jeroboam and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.

But if not, let fire come from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Milo.

And let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Milo, and devour

Abimelech. And Jotham ran away and fled, and he went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

So Jotham gives this parable, and he utters what really is a curse upon the people.

And God honors this. Again, I believe, it doesn't explicitly say it, but this is inspired scripture.

He issues this curse, and God honors it. It comes to pass. So verse 22 begins to record the downfall of Abimelech.

It says, after Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.

Notice that. God sent what? A spirit of ill will, or he sent an evil spirit.

We'll talk about that in a moment. But God sent a spirit of ill will, who are now the men of Shechem, who once supported

Abimelech. Now they're dealing with him treacherously. Verse 24, that the crime done, why did this happen?

God sent it, that the crime done to the 70 sons of Jeroboam might be settled, and their blood be laid on Abimelech, their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers.

So this is really interesting. God sends a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem.

The KJV, again, it says an evil spirit. So this doesn't necessarily mean that God sent a demon, that might be the way it sounds.

Rather, I think what happened here is the Lord has the power, God does have the power to disrupt, to confuse.

God at any point can see the plans of men and bring it all to a screeching halt. We call this the sovereignty of God.

See Abimelech, he's been ruling for three years. He thinks he's gotten away with it. He thinks he has succeeded.

Everything is going according to plan. And then God looks down and says, nope, the very men who supported you will now seek to destroy you.

And I'm going to destroy them too while I'm at it. So this is interesting considering his father's battle with the

Midianites. Remember Gideon. Gideon was faithful and he did things God's way.

And with 300 men, Gideon defeated the army that was a hundred times the size of his own.

The Lord brought this about by turning the enemies of God against each other.

Remember the Midianites attacked each other and Gideon won the battle. Now the

Lord does the same thing here. The people who brought Abimelech to power, now it says if they wake up one day and they say to themselves, who is

Abimelech that we should serve him? And now they're thinking differently.

Why? Because God has sent this spirit of ill will now, just like the

Midianites with Gideon, they're all going to turn on each other. They're just going to destroy each other. So it's really interesting that, that parallel Psalm 127 verse one says, unless the

Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Do you realize the

Lord can reach down from heaven at any moment and totally destroy a nation?

God at any moment can reach down from heaven and turn the people of a nation against each other.

Turning those in leadership against those who they previously supported just five minutes ago.

God at any moment can bring civil war, revolution. God can bring a nation or administration in this case,

Abimelech. He can bring it and them to its knees at any moment he so desires.

Now someone, somebody out there is thinking, well, you know, not my

God, the God that I believe in would never do that. My God is all about peace and love. My God wouldn't do this.

Well, there's only one God and that's the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's the God of Jeroboam.

He's the only God that exists. And we see that no, God actually does this type of thing.

He's doing it right here in judges chapter nine. God is not going to allow evil and murder and wickedness to just continue without being punished.

Now you could ask, why did God allow this to happen to begin with? Why did God allow evil men like Abimelech to rise up?

Well, one simple answer is the Lord allowed Abimelech to rise up just so he could tear them down.

The people of Israel want to worship Baal. Okay. And you're going to suffer the consequences.

You know, it's often been said that people get the government that they deserve. Israel turned away from God and began to serve

Baal and they committed abominations in the land. And whenever they did this, and it happened many times throughout

Israel's history, but whenever they did this, God almost always reacted in the same way.

The Lord would allow their enemies, whether from without or from within, remember Abimelech is a son of Gideon, but the

Lord would allow their enemies to cause pain and suffering to come upon the land.

And that pain and suffering is the only thing that would cause the people to recognize the error of their ways and to turn back to God.

That's what the book of Judges is all about. It's that same old cycle. They worship the

Lord. Things are good. They get complacent, start taking it for granted.

They stray, start worshiping other gods. Things go bad. The Lord raises up an enemy to oppress them.

They're suffering and it's then and only then they cry out to God. Then he raises up a judge to deliver them.

And then it happens all over again after the judge dies. So are we learning any lessons here?

Yes, we are. We are learning about the sovereignty of God. We are learning that God repays evil.

We are learning that the Lord, even though it looks like that wicked men have ruled, they've won the day, they're ruling and it's never going to change, well, it might last for a long time, but God's not going to allow it to go on forever.

God is sovereign. God can send a spirit of ill will at any time and bring the evil plans of men.

He can bring it to nothing just like that. This is why we are told in scripture that men are to fear the

Lord. We're learning the lesson, you know, that verse that says

God will not be mocked. He will not allow the worship of himself to be superseded or blended with the worship of Baal.

If the people of a nation want to forsake the Lord and to worship other gods, he will let them do it, but there will be a consequence.

And even when it looks like people have sort of gotten away with it, it's only a matter of time.

It's only a matter of time. Abimelech will not get away with this.

So to make a long story short, we read starting in verse 50, then Abimelech went to Thebes and he encamped against Thebes and took it.

But there was a strong tower in the city and all the men and women in all the people of the city fled there and shut themselves in.

Then they went up to the top of the tower. So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it.

And he drew near the doors of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman, notice that a certain woman, we don't know her name, but a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull.

Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me that a woman killed him.

So his young man thrust him through and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place.

Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

In all the evil of the men of Shechem, God returned on their own heads. And on them came the curse of Jothun, the son of Jeroboam.