The Renegade Who Lusted for Power
July 12, 2020
Commentary
It is interesting to note that after Judges 8 Gideon’s name per se is never mentioned again. In Judges 9 he is always called Jerubbaal! He took many wives and raised a family of seventy sons for which his family would suffer bitterly. God had warned future leaders through the law about taking many wives (Duet. 17:17). His marriage to a concubine resulted in the birth of a wicked son, Abimelech.
As Abimelech grew up, he began to plot how he would promote himself to the position of king. He gained the support of the men of Shechem largely because he was the son of Gideon and he acted with the vigor characteristic of his father, but without his father’s scruples. He persuaded the people of Shechem to follow him in the raid against his brothers at Ophrah where he murdered seventy of them. By this evil act, Abimelech became the undisputed leader of the Schechemites and they immediately made him their king (vv. 1-6).
People with selfish desires often seek to fulfill them in ruthless ways. Examine your ambitions to see if they are self-centered or God centered. Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son was the only one who escaped the slaughter of his older brothers. He daringly stood on one of the lower ledges of Mt. Gerizim and challenged the people to reconsider this choice of a king. He did it in parable form which was both a protest against the shameful treatment given to the house of Gideon and a prophecy of what will happen to Abimelech’s rule (vv. 7-15).
Application
When I go against the principles laid down in God’s Word, I will suffer the consequences just as Gideon did. I need to discuss these principles with my family.
Judges 9:1– 15 (NET)
1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family, 2 “Tell all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want to have seventy men, all Jerub Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’” 3 His mother’s relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; they said, “He is our close relative.” 4 They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous men as his followers. 5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub Baal’s youngest son, escaped, because he hid. 6 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem.
7 When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below, “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
8 “The trees were determined to go out and choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’
10 “So the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’
12 “So the trees said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king!’ 13 But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’
14 “So all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘You come and be our king!’ 15 The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches. Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’