Abimelech – The Bramble King
Firstly, I would like to say how honoured I am to look within this wonderful chapter. And thank you for the invitation to discuss its substance this evening.
My approach this evening is to consider as much of the chapters content as possible. I will be providing you a copy of the study for your activity afterwards and hopefully together we can glean some wonderful insight into the Spirit of Yahweh and its manifestation us.
Set before us tonight is a dreadful account of the basest of men. Rarely are we shown the inner workings and their evil imaginations carried through to their fulfilment and eventual demise.
Many of you may know that Judges 9 is extremely unique in the book of the Judges. So much so that little work has been done in the brotherhood (or Christendom) compared with other works.
Thankfully this has forced me to consider its substance and be guided through broader works.
The way the Spirit has recorded this work is needful consideration. So a brief analysis of the chapter will help position our thinking and prepare us for its many lessons.
The way the Spirit has recorded the plot is vastly different than all the Chapters in Judges. It breaks away from having the usual paragraph breaks and is considered by many Jewish Scholars to an individual storey, rather than a set of individual small narratives as seen elsewhere.
The story appears to break away from the Judges-
If you would come briefly over to Judges 8:28: Now usually we would find the storey of Gideon conclude here…
[sup]28[/sup]Thus was Median subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
We would then see the next Judges period introduced with…
“the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Like Judges 2:11;3:7; 6:1)
But for some reason the story is far from finished!
Notice what Yahweh introduces in judge’s 8:27 (the verse before) He plants a seed in us to encourage further questions and their consequence.
[sup]27[/sup]And Gideon [sup]1439[/sup] made [sup]6213[/sup] an ephod [sup]646[/sup] thereof, and put [sup]3322[/sup] it in his city [sup]5892[/sup], [even] in Ophrah [sup]6084[/sup]: and all Israel [sup]3478[/sup] went thither a whoring [sup]2181[/sup] after [sup]310[/sup] it: which thing became a snare [sup]4170[/sup] unto Gideon [sup]1439[/sup], and to his house [sup]1004[/sup].
Clearly our Father wants us to know what came of Gideon’s house, after the events after his death. His refusal of Kingship is an integral part of the message in terms of our type and antitype of the Judges 8 where we will eventually see Jesus Christ made King over all the earth.
But what follows is puzzling indeed.
Judges 9 is extremely slow reading due to the great amount of detail. No other chapter in Judges is like this one! Gideon is only mentioned by the name of Jerubbaal ("Let Baal contend with him" Judges 6:32) and Yahweh is only mentioned in the form of Elohim or mighty ones (angels)7 times.
There are no favoured people or tribe within the chapter.
Which leads us to believe that Baal has contended for himself (in the absence of Gideon i.e future Christ) and prevailed over Gods people?
If we contrast Gideon’s record with Abimelech it is clear Israel is concerned with external threats, whereas Judges 9 is local political dealings where internal issues are presented but highlight the immense cancer within Israel at this time.
Unlike Gideon’s account there is reference to broader Israel this account only deals with Shechem and only is Israel name in Judges 9:55 and even then the reference is somewhat awkward.
Another oddity with this record in found in Judges 18:1; 19:1;21:25 although within Judges 9 you get the impression that Abimelech rules extended more broadly than just Shechem Judges 9:22,55.
I put to you young people we are being taught a very special and unique lesson in this chapter. And it is one we must have front of mind before entering the record.
_ _ _ Break _ _ _
Did you notice during our reading how it appeared like the Spirit of God was far removed from the record? You see the removal of the Covenant name; Gideon’s name and the removal of the tribes of Israel teach us an important lesson.
That while God is behind these events, He has purposefully withdrawn Himself to allow the flesh to rise to the top! The Spirit presents flesh in its rawest state, but to do this what was required? Rom 1:24.
That’s right! The mighty hand of God almost becomes invisible!
In fact we find young people this chapter is extremely significant in understanding the ends day before Christ returns, because God will not be seen anywhere! At all! Godlessness is reigning and children like you will need to look so very carefully to see Him at work…though it will appear He has gone completely!
Actually, to drive this point home even harder – as we go through this chapter try are locate a place for divine intervention (verse Judges 9:23!?!)
Firstly, I would like to say how honoured I am to look within this wonderful chapter. And thank you for the invitation to discuss its substance this evening.
My approach this evening is to consider as much of the chapters content as possible. I will be providing you a copy of the study for your activity afterwards and hopefully together we can glean some wonderful insight into the Spirit of Yahweh and its manifestation us.
Set before us tonight is a dreadful account of the basest of men. Rarely are we shown the inner workings and their evil imaginations carried through to their fulfilment and eventual demise.
Many of you may know that Judges 9 is extremely unique in the book of the Judges. So much so that little work has been done in the brotherhood (or Christendom) compared with other works.
Thankfully this has forced me to consider its substance and be guided through broader works.
The way the Spirit has recorded this work is needful consideration. So a brief analysis of the chapter will help position our thinking and prepare us for its many lessons.
The way the Spirit has recorded the plot is vastly different than all the Chapters in Judges. It breaks away from having the usual paragraph breaks and is considered by many Jewish Scholars to an individual storey, rather than a set of individual small narratives as seen elsewhere.
The story appears to break away from the Judges-
If you would come briefly over to Judges 8:28: Now usually we would find the storey of Gideon conclude here…
[sup]28[/sup]Thus was Median subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
We would then see the next Judges period introduced with…
“the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Like Judges 2:11;3:7; 6:1)
But for some reason the story is far from finished!
Notice what Yahweh introduces in judge’s 8:27 (the verse before) He plants a seed in us to encourage further questions and their consequence.
[sup]27[/sup]And Gideon [sup]1439[/sup] made [sup]6213[/sup] an ephod [sup]646[/sup] thereof, and put [sup]3322[/sup] it in his city [sup]5892[/sup], [even] in Ophrah [sup]6084[/sup]: and all Israel [sup]3478[/sup] went thither a whoring [sup]2181[/sup] after [sup]310[/sup] it: which thing became a snare [sup]4170[/sup] unto Gideon [sup]1439[/sup], and to his house [sup]1004[/sup].
Clearly our Father wants us to know what came of Gideon’s house, after the events after his death. His refusal of Kingship is an integral part of the message in terms of our type and antitype of the Judges 8 where we will eventually see Jesus Christ made King over all the earth.
But what follows is puzzling indeed.
Judges 9 is extremely slow reading due to the great amount of detail. No other chapter in Judges is like this one! Gideon is only mentioned by the name of Jerubbaal ("Let Baal contend with him" Judges 6:32) and Yahweh is only mentioned in the form of Elohim or mighty ones (angels)7 times.
There are no favoured people or tribe within the chapter.
Which leads us to believe that Baal has contended for himself (in the absence of Gideon i.e future Christ) and prevailed over Gods people?
If we contrast Gideon’s record with Abimelech it is clear Israel is concerned with external threats, whereas Judges 9 is local political dealings where internal issues are presented but highlight the immense cancer within Israel at this time.
Unlike Gideon’s account there is reference to broader Israel this account only deals with Shechem and only is Israel name in Judges 9:55 and even then the reference is somewhat awkward.
Another oddity with this record in found in Judges 18:1; 19:1;21:25 although within Judges 9 you get the impression that Abimelech rules extended more broadly than just Shechem Judges 9:22,55.
I put to you young people we are being taught a very special and unique lesson in this chapter. And it is one we must have front of mind before entering the record.
_ _ _ Break _ _ _
Did you notice during our reading how it appeared like the Spirit of God was far removed from the record? You see the removal of the Covenant name; Gideon’s name and the removal of the tribes of Israel teach us an important lesson.
That while God is behind these events, He has purposefully withdrawn Himself to allow the flesh to rise to the top! The Spirit presents flesh in its rawest state, but to do this what was required? Rom 1:24.
That’s right! The mighty hand of God almost becomes invisible!
In fact we find young people this chapter is extremely significant in understanding the ends day before Christ returns, because God will not be seen anywhere! At all! Godlessness is reigning and children like you will need to look so very carefully to see Him at work…though it will appear He has gone completely!
Actually, to drive this point home even harder – as we go through this chapter try are locate a place for divine intervention (verse Judges 9:23!?!)
- Unlike the rest of Judges in this chapter Israel is the Oppressor and Yahweh Himself is behind the scenes as sole judge and hero!
- And both the story of Gideon and Abimelech the principle of Zech 4:6 comes to life before our very eyes and points to the future time when the Kingdom of Israel will not be bought forth “by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts”
- This chapter proves without doubt Israel and us today are really faithless people (even Gideon was faithless putting Yahweh to the test) he refused at the first to follow His call…and by God’s Grace alone did He entertain his test.
- This record reveals to us the type of men who are elevated to positions of power and success are subjected to great temptation (like Gideon) where we continually see the spirit of “Thy Kingdom come” is replaced “My Kingdom come”. Though Gideon was extremely courageous and faithful the worldly phrase – worthy of recording is “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely” and only one man has ever had sufficient wisdom to manage this power. See Duet 17:14-20
- Conspiracy in Shechem Judges 9:1-3
- Murder in Israel Judges 9:4-5
- Abimelech is Made King Verse Judges 9:6-8
- The Bramble King Judges 9:9-15
- Jotham predict mutual slaughter between Abimelech and his supporters Judges 9:16-20
- Jotham Escapes Judges 9:21
- Shechemites tire of Abimelech Judges 9:22-25
- Gaal leads the revolt against Abimelech Judges 9:26-29
- Zebul intrigues with Abimelech Judges 9:30-33
- Abimelech’s Strategy against Gaal Judges 9:34-38
- The fire from the bramble consumes Shechem 39-45
- Final Stand of the Men of Shechem Judges 9:46-49
- Ignoble death of Abimelech killed by a woman in an attack Thebez – Israel relieved of a Tyrant Judges 9:50-55
- Divine Retribution Judges 9:56-57