RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 9:1-21
LESSON #10
PRINCIPLES AND PROBLEMS REGARDING EVIL LEADERS

• MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 13:1

• IT IS INTERESTING THAT GIDEON IS ALWAYS CALLED, JERUBBAAL, IN THIS CHAPTER AND NOT GIDEON.
• YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT "JERUBBAAL" IN JDG 6:32 WHICH MEANS = LET BAAL CONTEND (LET BAAL FIGHT HIS OWN BATTLES).
• PERHAPS THE REASON HE IS CALLED BY THIS NICKNAME IN THIS CHAPTER IS TO INDICATE THAT THE NATION IS TOTALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN GOD AND BAAL. THIS IS A SPIRITUAL WAR PLAYED OUT ON THE POLITICAL SCENE.

• READ JDG 9:1-3 CYCLE #5 ==GIDEON’S SON, ABIMELECH
• WHO WAS ABIMELECH?
• HE WAS ONE OF GIDEON’S SONS.
• GIDEON HAD MANY WIVES AND A CONCUBINE. ABIMELECH IS THE SON OF GIDEON’S CONCUBINE. HE IS, THEREFORE, ILLEGITIMATE.
• THE NAME, ABIMELECH, MEANS = FATHER OF THE KING.
• IN REALITY, THE WORD, ABIMELECH, IS NOT A PROPER NAME BUT A TITLE OF KINGSHIP AMONG THE CANAANITES.
• SOMETIMES PARENTS TODAY DO THE SAME THING. THEY NAME THEIR SON, "KING" OR "CAESAR", AS A PROPER NAME WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE TITLES.
• REMEMBER THAT THE NORTHERN TRIBES OF ISRAEL OFFERED GIDEON THE TITLE OF KING IN JDG 8 BUT HE REFUSED.
• GIDEON’S SON, ABIMELECH, DECIDES HE WANTS THE TITLE IN PLACE OF HIS FATHER.
• ABIMELECH REIGNED AS AN ILLEGITIMATE KING FOR 3 YEARS.
• REMEMBER THAT GOD DID NOT WANT ISRAEL TO HAVE A KING UNTIL THE REIGN OF KING DAVID, APPROXIMATELY 145 YEARS LATER.

• READ JDG 9:4-6 ABIMELECH’S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
• ABIMELECH’S POLITICAL SUPPORT:
• THE PEOPLE OF SHECHEM, HIS MOTHER’S FAMILY, ARE THE BACKBONE OF ABIMELECH’S SUPPORT. (3)
• THE CITY OF SHECHEM HAD BEEN AN IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS CENTER SINCE THE TIME OF ABRAHAM IN GEN 12:6-7.
• THE LOCATION OF THIS CITY WAS IN A VALLEY BETWEEN 2 MOUNTAINS, MT. EBAL AND MT. GERIZIM.
• JOSHUA READ GOD’S CURSINGS AND BLESSINGS IN DEU 28 FROM THESE TWO MOUNTAINS TO INDICATE THAT THE PEOPLE MUST MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN FOLLOWING GOD TO RECEIVE BLESSINGS AND FOLLOWING OTHER GODS TO RECEIVE CURSINGS. (JOS 8:30-35)
• LATER WHEN THE NORTHERN TRIBES OF ISRAEL SEPARATED FROM THE SOUTHERN TRIBES TO BECOME 2 NATIONS, THE NORTHERN TRIBES BUILT AN ILLEGITIMATE JEWISH TEMPLE HERE AND ESTABLISHED AN ILLEGITIMATE CENTER OF THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH.
• MUCH LATER JESUS MEETS THE WOMAN AT THE WELL (JOH 4) IN SHECHEM AND SHE ASKS JESUS AT WHICH TEMPLE MUST A PERSON WORSHIP.
• THE CITY OF SHECHEM, THEREFORE, IS A SYMBOL FOR CHOOSING TO WORSHIP GOD MAN’S WAY AND NOT GOD’S WAY.
• THERE WAS A CANAANITE TEMPLE TO BAAL IN THIS CITY.
• ABIMILECH’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT: (4)
• SEVENTY PIECES OF SILVER.
• THE NUMBER 7 IS GOD’S NUMBER OF PERFECTION OR COMPLETION. THE NUMBER 10 IS A GOVERNMENTAL NUMBER.
• THE MONEY FOR ABIMELECH’S CAMPAIGN CAME FROM THE HOUSE (OR TEMPLE) OF BAAL-BERITH.
• YOU WILL NOTICE THE NAME OF THE CANAANITE GOD, BAAL, ATTACHED TO THIS NAME. THE NAME, BAAL-BERITH, MEANS = LORD OF THE COVENANT.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE PEOPLE OF SHECHEM MADE A COVENANT WITH THE GOD, BAAL.
• THE MONEY FOR ABIMELECH’S CAMPAIGN CAME FROM SUPPORTERS OF THE GOD, BAAL.
• "…VAIN AND LIGHT PERSONS…" (4)
• THIS PHRASE REFERS TO RECKLESS ADVENTURERS THAT ABIMELECH HIRED TO HELP HIM WITH HIS CAMPAIGN.
• ABIMELECH’S METHOD OF GAINING THE GOVERNMENT (5):
• ABIMELECH AND HIS RECKLESS ADVENTURERS HELD A PUBLIC EXECUTION (UPON ONE STONE) OF ALL OF GIDEON’S LEGITIMATE SONS. ONLY JOTHAN, THE YOUNGEST SON, ESCAPED.
• WHY DID ABIMELECH KILL ALL HIS BROTHERS?
• THIS ACT OF MASS MURDER IS EITHER FOR VENGEANCE AGAINST HIS HALF-BROTHERS WHO DID NOT ACCEPT HIM IN THEIR MIDST BECAUSE HE WAS ILLEGITIMATE, OR PERHAPS BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF THE OTHER BROTHERS CONTENDING FOR THE THRONE.
• ABIMELECH CROWNED KING (6):
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT ABIMELECH IS THE FIRST ACTUAL KING OF ISRAEL, BUT HE IS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED AS SUCH. KING SAUL IS HISTORICALLY CONSIDERED THE FIRST KING IN ISRAEL.
• ABIMELECH REIGNED FOR 3 YEARS ILLEGITIMATELY AS KING.
• SOME BIBLE COMMENTARIES CALL ABIMELECH ONE OF THE JUDGES. HOWEVER, IN TRUE FASHION, HE WAS NOT A JUDGE.
• GOD RAISED UP THE JUDGES TO THEIR POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP, AND ABIMELECH STOLE HIS POSITION OF LEADERSHIP.
• DISCUSSION: IN LIGHT OF THE MEMORY VERSE IN ROM 13:1, THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT BY GOD; "…THE POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED OF GOD". THEN, WHY DOES GOD PERMIT EVIL RULERS AND MASS MURDERERS LIKE ABIMELECH TO COME TO POWER?
• KEEP IN MIND THAT GOD IS ALWAYS IN SOVEREIGN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS ON THIS EARTH. IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, HE EITHER DETERMINES EVENTS BY DIRECT ACTION, OR PERMITS EVENTS BY DELIBERATE INACTION.
• THEN, WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD PERMIT A MASS MURDERER TO GAIN THE TOP LEADERSHIP POSITION IN A COUNTRY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE INNOCENT SUFFER?
• IT COMES DOWN TO GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL. A NATION GETS JUST EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESERVE!
• THE ISRAELITES WERE COMPROMISING THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS BY WORSHIPPING BAAL AND ALL THE OTHER GODS OF THEIR ENEMIES. THEY DID NOT CALL TO GOD FOR HELP IN THIS FIFTH CYCLE OF SIN. THEREFORE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO WHAT THEY DESERVED…A GOVERNMENT FINANCED AND SUPPORTED BY THE WORSHIPPERS OF BAAL.
• GOD’S LOVING MERCY IS ONLY EXTENDED TO THOSE WHO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF IT WITH A REPENTANT HEART.
• OF COURSE, GOD’S HEART IS TOUCHED BY THE SUFFERING OF THE WEAK AND INNOCENT ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, BUT GOD IS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HIS OVERALL PLAN OF REDEMPTION ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
• INSTEAD OF PASSING BLAME TO GOD FOR THE SUFFERING OF THE INNOCENT, WE SHOULD BE PUTTING THE BLAME ON OURSELVES (MAN) BECAUSE WE DETERMINE THE KIND OF SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE, AND THE KIND OF GOVERNMENT WE ALLOW IN CONTROL.

• READ JDG 9:7-21 THE PARABLE OF THE TREES
• GIDEON’S SURVIVING SON, JOTHAN, GIVES AN INTERESTING PROPHECY IN THE FORM OF A PARABLE..
• IDENTIFICATION OF THE TREES:
• THE CEDARS (15):
• IN THE PARABLE, THE CEDARS REFER TO THE MEN OF SHECHEM, WHO, IN THEIR PRIDE, APPEARED TO BE THE TALLEST AND STRONGEST. THEY WERE FROM THE ELITE CLASS.
• SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CEDARS OF LEBANON:
• THE CEDARS OF LEBANON WERE THE TALLEST AND STRONGEST TREES.
• SOLOMON USED THE CEDARS OF LEBANON TO BUILD THE TEMPLE FOR GOD.
• AS THE PROPHECY PREDICTS, FIRE BURNED THE FORESTS OF LEBANON AND THE CEDARS OF LEBANON NO LONGER EXIST.
• THE OLIVE TREE (8-9)
• THE SYMBOL OF THE OLIVE TREE REFERS TO THE COVENANT PRIVILEGES AND BLESSINGS THAT GOD PROMISED ISRAEL. (ROM 11:17-25)
• JOTHAN REFERS TO "FATNESS" TO REFER TO GOD’S BLESSINGS ON ISRAEL. (SEE ROM 3:2 ROM 9:4-5)
• SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OLIVE TREE:
• THE OLIVE TREE IS AN EVERGREEN TREE WHICH TELLS US THAT GOD’S PROMISES ARE ALWAYS VIABLE, FRESH, AND EVERLASTING.
• TO HARVEST THE OLIVES, THE BRANCHES ARE SHAKEN, THEN THE RIPE ONES FALL OFF THE TREE.
• GOD WILL SHAKE THE JEWS THROUGH SUFFERING TO HARVEST THOSE THAT WILL TRUST IN HIM.
• ONE FLOWER IN EVERY HUNDRED WILL PRODUCE FRUIT. MOST OF THE FLOWERS ARE IMPERFECT AND WILL FALL OFF THE TREE.
• ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF JEWS WILL BE SAVED. (JOB 15:33)
• THE FIG TREE (10-11)
• THE SYMBOL OF THE FIG TREE REFERS TO THE NATIONAL PRIVILEGES OF ISRAEL. (MAT 21:18-20 MAT 24:32-33)
• JOTHAN REFERS TO "SWEETNESS AND GOOD FRUIT".
• SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIG TREE:
• ADAM AND EVE USED FIG LEAVES TO COVER THEIR SIN, JUST AS GOD USES ISRAEL TO BRING JESUS NOT ONLY TO COVER OUR SIN BUT TO TAKE IT AWAY
• JESUS CURSED THE FIG TREE BECAUSE IT BORE NO FRUIT, JUST AS JESUS CURSED ISRAEL’S LEADERS BECAUSE THEY BORE NO FRUIT. (LUK 13:6-9)
• THE GRAPEVINE (12-13)
• THE SYMBOL OF THE GRAPEVINE, WHILE NOT A TREE, IS LISTED AMONG THE TREES, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT ALSO REFERS TO ISRAEL. THE GRAPEVINE REFERS TO ISRAEL’S SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGES. (ISA 5:1-7 PSA 80:9-19 EZE 15 JOH 15)
• JOTHAN SPEAKS ABOUT THE WINE THAT BRINGS JOY TO GOD AND MAN. (13)
• SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GRAPEVINE:
• THE FRUIT OF THE VINE IS SYMBOLIC OF JESUS CHRIST WHO SAID, "I AM THE VINE". THE FRUIT OF THE VINE IS SYMBOLIC OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IN THE COMMUNION SERVICE.
• THE FRUIT IS CRUSHED TO PRODUCE THE WINE JUST AS JESUS WAS CRUSHED IN SUFFERING TO BRING US SALVATION.
• THE BRAMBLE (14-15)
• SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRAMBLE BUSH:
• THE BRAMBLE BUSH IS A BUSH WITH THORNS. IT HAS NO FRUIT AND ITS WOOD ALSO HAS NO USE.
• THORNS IN SCRIPTURE SYMBOLIZE THE CURSE OF SIN THAT BECAME A CROWN OF THORNS THAT JESUS WORE ON THE CROSS.
• THE BRAMBLE BUSH REPRESENTS ABIMELECH IN THE PARABLE.
• JOTHAN SAYS THAT ALL THE TREES DESIRE THE BRAMBLE TO RULE OVER THEM.(14)
• THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE PEOPLE MUST PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF THE BRAMBLE.(15)
• THE PEOPLE PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM BUT HIS KINGSHIP IS ONLY A SHADOW. AS A RESULT, THE PEOPLE WILL BE CAUGHT ON THE THORNS OF THE BRAMBLE BUSH (CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN SIN).
• FIRE WILL COME OUT OF THE BRAMBLE BUSH AND DEVOUR THEM AND ABIMELECH. (15)
• AS A RESULT OF ABIMELECH’S REIGN, DESTRUCTION COMES TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
• THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE:
• THE PRIDEFUL MEN OF SHECHEM WANTED THE COVENANT PRIVILEGES GOD PROMISED ISRAEL. THEY WANTED THE NATIONAL PRIVILEGES GOD PROMISED ISRAEL. THEY WANTED THE SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGES GOD PROMISED ISRAEL, BUT THEY DID NOT WANT GOD HIMSELF TO BE THEIR RULER. INSTEAD THEY CHOSE A LOWLY, UNGODLY MAN, ABIMELECH, THAT BROUGHT HAVOC TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
• THE PROPHETIC ASPECT OF THE PARABLE:
• ABIMELECH IS A PREFIGURE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST WHO WILL DESIRE TO BE RULER OVER ISRAEL. HE WILL CLAIM TO BE THEIR MESSIAH, BUT HE IS BUT A SHADOW OF THE TRUE MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST. AS A RESULT, THE NATION OF ISRAEL WILL BE DEVASTATED BY THIS ONE EVIL MAN, AND THE JEWS WILL BE CAUGHT ON THE THORNS OF THIS DILEMMA.

• APPLICATION AND SUMMARY:
• IN OUR LESSON WE LEARNED THAT GOD GIVES NATIONS AND SOCIETIES RULERS THEY DESERVE. IT WAS TRUE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND IT IS TRUE TODAY.
• THE CITY OF SHECHEM WAS A SYNCRETISTIC SOCIETY. THEY TOLERATED PAGANISM IN THEIR MIDST BY ALLOWING BAAL WORSHIP. THEIR CHOICE OF A LEADER REFLECTED THEIR SOCIETY:
• THEY CHOSE A LEADER THAT WAS NOT CHOSEN BY GOD.
• THEY CHOSE A LEADER THAT WAS PROMOTED BY UNGODLY MEN.
• THEY CHOSE A LEADER FINANCED BY PAGAN MONEY.
• THEY CHOSE A LEADER WHO COMMITTED SINFUL, IMMORAL ACTS, THINKING THAT THE LEADER’S PERSONAL LIFE WAS NOT RELATED TO HIS POLITICAL LIFE.

• APPLICATION OF JDG 9:1-21
• THINK ABOUT THE PAST POLITICAL LEADERS IN WHICH YOU HAVE SUPPORTED, VOTED FOR, OR TRUSTED. BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN THIS LESSON, WERE THEY GODLY CHOICES?
• IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE OUR NATION REAP THE KINDS OF LEADERS WE DESERVE?
• PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND OUR LEADERS THIS WEEK.

• PREPARATION FOR JDG 9:22-57
• READ JDG 9:22-57
• WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SHECHEMITE REVOLT?
• WHY DO YOU THINK A LOVING GOD WOULD SEND AN EVIL SPIRIT IN THIS SITUATION?

• MEMORY VERSE: ROM 1:28