Today we continue to progress through the book of Judges, reading chapters 9-11.
As we approach the ides of March, I hope you are all ready for a great weekend.
Our choice
The question in verse 9:2 intrigues me. Is it better to have many rulers, or one? Nobody wants a dictator, but can there be too many chefs in the kitchen?
Gideon’s family had grown in size and power, and his sons were in charge. Abimelek wanted the power all to himself. Power has a way to corrupt. It is addictive and can lead people astray.
Abimelek must have been a persuasive speaker because the people chose him. To pay him, they take money from the temple, which violates their covenant with God.
This is evil and leads to a greater atrocity; he hires reckless scoundrels and has all the other sons of Gideon murdered on a single stone. Killing so many in one location shows a slaughter.
They make Abimelek their king.
Jotham hears about this and climbs to the top of Mt. Gerizim and shouts out a warning. We spoke a few days ago about Mt. Gerizim being the mountain from which they shouted curses.
Learn from trees
We hear this parable of trees. Ellicott claims these stories originate from Lokman and slave-philosopher of the time who wrote fables.(1) I favor what Matthew Henry states: “To rule involves a man in a great deal, both of toil and care. Those who are preferred to public trust and power must forego all private interests and advantages for the good of others. And those advanced to honour and dignity are in great danger of losing their fruitfulness. “(2)
This is a warning all leaders must protect against.
Trees have no need of kings. A sense of deep appreciation for God’s timely rain fills each tree. He protects them from fire and damage.
Even when people chop down a tree for construction, it finds honor in being chosen.
Why would an olive tree want to rule over the other trees? That is not what God had intended for it.
Each tree refuses, but then they ask a worthless bush, which produces no fruit. The bush decides that being nothing but kindling for the fire is pointless. So it accepts the call to lead.
Humility required
God looks for humility. Abimelek does not have this quality. Hell awaits him. His choice is to rule over others, taking a place which belongs only to God.
To avoid being seen killed by a woman, or burned in the fires as he had done to others, Abimelek ordered a servant to kill him.
The people then sin against the Lord. We continue to do this today.
Giving control
We might not appoint kings to rule over us, but we give power to control our lives to many lesser things.
Our jobs dictate how we spend our time.
Hobbies and activities we enjoy soon become our masters and demand money we shouldn’t spend and time we could use more productively.
We prioritize entertainment and recreation over time spent worshipping God.
How long will God tolerate our behavior? He tells them in verse 10:13; “you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.”
We must be like the Israelites and state that we have sinned and repent. (10:15-16)
As Christians, we find assurance of our salvation (Heb 10:22).
But repenting means we stop seeking a tree, and remain steadfast in seeking our true King.
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers.
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
