SHIELD 240926 Judges 9

ACCOUNTABILITY FOLLOW UP

09/19/2024 Judges 8: A: △: ▽: T:

Stephen Ezell: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:20 “So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.” A: Dealing with kids - they are just kids △: dont expect more than they can do ▽: Duplicate Sophia’s family T: Sophia

08/15/24 John Hanner: Judges 2:2 A: Figure out what false gods are △: Do Bible Study and prayer ▽: Kids go down wrong path T: Kids boys/daughter

Tom H: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:27 “Then Gideon made it into an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.” A: Pride △: To realize 1 Corinthians 10:12“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” and his own accountability ▽: Dangerous to household T: Debbie

Lonnie L.: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:27 “Then Gideon made it into an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.” A: An Idol has shown up - picky eating △: Correct yourself ▽: wont be able to correct Theo T: Family

Lyle L.: 09/12/2024 Judges 7:15 “Now it happened that when Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. Then he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for Yahweh has given the camp of Midian into your hands.”” A: Hang on to faith △: Do what God has commanded ▽: Defying God T: Bob Green

Keith Morgan: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:34 “Thus the sons of Israel did not remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;” A: Memory at end of life went bezerk reveal who they are △: In the word, pray for others▽: Dying miserable T: Ilene, Arden

Mike Morgan: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:21 “Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself, and smite us; for as the man, so is his might.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the crescent ornaments which were on their camels’ necks.” Judges 8:29“Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.” Judges 8:32“Then Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” A: Bipolar (Gideon) need to learn humilty △: Be patient slow to speak ▽: v29, v32 Not two people T: Julie

Mark Organ: 09/19/2024 Judges 8:16–17 “Then he took the elders of the city as well as thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth a lesson. And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.” A: Convicted about my anger James 1:20“for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” △: Repent, confess, stop talking sooner ▽: Hard to undue damage T: Rachael

CONTEXT of Judges 9

Gideon defended himself against the accusations of the Ephraimites

Gideon defeated Zebah and Zalmunna then disciplined the towns that refused to support the war effort

Gideon then made an ephod from the loot recovered from the Midianites

TEXT ANALYSIS

I. Gideon’s Son conspires to be King

Judges 9:1–6 | 1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.” 4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.

Takeaway: Be careful after the death or failure of important men because opportunists abound 2 Chronicles 24:17ff

II. The parable of the Trees

Judges 9:7–21 | 7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 “The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9 “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10 “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 11 “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’ 12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 13 “But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 15 “And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’ 16 “So now, if you have dealt in truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands— 17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 if then you have dealt in truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you. 20 “But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.

Takeaway: We get to choose who our leaders are and we typically get who we deserve

III. Downfall of Abimelech

Judges 9:22–57 | 22 And Abimelech governed over Israel three years. 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech. 26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them and celebrated a festival; and they came into the house of their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 “Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.” 30 Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are stirring up the city against you. 32 “So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 “And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall do to them whatever your hand finds pleasing.” 34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37 Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from the highest part of the land, and one company comes by the way of the soothsayers’ oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem. 42 Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. 43 So he took his people and divided them into three companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down. 44 Then Abimelech and the company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and struck them down. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he tore the city down and sowed it with salt. 46 Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, and they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith. 47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do likewise.” 49 And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women. 50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each went away to his home. 56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came upon them.

Takeaway: When we act treacherously we can expect others to treat us treacherously v23 While a curse without cause does not alight surely one given justly will Prov 26.2

What Does This Text Say About:

God: The Father, Son, Spirit | People: Believers/Unbelievers

My attitude or behavior - What is the Holy Spirit convicting me about

What is one change that I can make | What is a consequence of not making the change

Who can I teach?

Stephen E. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

John H. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Tom H. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Lyle L. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Lonnie L. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Keith M. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Mike M. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Mark O. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

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