Abimelech: An Age of Betrayal and Bloodshed

29 Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, 35 and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

· The events that take place in this age are as a direct result of the events of Gideon’s later life.

· Gideon, the judge, died and Israel forgot about the events of his life, and the example of faithful obedience that he showed in his service.

o They didn’t remember the lord who delivered them again and again.

o They had no regard for the family of their great hero.

· They refuse to let what they know about God have any effect upon their lives and loyalties.

· Rather, they inaugurated a new era of idolatry by making Baal-berith their god.

o Baal-berith means “Covenant Baal.”

§ A new level of commitment to their sinful rebellion.

· The first thing we will see come from this is the way it plays out in the immediate aftermath of Gideon’s death.

o The theme of this first stage is that of transgression.

· This time, the destroyer of Israel can’t be located outside of Israel, in some foreign oppressor.

o This time Israel’s destroyer is Israel.

Transgression: Gideon’s Mixed-Legacy & Abimelech’s Evil (Judges 9:1-6)

1 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5And he went 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 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.

· Abimelech demonstrates two important qualities here: Ambition and treachery.

o Two “fantastic” qualities for any leader.

· Upon his father’s death, he politics and schemes his way to the throne his father rejected.

o This is a direct defiance of God’s law in Deuteronomy 17:15

Deuteronomy 17:15 ESV

15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

· The main obstacle in his way, other than the fact that it is rebellion against the lord, is his 70 brothers.

· He travels to his hometown of Shechem and appeals to the men of Shechem to proclaim him king.

o His method is by appealing to his identity as a Shechemite through his mother.

o “Who do you want ruling over you? Some random dude, or me, the favored son of Shechem?”

· Additionally, Abimelech’s Shechemite family whips up support for Abimelech as well.

· Upon being persuaded, the men of Shechem give Abimelech money from the temple of their god, Baal-berith.

· Abimelech uses this money to hire men who have a further two, “fantastic” qualities.

o They are worthless and reckless: They are of no account in Israel…they are unproductive and undisciplined people.

· This tale is full of irony as well.

o Abimelech appeals to family in order to murder and usurp his own family.

o Further, the account of the murder details that Gideon’s sons were put to death on one stone.

o Both of these details will matter later on in the story.

· So, Abimelech becomes the first to rule over Israel as a king.

o But the writer of Judges wants to make sure that we understand one thing.

o Abimelech is no true king.

§ He was not chosen by the lord.

§ Nor will he govern as an Israelite king was commanded.

· He strikes a pale comparison to that of the true King of Israel.

· John 10:11–18 (ESV)

John 10:11–18 ESV

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Rebuke: Jotham’s Curse & God’s Mercy

7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

· The one surviving son of Gideon, Jotham ascends Mount Gerizim to confront his brother and the men of Shechem about the evil they have done.

· Gerazim was known as the mount of blessing in Israel’s history, and stood above the town of Shechem

o Jotham confronting Abimelech from the mount of blessing highlights the fact of what Abimelech has seized by force.

o It also teaches us something about the way that we are to view and choose leaders, and confront evil and wickedness

Jotham’s Fable

8The trees once went out 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 abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

· Jotham’s fable introduces four different trees, all of which are approached in turn to become king over the forest.

o The first three (Olive, Fig, and Grape) were fruit bearing trees, and highly valued.

§ Their value highlights the blessing they provide to the world.

§ None of them accept the offer on the basis that it would interfere with their intended role (bearing fruit and being a blessing).

§ These trees are like Gideon…when he was offered a crown, he refused, content to be a blessing to Israel in the way that God had intended.

We can all learn from his example in being content with our part in the kingdom. Godly ambition is to know and obey God.

o The fourth is a bramble (also known as a buckthorn/thornbush)

§ While they did bear fruit, it was known to be of low quality.

§ They often grew wild as well.

§ They were more useful as kindling for a fire than as a useful plant.

· By invoking this image Jotham is calling on God to be the judge.

o Abimelech: King? Or Kindling?

The Meaning of the Fable

16 “Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— 17for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and you have risen up against my father’s house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother.

· Jotham’s fable illustrates the uselessness and worthlessness of Abimelech.

o Kingship isn’t the problem, he is.

· It is foolish and perilous for the church to affirm and approve of unqualified leadership.

o We must be careful to hold our leaders to a high standard.

o Unqualified leaders are like brambles; they burn more than they bless.

§ They are like tinder ready to burn.

· Since it is our tendency to choose bramble-leadership, as Jesus himself claimed.

· John 5:43 (ESV)

John 5:43 ESV

43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

We must choose leaders approved by God, according to His Word:

· 1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV)

1 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV

1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Don’t settle for less than God’s standard.

· Further, Jotham calls all of Israel to account for their ingratitude to Gideon, shown in the way that they permitted and approved of the murder of 70 of his sons.

· Then Jotham demonstrates true faith in God by leaving the matter with them.

· Jotham’s willingness to confront evil and trust God is exemplary.

o We should follow the same pattern in our lives when evil confronts us.

· Romans 12:17–21 (ESV)

Romans 12:17–21 ESV

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

· Finally, Jotham’s curse tells us something about God’s disposition toward us in our sin.

o It was an opportunity to reckon with sin, and repent.

o God gives every opportunity to turn back from destruction.

Judgment: “Unrestrained” Evil & God’s Justice

The Events

22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

· Though Abimelech has seized kingship for himself, the writer of Judges does not grant that authority to him.

o The Hebrew word for kingly rule is withheld and replaced with the word for that of a commander of armies.

o Abimelech did not rule as a king, but a warlord.

§ Force is his tool.

· Chaos reigns in Israel during this 3-year period, and as with all such things, chaos leads to deterioration.

· Relations between Abimelech and his support base in Shechem begin to break down.

· Judges 9:25 (ESV)

Judges 9:25 ESV

25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.

· The men of Shechem set up ambushes to rob those who travel through Shechem (a busy crossroads through the region), causing great frustration towards Abimelech and his perceived inability to deal with the rising crime.

· Just as Abimelech’s popularity begins to decline, a new influence-peddler rides into town.

· Judges 9:26 (ESV)

Judges 9:26 ESV

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him.

· Gaal, son of Ebed.

o Gall becomes a favored son in Shechem.

· Judges 9:27–29 (ESV)

Judges 9:27–29 ESV

27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’ ”

27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’ ”

· During the grape-picking festival, Gaal has a little too much liquid courage and begins to run his mouth.

o He attempts to undermine Abimelech by appealing to his relation to the founding father of Shechem, Hamor.

§ In an ironic twist, the very strategy that Abimelech used to gain the favor of Shechem is now being used to usurp him.

o He further promises that if he were king, he would put Abimelech in his place.

· Zebul, Abimelech’s lieutenant, informs him of the situation, and they hatch a plan to deal with the upstart Gaal.

· The scene of Zebul and Gaal is like out of a movie.

o “He Gaal, where’s all that tough talk now?”

· But the violence is not over yet, as Abimelech sets out to punish all of Shechem for their treachery.

o He utterly destroys the city, sowing the earth with salt.

§ This is the judgement that was promised back in Deuteronomy 29:23:

· Deuteronomy 29:23 (ESV)

Deuteronomy 29:23 ESV

23 the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger and wrath—

· The leaders of Shechem hole up in their pagan temple.

o But Abimelech sets bundles of brushwood and burns the tower of Shechem to the ground along with everyone in it.

· But Abimelech’s thirst for violence is not sated yet, and he attacks Thebez for reasons that are unclear in the text.

o Violence is rarely under control.

o Perhaps Abimelech’s worthless and reckless men went wild.

· It is at Thebez that Abimelech meets a sudden and anticlimactic end.

o Struck by a millstone thrown by a woman.

o He dies at the hands of his armor-bearer attempting to avoid the shame of being killed by a woman.

· Upon his death, everyone just goes home.

· What are we to learn from Abimelech’s fall?

The Theology of God’s Judgment

· These chaotic events are actually because of divine judgment.

· The narrative of the double destruction of Abimelech and Shechem is bounded by two theological statements.

· Judges 9:23–24 (ESV)

Judges 9:23–24 ESV

23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

· Judges 9:56–57 (ESV)

Judges 9:56–57 ESV

56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

· God was not ignoring the curse of Jotham or the evil of Abimelech and Shechem.

o He was active in bringing his justice upon them.

· He sends a harmful spirit to strike at the relations between these two wicked parties so that they will turn on each other.

· Yet the judgement appears so natural.

o There was no fire and brimstone raining from heaven, no earthquakes and plagues.

o Just the normal course of events.

· God’s judgment took the form of giving them up to the result of their sin.

· Psalm 81:11–12 (ESV)

Psalm 81:11–12 ESV

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

· In fact, in the end, God’s judgement will look very much like this.

· 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 (ESV)

2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 ESV

11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

· This follows the pattern of God’s judgment as Paul famously described in Romans 1:

· God often gives up the wicked to the wickedness they pursue and so their evil comes back upon their head.

o Abimilech was naturally jealous, paranoid, ambitious, and vengeful.

o The men of Shechem were naturally treacherous.

o The evil spirit merely directs these self-destructive tendencies toward their natural end.

· The judgement of Abimelech and Shechem should give pause to us and to anyone who think that just because God is not smiting us, that it means we are safe in our sin.

· But for the upright, the judgement of Abimelech and Shechem should give us comfort in knowing that God is watching over His people…he doesn’t overlook the evil that is done to us.

o He protects us because he cares for us.

· Zechariah 2:8 (ESV)

Zechariah 2:8 ESV

8 For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:

o We are indeed very precious in His sight, and he will not allow evil to go unpunished.

· 1 Corinthians 3:16–17 (ESV)

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Conclusion

· The saga of Abimelech illustrates the inner corruption of Israel since the death of Joshua.

o Their refusal to care for their covenant relationship with the lord.

· If you know who Jesus is but it doesn’t change the course of your life, it raises an important question: Do you really know him?

o If we claim the name of Jesus, and that we have salvation and forgiveness in His name, and we do not show it in changed lives, we are putting ourselves at risk of falling into the same ingratitude as Israel did during the time of the Judges.

§ If Jesus Christ is our first love, then we must act accordingly by demonstrating the fruit in keeping with repentance.

· Scripture warns us of the corruption of sin, and clues us in to something that puts evil and suffering into context.

· 1 Corinthians 10:11–13 (ESV)

1 Corinthians 10:11–13 ESV

11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

· God’s has redemptive purpose in evil and in evil times.

o That we would become sensible of sin in our lives and turn back from it.

· Because there is a day of retribution for all sin that is coming.

o God will not pardon unrepentant sin…justice requires the debt be paid in full.

o For us there are but two ways laid out before us.

§ Paid in eternity.

§ Forgiven in Christ.

o Trust in Jesus, who makes an end of all our sin.

· God is not obligated to show grace to sinners, yet he delights to redeem sinners from their sin.

· He judges justly, but he does not delight in the death of the wicked.

· So, when he judges, it is always tempered by grace.

o He disciplines the world toward restoration.

· To the faithful believer who endures evil times, God is also sovereign over evil. This is for our comfort.

o Evil is not meaningless, because God is not tainted by evil, but rules over it.

§ He brings it to heel; to serve his good purposes.

· In redeeming all things, He glorifies his name and demonstrates his goodness and grace.

o Let that truth comfort you and encourage you to endure every trial with faith., knowing that God is always at work, as Paul so beautifully put in Romans 8:

· Romans 8:28–30 (ESV)

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.