Judges 9:22-57 A Kingdom Divided

After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech … Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Judges 9:22-23, 56-57

Judges chapter 9 verses 22 – 57 deal with the rebellion against Abimelech. What now happens is a clear picture of division, of a divided kingdom that could never stand. In the words of Jesus Christ: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25)

The root of the rebellion was a spirit of division aroused by God between Abimelech and Shechem. Note that the “evil spirit of division” was sent by God Himself. God’s purpose was to execute judgment upon this tyrant and upon the citizens of Shechem because of their horrible sin and evil. Abimelech’s rule had been brief, lasting only for three years. No doubt, his rule had been that of a tyrant, and opposition against him was soon aroused. In direct opposition to Abimelech, the leaders of Shechem hired bandits to ambush and rob the traitors (caravans) doing business with Abimelech. By being a major city, Shechem sat on one of the major routes of trade; therefore, the merchants passing through or spending the night in the city were an easy mark for bandits. But this was not the only problem created for Abimelech.

A conspiracy was being plotted by a man named Gaal who moved into the city with his brothers. He set out to exploit the displeasure of the citizens with their renegade king by seeking their political support. God was about to apply the principle of sowing and reaping in Abimelech’s life.

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Judges 8:22-35 The Ruler

Remember, the book of Judges is the story of the inconsistency of the Israelites and the permissive lifestyle in which they lived. Looking around at their neighbors, they were attracted to the bright lights and pleasures, and the possessions and wealth of their neighbors. Instead of living a life of holiness, righteousness, and spiritual separation, the Israelites began to compromise with their neighbors and live the very same permissive lifestyle as the unbelievers who surrounded them. They gave in to the immoral, covetous, and idolatrous ways of the Canaanites, even to the point of intermarrying with them. And once intermarriage took place, it was just a short step to serving and worshipping the false gods of the Canaanites.

This compromising, permissive lifestyle even had a significant impact upon Gideon, influencing him greatly. Despite the wonderful growth and victorious faith experienced by Gideon, he too began to demonstrate a heart that was not pure toward God, and a life that was not totally committed to Him. Tragically, as Gideon aged — from this point on until his death — he slipped more and more into the permissive, wicked lifestyle of his unbelieving neighbors. He compromised more and more until by the time of his death he became an utter disgrace to the holiness demanded by God. He had rejected the throne, but he had lived like a king: requesting wealth from the people, securing a large harem and family, acquiring the royal, purple robes worn by kings and making an ephod, a breastplate to be worn only by the priests. Gideon did not exalt himself to be king, but he lived like a king. The permissive, compromising life he lived up until his death is clearly spelled out by Scripture. Gideon had become a man who, like the world around him, had an inconsistent testimony and witness.

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Judges 8: 1-21 The Pride of Ephraim

Gideon was a man who sought peace; he sought to avoid controversy among God’s people. What now happened is interesting. The tribe of Ephraim felt snubbed, insulted because Gideon had not called for their help in the initial battle against Midian. Thus, they sent a delegation to confront Gideon. They complained bitterly, and forcefully challenged his having bypassed them. Why would Ephraim complain against being involved in only “mop-up operations?” Why would this tribe launch a complaint against Gideon for not giving them a part in the initial fight, claiming that they felt snubbed and insulted? It is true that Ephraim was a large, important tribe, second only to Judah. And because of this, they were a proud people who had earlier responded when the call to arms was issued by Ehud and Barak. But note this fact: the Midianites had been oppressing the Israelites for seven long years. If the tribe of Ephraim was sincere, why had they themselves not earlier taken the lead and called all Israel to drive the Midianites out of the promised land? Scripture does not expose the true motive of the Ephraimites. Perhaps they felt they were going to be bypassed in the distribution of the plunder of Midian; or perhaps the Spirit of God led Gideon not to appeal for Ephraim’s help because of their pride. God knew that He was going to reduce the number of fighting men down to 300. And because of Ephraim’s pride and warrior-like nature, most likely the tribe would have rebelled against having its ranks reduced. Whatever the case, note the humble, soft answer of Gideon. He boosted their ego, seeking peace with the tribe of Ephraim and trying to avoid controversy. He praised them for their accomplishment in the mop-up operation and in capturing the two commanders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. Note that he used a parable to get the point across: he pointed out that the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes were far better than the full grape harvest of his small city of Abiezer. Their conquest of the two commanders was a far greater achievement than the initial victory won by his small band of 300 soldiers. Gideon’s humble, soft answer avoided controversy and secured peace between him and the tribe of Ephraim. Their resentment against him subsided; they were no longer angry or upset.

We are to seek peace with all men, seek to avoid controversy among people, especially among God’s people. The spirit of peace is to be cultivated among believers. And peace is to be maintained as much as is possible. When differences, divisions, and strife arise, we are to do all we can to make peace.

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Judges 7:9-25 Trumpets and Pitchers

And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. Judges 7:21

God had met the need of His dear servant Gideon, by giving him a third assurance or sign of victory. The Lord instructed Gideon to take his personal servant and sneak down to the Midianite camp. Gideon needed this reassurance, for the sight of the overwhelming enemy was frightful, disconcerting, and unsettling. They were camped together as thick as locusts and had innumerable camels. Courageously, Gideon and his servant snuck close enough to overhear a dream being discussed by two enemy soldiers, probably sentries. One soldier had dreamed about a round loaf of barley bread that came tumbling into the Midianite camp, striking a particular tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed. The two enemy soldiers themselves interpreted the dream as meaning their defeat by Gideon. The round loaf of barley bread represented the small army of Gideon that was to strike and destroy the army of the Midianites.

Overhearing this dream, Gideon immediately knew that the enemy army would collapse – be overturned and overthrown by the miraculous power of God. Victory was assured. As soon as Gideon could reach a safe distance, he fell prostrate upon the ground, giving thanks to God and worshipping Him. He then returned to camp and aroused his 300 soldiers, assuring them that the Lord had given them the victory. We often need our faith strengthened. We need God to help our unbelief, our distrust. We need extra strength to face some trial or temptation when the pressure has us in a vice, squeezing us ever so tightly. The pressure may be coming from some problem or difficulty, trial or temptation such as sickness, loss of job, persecution. On and on, a list could be made of problems, trials, and temptations that regularly put pressure upon us. But the point to see is this: God will strengthen us, meet our need, and deliver us through the trial or temptation. He met Gideon’s need, and He has met the need of every believer down through the centuries who have called upon Him for help. God is always proven faithful; and He will be faithful to us, overcoming the pressure and meeting the needs of our hearts. God will strengthen our faith, enable us to stand strongly and to march through life victoriously.

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Judges 5 Song of Victory

Gaining victory, triumphing over, or conquering some problem or difficulty, is a great motivating factor in life.  Once a conquest has been made, the human heart is aroused to rejoice in the victory achieved. This is the experience described in the present passage of Scripture. The great judge of Israel, Deborah, and the commander of the armed forces, Barak, had just led the Israelites in an impossible victory over the mighty army of the Canaanites. For eighteen long years, the Canaanites had held the Israelites in the bondage of slavery and brutal oppression. But God had raised up Deborah and Barak to break the back of the enemy and set the Israelites free from the cruel oppression. A great victory had been achieved over a far, far superior force. At some point after the battle, probably soon after, Deborah composed a song of victory to celebrate the great triumph.

The song of Deborah is a rousing declaration of praise to God. The hearts of Deborah and Barak break forth spontaneously in an emotional outburst of praise and thanksgiving to God for the victory. It was God who had stirred the courage within the Israelites to stand against such a formidable enemy. And it was God who used nature to burst forth in a thunderstorm, a downpour of rain that swelled the banks of the river and engulfed the enemy with its 900 chariots. It was God who had caused chaos and confusion among the enemy troops and stricken them with panic, causing them to flee from the pursuing Israelite soldiers. Praise and thanksgiving were to be lifted up to God; only He was deserving; and the people’s hearts were filled with praise, in particular, the hearts of Deborah and Barak.

May you be filled with praise as you study Judges 5.

Judges 4 No Honor

As we open the curtain on chapter 4, we find the enemy within God’s people. Notice verse 1 – God’s people did evil again in the sight of the Lord. God’s people swallowed Satan’s lie, that “sin is satisfying.” This week, study Judges 4 and see for yourself whether sin really is satisfying. As we enter chapters 4 and 5 of Judges, we find the spiritual merry-go-round continues to go around in circles. As we have already seen, as God’s people forsook the Lord they went into bondage for eight years; God raised up Othniel to deliver them, and the land had peace for forty years. They later forsook the Lord again and went eighteen years into bondage; God raised up Ehud to deliver the people, and the land rested eighty years. By this time, you would think God’s people would have noticed the pattern – that when they rebelled against God, they’re lives began to fall apart. They lost their freedom and were thrown into bondage, but as they followed the Lord, they found peace and rest.

Christians today act and live the same way. Some fail to pray, read and obey the Bible, go to church, tithe, or in general live for Christ; others harbor sin or bitterness, and then wonder why things aren’t going well in their life and why they are often so miserable. They wonder why it is that their life is in turmoil and they have no peace. Make no mistake about it – when Christians rebel and disobey the Lord, it leads to a life of frustration, failure, fear, and fighting. When we obey the Lord, even though we may suffer trials, it leads to a life of serenity, spiritual success, stability, strength, and significance. Israel failed to learn this! Have you learned this?

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Judges 3:1-11 Chastened

Getting into trouble is no fun at all, is it? This is exactly what we find happening to the children of Israel; they have been disobedient to the Lord and He is about to chasten them – to take them to the woodshed, if you will. Let’s take a look at Israel’s circumstances and mistakes so that we might learn from them.

First, an entire generation of the children of Israel had not been a first hand witness of God’s power in conquering and defeating their enemies. The impact of their ignorance resulted in a slackness in obeying God’s commands to drive out their enemies. In fact they went as far as to forsake the Lord and serve the other gods of the people in the land. In order to test, prove, and rebuke His people and give them an opportunity to exercise faith in the Lord and obey Him, God allowed Israel’s enemies to remain in the land. In so doing, He has taken them to His woodshed to chasten them.

Judges 3:2 says, so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war. The Lord also knew His people were getting soft, and they needed to learn how to fight. Also God used the Canaanites, Philistines, Sidonians, and other enemies to prove or test the obedience of God’s people (vs.3). God inflicted His disobedient nation with these enemies to see who would have the honor of resisting the Canaanite allurement to idolatry and immortality and to reveal that which was fake, false, and insincere.

The Lord may leave obstacles in your life for the purpose of developing faith and trust in Him, as well as to develop obedience and maturity in your life. These obstacles may involve hostile people, difficult situations at work, school, or in a marriage, baffling problems, heath or financial troubles. Paul challenged us in 2 Tim 2:3 “To endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” As a soldier you need to identify these obstacles and seek the Lord for guidance and wisdom as to how He would have you deal with each obstacle.

Judges 1:1-36 The Compromisers

God has a purpose for the narrative accounts that we find in the Old Testament. Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” 1 Cor. 10:11,12 tells us, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come so, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”

The Old Testament book of Judges speaks to our time. It presents us with living illustrations of individuals who served the Lord in difficult times. The book presents the consequences of spiritual compromise and it reveals what happens to God’s people when they conform to the mold of this world.

The book of Judges reveals that a partial defense is no defense at all; that there is no room for neutrality in the Christian life. We either submit and serve Christ, or we will be swallowed up by the wicked influence of this world. The place for the ship is in the sea, but God help the ship if the sea gets into it! As the sea waters sinks the ship, the flood tides of this world, and the lifestyle and philosophy of this age, will sink the Christian if it infiltrates his heart. John warns us in 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in Him”

The principles and applications in the book of Judges are vital for spiritual survival! Why is the book of judges in the Bible? What are the purpose, meaning, and message of this three thousand year old book? One reason is to warn us of the dangers of compromise with sin and another is to remind us that God’s judgment upon sin is certain as well as His forgiveness and restoration when we are repentant.

This week read Judges and begin to get a grasp of its teachings.