Judges 9:1-15 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 9:1-15. Let’s go!
Judges 9:1-15 (NIV)
1 Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan,
2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
4 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventurers, who became his followers.
5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.
6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’
10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’
14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
On verses 1-15: Here Abimelech, one of Gideon’s sons, attempts to become ruler over the city of Shechem by murdering his brothers and gathering around himself a crowd whose loyalty he could buy. The one other son of Gideon who survived is Jotham, and Jotham decides to stand up to Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem just as Abimelech is about to be crowned their ruler. Jotham’s speech in verses 7-15 is a parable communicating that those who are truly worthy to rule are too busy doing worthwhile work while Abimelech is the last person who should be ruling based on his character. He compares Abimelech to a thornbush that is impossibly trying to cast a shade over the rest of the bigger trees around it.
What can we learn from this? Some people will try to advance an evil agenda, and it takes a courageous person to take a stand against it. Even though he was the only one to do so, Jotham stood up to evil and injustice. May you have courage and wisdom to stand up to evil and injustice as well.
Father, like Jotham, may I have courage and wisdom to stand up to evil and injustice, even if it means being in the minority. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
