Judges 9:55–57 (ESV) —
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone
departed to his home. 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.
NOTE: This very long
story highlights the evil that Israel was plunging into. Abimelech uses his
father's name, Gideon, to establish a kingship in Israel. He kills 70 brothers
in order to achieve his goal. The period is an ugly time of greed, violence, and
deceit, with almost no mention of God or his laws. It ultimately comes to an
ugly end. Abimelech's attempt to establish a royal house is driven by pride and
the lust of the eyes. God will set up a kingship (in another 100 plus years),
partly in response to the failures in Judges, but also as a means of providing
spiritual focus for the people, which is the real need right now. People need
spiritual examples, not puffed up heads if we are to see spiritual change. Our
country may see some real change in the months and years ahead because of good
decisions, but we won't see spiritual change as a result of our new government
(maybe Pence). Spiritual change has to start with us, and is apolitical,
although lately the enemy is attacking government on an anti-Christian
rhetoric. The enemy wants to obscure the message. We need to live loving,
caring, serving lifestyles despite the rhetoric thrown at us. We know the truth
and we have a future inheritance. We need to stand up for biblical truth, so
that we might save our co-workers, friends, and neighbors.
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