Abimelek the Son of Gideon

Judges

Week 22 — Abimelek the Son of Gideon

1. Grasping power.

⁴ They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal of the Covenant. With the money, Abimelek hired worthless, reckless men, who traveled with him. (Jdg 9:4)

⁵ And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed [הָרַג (ha·rag)] his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone [אֶבֶן (e-ven)]. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. (Jdg 9:5, ESV)

The Lutheran Confessions are the _________________ documents collected in The Book of _______________ that clearly ___________________ what Lutherans _______________ the Bible teaches.

The Book of Concord:

• The Three Ecumenical Creeds

• The Augsburg Confession (1530)

• Apology of the Augsburg Confession (September 1531)

• The Smalcald Articles (1537)

• Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537)

• The Small Catechism (1529)

• The Large Catechism (1529)

• Formula of Concord (1577)

Augsburg Confession XVI, Civil Government: ¹ Our churches teach that lawful civil regulations are good works of God. ² They teach that it is right for Christians to hold political office, to serve as judges, to judge matters by imperial laws and other existing laws, to impose just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to take oaths when required by the magistrates, for a man to marry a wife, or a woman to be given in marriage [Romans 13; 1 Corinthians 7:2].

Vocation/Calling are specific tasks and responsibilities God gives you in your circle.

• As a father, teaching and disciplining your children

• As a citizen, paying taxes and voting responsibly

• As a worker, doing honest labor

• As a pastor, preaching and administering the sacraments

Ultimately, your vocation/calling is God’s _________ to _________ others within your _____________.

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. (Ro 13:1)

After all, brothers, you were called to freedom. Only do not use your freedom as a starting point for your sinful flesh. Rather, serve one another through love. (Ga 5:13)

Professor Daniel Deutschlander book Civil Government, God’s Other Kingdom:

In the whole maze of political arguments and decision making, Christians have one enormous advantage. Their reasoning is guided by the unerring Word of God.

What a blessing Christians can be for a state! They can support positions they know are God-pleasing because God has decided the issue in his Word.

But the church cannot and should not attempt to take the place of education and thoughtful citizens. If voters are too lazy to defend their liberties, the church cannot do it for them. If citizens cannot be bothered with constructing a civilized society, it is not the business of the church to impose one on them. (show) It is the business of the church to preach the Word of God; it is the business of citizens, yes, also Christian citizens, in a democratic society to construct a civilized society.

Some attitudes toward voting that could make not voting sinful:

• apathy toward the neighbor's welfare

• despising God-given authority

• cynicism that denies God's sovereignty over nations

• laziness in stewardship

• selfish disregard for protecting life, justice, and order

So, for the one who knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it, this is a sin. (Jas 4:17)

As Christians, we recognize that God places us in the station of citizenship and gives us opportunities to serve our neighbor with wisdom and love. Participating responsibly in public life—including making use of the freedom to vote—is one way we carry out that vocation with gratitude. Trusting that God remains in control of all things, we seek to act faithfully, not fearfully, as his people in our community.

2. The _______________ king.

⁸ One day the trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, “Be king over us.” ⁹ But the olive tree said to them, “Should I stop producing my rich oil, with which both God and men are honored, to go and sway over the other trees?” ¹⁰ Then the trees said to the fig tree, “Come, you be king over us.” ¹¹ But the fig tree said to them, “Should I stop producing my sweetness and my good fruit to go and sway over the other trees?” ¹² Then the trees said to the grape vine, “Come, you be king over us.” ¹³ But the vine said to them, “Should I stop producing my new wine, which gladdens both God and men, to go and sway over the other trees?” ¹⁴ Finally all the trees said to the bramble  [אָטָד (ʾa-tad)], “Come, you be king over us.” ¹⁵ So the bramble said to the trees, “If you are sincere about anointing me to be king over you, come, seek refuge in my shade. But if you are not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.” (Jdg 9:8-15)

The olive tree, fig tree, and grape vine depict _______________ who serve in _________________ for the _________ of God’s people.

The bramble depicts a ___________________ and ___________________ leader.

This is the perfect picture of Abimelek:

• He seized power rather than being called to it.

• He harmed God’s people rather than serving them.

• He was small in character yet destructive like a wildfire.

¹⁶ Jotham said, “So now, if you acted in truth and integrity when you made Abimelek king, and if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household well, and if you have dealt with him as his hands dealt with you— ¹⁷ My father waged war for you and put his life at grave risk and delivered you from the hand of Midian. ¹⁸ Yet you have risen up against the house of my father today, and you have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and you have crowned Abimelek, son of his concubine, as king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your relative. ¹⁹ If you have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his household this day, rejoice in Abimelek, and let him also rejoice in you.  ²⁰ But if not, may fire come out from Abimelek and consume the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo [בֵּית מִלּוֹא (by-it mīl·lōʾ)] and consume Abimelek.” (Jdg 9:16–20)

²¹ With that, Jotham [יוֹתָם (yō-tam)] fled and escaped to Be’er, where he remained because of Abimelek his brother. (Jdg 9:21)

⁵¹ Look, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Co 15:51–52)

Points to Ponder

1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
2. Why does Jotham’s parable use fruitful trees to represent good leaders and a bramble to represent Abimelek?
3. What does Jotham’s survival show about God’s character?
4. How does the doctrine of vocation shape the Christian approach to voting?
5. What comfort does the truth “the Lord is upright” (Jotham’s name) give in troubled times?
6. How does Christ redefine greatness and leadership in Matthew 20:25–28?

Read: Judges 9