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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 28 June 2025:
Judges 9:1-6 — 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, “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.” 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.” And 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. And 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. 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.
When greed and prejudice dominate politics, corrupt and heartless leaders are chosen who will destroy.
Gideon refused kingship with his words, but his actions set the stage for his son Abimelech to lust after the throne. Abimelech’s name means “my father is king,” a clear indication of Gideon’s compromised legacy. Now, without divine appointment, Abimelech uses manipulation, flattery, and violence to exalt himself to kingship. The people are complicit, enabling evil leadership for selfish gain. This is the tragic consequence of unchecked ambition, unaccountable leadership, and forgotten faith. Abimelech is a cautionary tale: when God’s people choose pragmatism over righteousness, and personality over principle, destruction follows.
- Hosea 8:4 — “They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not.”
- Matthew 7:15 — “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Judges 9:14, 15 — Then all the trees said to the bramble, “You come and reign over us.” 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.”
The first parable recorded in the Bible is about the consequence of raising up corrupt leaders, professional politicians: Abimelech, an illegitimate son of Gideon, born of a concubine who was in Shechem, convinced the leaders of Schechem, appealing to their racism (Shechem was a Canaanite city), to make him King. With the money he was paid, Abimelech hires “worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him,” and he eliminates his legitimate opposition, the rightful successors of Gideon – he kills “his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.”
At Abimelech’s inauguration ceremony as King before the people of Schechem, Jotham stands on top of a distant hill and shouts out the “Parable of the Trees.” In this first parable of the Bible, the trees decide to elect a king, and they first ask the Olive tree, then the fig tree, and then the grape vine, but all these refuse to be king because they are all successful, important contributors to society and have no desire to leave their productive industry and societal contribution to “hold sway over the trees.” So, finally, they go to the bramble (thorn bush), and ask the bramble to reign. The bramble, who serves no productive value in society, produces nothing, but only feeds from the labors of others, gladly accepts leadership, promising to give all the other trees “refuge” in his “shade,” as if a thorn bush offers any covering. The parable accurately predicts that the bramble will “devour the cedars of Lebanon,” as will be revealed in our continued readings.
This story in Judges goes far beyond revealing the consequences of Gideon’s sin (an important lesson in itself), it sends an important message/warning about self-serving politicians. There is a terrible consequence of electing worthless leaders, lacking character and competence, men and women who make empty promises and rally rabble to political action in order to remain in power, who feed off of the productivity of others. These career politicians, brambles, offer refuge and shade they don’t have while they choke the life out of communities and destroy. Our Founding Fathers had a healthy distrust of government that came from not only their own experiences but also from their knowledge of the Bible:
- 1 Samuel 8:11-18 — These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth [you wish it were just a 10th] of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
Government is important to maintain stability, and Romans 13 (along with other Bible verses) makes it clear that we are to obey civil authority when civil authority doesn’t demand that we directly disobey God. But, how important is it to elect men and women of true character and competence to office? I don’t believe this can be done without a concerted effort on the part of Christians who have always served as the conscience of the Nation. Like the olive tree, the fig tree, and the grape vine, we can get so focused on contributing to society that we turn governing over to the thorn bushes which are slowly devouring us. Christians must rediscover their voice in the social/political dialogue in order to influence change. However, we must not allow politics to distract from our primary message of the Gospel. On the contrary, we must put social issues within the context of the Gospel.
As the late theologian Jacques Ellul stated, “The Christian who is involved in the material history of this world is involved in it as representing another order, another Master (rather than the prince of this world), another claim (rather than that of the natural heart of man). Thus he must plunge into social and political problems in order to have an influence on the world, not in the hope of making it a paradise, but simply in order to make it tolerable — not in order to diminish the opposition between this world and the Kingdom of God, but simply in order to modify the opposition between the disorder of this world and the order of preservation that God wills for it — not in order to ‘bring in’ the Kingdom of God, but in order that the gospel may be proclaimed, that all men may really hear the Good News of salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ.”
Again, we must be very careful not to get so wrapped up in the current political process and specific issues that we fail to proclaim first and foremost the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the late Chuck Colson stated, “When the church aligns itself politically, it gives priority to the compromises and temporal successes of the political world rather than its Christian confession of eternal truth. And when the church gives up its rightful place as the conscience of the culture, the consequences for society can be horrific.”
Additionally, we must be willing to pay the personal price when obeying God means we cannot obey government, societal norms, or even current church denominational position. When the Pharisees sought to silence the disciples in Luke 19, Jesus said, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” In Acts 5, when the Sanhedrin ordered the Apostles not to preach Jesus, “Peter and the other Apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!” They were flogged, and then the Bible says, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Show yourself worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name, and rejoice in your inevitable persecution. After all, as Hebrews 12:4 reminds you, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
This is a challenging time for our Nation, and the only hope for our Nation is corporate repentance and revival, which can only occur among God’s people. We are not mere victims of our circumstances; we influence circumstances, either in a positive way or a negative way, and remember, “silence is consent.” As stated in 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Finally, in 1 Samuel 13 and 14, the Israelites were up against seemingly impossible odds, facing the powerful, heavily armored and equipped Philistines whose soldiers were more numerous than the sand on the seashore. The Bible says, “When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical, that their army was hard pressed, they hid in the caves,” and some simply left the fight altogether. But Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come, let us go over to the outpost of the uncircumcised. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” His armor bearer said, “Do all that you have in mind; go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” Subsequently, Jonathan’s boldness caused the Israelites to rise up out of their holes, and he led them in a great victory. Be a Jonathan today, or at least be an armor bearer. As the Marines would say, “Lead; follow; or get the ‘heck’ out of the way.” Don’t miss out on your Gideon’s Army moment, but count yourself among the 300 that would be willing to participate in God’s victory. Semper Fidelis Coram Deo – Always faithful before the face of God.
- Isaiah 5:20 — “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.”
Judges 9:22–29 — Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem…
Abimelech’s reign, born of murder and deceit, is short-lived and poisoned by internal conflict. God allows division to bring justice. Sinful alliances cannot produce lasting peace. When power is gained unrighteously, it becomes unstable, and everyone suffers. God is not mocked—judgment may be delayed but never denied. The leaders of Shechem who enabled Abimelech now plot against him. Sin devours itself.
- Galatians 6:7 — Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
- James 3:16 — For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
- Judges 9:30–49 — When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal…he was angry… Abimelech rose up by night… and ambushed the city.
The story unfolds with treachery upon treachery. Gaal tries to usurp Abimelech, but is betrayed. The city is ambushed and destroyed. Abimelech, once welcomed as king, becomes a tyrant and destroyer. He burns down the tower of Shechem, killing a thousand people. The irony is crushing: the bramble, which offered false safety, now consumes those who trusted it. This is the end result of prideful ambition and compromised leadership—devastation not just for the leader, but for all who followed him.
- Proverbs 29:2 — When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
- John 10:10 — The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
Judges 9:50–57 — Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against it… a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head… Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech… and God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads…
The tyrant meets a humiliating end—struck by a woman’s hand, and desperate to avoid shame, he begs his armor-bearer to kill him. This final scene is drenched in poetic justice. Abimelech who slaughtered his brothers to exalt himself dies in disgrace. The account closes with a summary that attributes the downfall to divine justice. God is sovereign. Evil may seem to prosper for a time, but it will not prevail. Leadership apart from God leads only to destruction.
- Psalm 7:15–16 — He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head.
- Romans 12:19 — Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
God will judge both corrupt leaders as well as those who chose them.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 28 June 2025: Test Your Ambition. Ambition is not evil in itself, but self-centered ambition, like Abimelech’s, leads to ruin. Today, prayerfully examine your motives. Are you seeking positions, recognition, or influence for the glory of Christ or for personal advancement? Ask God to reveal any false humility, any bramble-like tendencies, and commit to humble, Spirit-led service. Christlike leadership never demands the throne but carries the cross. Remember, Jesus “made himself nothing… taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7). Will you follow Him there?
Pray: “Lord, cleanse my heart from selfish ambition. Help me to see leadership as service, success as faithfulness, and power as stewardship for Your glory. Teach me to humble myself under Your hand and wait for Your exaltation. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 