Judges 9:1–57

He rises as king. Someone gave him his name — perhaps his mother, to show his link with the great man of Israel, and to cover the shame of his birth. That name shows how the subtle spirit was at work, whether it found expression or not: "My father was king." That is the very thing his father was not. His father refused to be king, and said God alone should be their king. And yet here is the son of his father declaring that his father was king. He declares further, in the strongest way, that his son also is going to be king.

His enormous family and many wives do not suggest the spiritual vigour seen in men of faith, even in the days of the patriarchs. And surely Abimelech, son of the concubine, is too closely tied to this coarseness for us to miss the lesson. Ease and self-pleasing give birth to many a fruitful source of evil later on.

It teaches us this. We may refuse a public place of exaltation and still have no defence against the most subtle and more dangerous snare: supposing that the memorials of our service can in any way add to the worship of God. This is using service as a way of exalting self, and that must "become a snare to us and to our house."

Having cut off all rivals, he goes to Shechem, the town of his mother, the town according to nature. It matters that this town lies in the tribe of Ephraim, which is always, as you know, reaching out for rule. There he gets the men of Shechem to endorse him and recognise him as king.

The sources of his power are that he is half Canaanite, half Israelite — son of Gideon on the one side, though son of the slave woman on the other. In this he is another Ishmael, and he carries the same symbolic meaning that the apostle gives to Ishmael in Galatians 4.

Abimelech did not only forget his father's example; he deliberately chose the opposite path of proud self-pleasing. He wanted to rule over Israel. He saw that to do this he must find a following that would reject all seventy of Gideon's sons born to him by his wives. So he persuaded his mother's relatives to speak to the men of Shechem. They were to ask which is better: that seventy of Gideon's sons should rule over them, or just one. He points out that he himself is their own flesh and bone. No one had suggested that Gideon's seventy sons should rule over Israel. Those sons likely knew that their father had refused the place of ruler. But a small minority can often force its way into prominence.

As soon as the judge, his father, was dead, he gathered his mother's family together and urged them to use their influence with the men of Shechem on his behalf. The glory of the LORD and the blessing of His people were not before him; he wanted to exalt himself — he would be king... It was by fair speeches that the son of Gideon won his way.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble in Jotham's parable — and above all when it is a question of God's things.

Abimelech did not just forget his father's example. He deliberately chose the opposite path of proud self-pleasing. He wanted to rule over Israel. He saw that this meant finding a following that would reject all 70 of Gideon's sons, the sons his wives bore him. So he persuaded his mother's relatives to speak to the men of Shechem. They were to ask which was better: rule by 70 of Gideon's sons, or rule by one man. His appeal is that he himself is their own flesh and bone.

No one had suggested that Gideon's 70 sons should rule over Israel. Those sons likely knew that their father had refused the place of ruler. But a small minority can often force its way into prominence.

As Gideon grew older, his faith grew dimmer, and I fear his pride increased. His concubine, the servant woman, bore him a son, and he called him "Abimelech." And what does "Abimelech" mean? It means "My Father is King." The very place Gideon had refused in his early days, he now seeks to seize, and his son's name betrays his sad fall. "My Father" (that is, Gideon) "is King": sad, sad departure from the noble faith he once had. Earlier he had said, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you." Now he seeks the place of king.

He sets himself to rule over the people of God, and to do that he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. Therefore he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. Having cut off all rivals in this way, he goes to Shechem, the town of his mother, the town according to nature. Shechem lies in the tribe of Ephraim, and Ephraim is always reaching out for rule. There he gets the men of Shechem to endorse him and recognize him as king.

The Lord has declared that whoever humbles himself will be exalted, and whoever exalts himself will be brought low. Abimelech proved that true. Gideon's son won his way by smooth speeches. "His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords" (Psalm 55:21). All this deceives the crowd and leads it away, as it led the men of Shechem.

Let us not be seeking a place. Let us not be like Abimelech, who wanted to step into the empty chair of the man before him — a chair his own father had refused… Wherever people think that certain ones are rulers, and will be rulers despite anything in themselves or in the saints, you can be sure it is the bramble. And the bramble has no fruit for God.

Abimelech did not just forget his father's example. He chose the opposite path on purpose, a path of proud self-pleasing. He wanted to rule over Israel. He saw that to do this he must find a following that would reject all 70 sons Gideon had by his wives. So he persuaded his mother's relatives to speak to the men of Shechem. They asked the men whether it is better that 70 of Gideon's sons should rule over them, or just one. He appeals to this: he himself is their own flesh and bone.

No one had suggested that Gideon's 70 sons should rule over Israel. Those sons likely knew that their father had refused the place of ruler. But a small minority can often push its way into power.

Here a wolf takes over the Shepherd's place, and seizes the flock to devour it… To seize a place that was not his, he used purely human methods. His mother was Gideon's concubine, and through her brothers he deceived the men of Shechem under the appearance of brotherhood. They put their trust in this traitor. Their moral state was so low that they even forgot the bond that united them to all Israel. They said of Abimelech: "He is our brother." Brotherhood had lost its true meaning for them. It had become only the name of a party.

Now the Lord has declared that "he who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts himself will be humbled," and Abimelech proved it true. Fair speeches won the son of Gideon his way… All this deceives the crowd and leads them away, as it did the Shechemites. But the faithful few, "the people who know their God," are kept safe.

Israel had once again fallen back into idolatry, and taken Baal-berith to be their god. The name means "lord of the covenant"… The worship of Baal was at least a sign of covenant with the Canaanites, whose god he was. The history here gives clear proof of an alliance with the pagan nations… This word [for "lords"] keeps coming back, and that can hardly be an accident. It probably points to most of them being Canaanites, and it links them to the Phoenician Baal-worship of Canaan… Baal-worship and mixing with the Canaanites are certainly at their worst in the story of crime and bloodshed that follows here.

Treasure taken from the house of a false god kept this man's influence alive. The usurper appealed to the people's pockets, and he was not ashamed of the impure source the money came from. This silver did the devil's work. Baal's treasure took the place of the Lord's power. It gave the usurper the means to persecute and cut off the family of God.

The lesson of government, dear friends, is the lesson of service. He rules best who serves best. The true head of the people is the one who is at their feet serving them. Some bring the people the precious fruits of God's grace — the olive, the fig, the vine. These are the ones, and the only ones, who rule or lead the saints of God by their service.

He sets himself to exercise authority over the people of God, and to do so he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. So he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception.

No one had suggested that Gideon's 70 sons should rule over Israel… Then, to stop any chance of opposition, he went to Ophrah and killed the other sons of Gideon. Only the youngest, Jotham, was able to hide (v. 5). This awful crime of mass murder of his own brothers meant nothing to him. None of them had shown any aspiration to reign over Israel, but he wanted to make sure that none of them would.

As Gideon grew older, his faith grew dimmer, and I fear his pride increased. When his servant girl, his concubine, bore him a son, "he called him Abimelech" (Judges 8:31)… Once he had said, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you." Now he seeks the place of king, and his servant girl's son seizes that place at the cost of all his brothers except the youngest. Terrible result of their father's self-indulgence and pride — but "whatever one sows, that will he also reap."

The sources of his power are clear: he is half Canaanite, half Israelite — Gideon's son on one side, but the slave woman's son on the other.

Abimelech soon developed a thirst for blood — sadly typical of the dark day at hand. "He went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone." How quickly Israel forgot what they owed to Gideon! A power that has abandoned God is always a persecutor of God's people.

Naturally, he first had to clear his way by wiping out Jerubbaal's true successors. But a remnant escapes into hiding at Beer, the "well" — a good place for God's refugees. That remnant is Jotham, who is still able to make his testimony heard against the usurper.

God is not limited in His means. The One who once sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use the same means here, when everything else had failed. "Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 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" (Judges 9:56-57).

Let us not be seeking a place. Let us not be like Abimelech, wanting to step into the empty chair of someone before him — a chair his own father had refused… Some think that certain people are rulers, and will go on being rulers regardless of anything in themselves or in the saints. Wherever you find that thought, you may be sure it is the bramble. It is simply that which bears no fruit for God.

Only a small part of Israel's population gathered and made Abimelech king: the people of Shechem and of Beth Millo. The other tribes showed no energy to resist this arrogant seizure of authority. It may be that most just ignored him, for nothing is said of his even attempting to attract the other tribes to him. Yet he was considered king over all Israel.

Joshua made a covenant with the people, and gave them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. He wrote the words in the book of the law of God. He took a great stone as a witness and set it up there under an oak.

Jotham's name means "Jehovah is perfect," and in that name he carries the character of a true witness. The men of Shechem, with shameless boldness, gather at the stone Joshua set up, to make Abimelech king — the man who had murdered his own brothers. There Jotham appeals to them from Mount Gerizim in the fable of the trees.

He rises as king. Someone gave him his name — perhaps his mother, to show his link with the great man of Israel and to cover the shame of his birth. The name shows how the subtle spirit was at work, whether it was spoken out or not: "My father was king." That is the very thing his father was not. His father refused to be king, and said God alone should be their king. Yet here is a son declaring that his father was king — and declaring, in the strongest way, that his own son will be king too.

He sets himself to rule over the people of God, and to do it he builds his throne on violence. Rule of that sort must have violence; if man rules, it must be by violence. Therefore, he slays all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. Having cut off all rivals, he goes to Shechem, the town of his mother, the town according to nature. It lies in the very tribe of Ephraim, the tribe that is always reaching out for rule, and there he gets the men of Shechem to endorse and recognise him as king.

The lesson for us in all this is that no believer and no people going on with God needs promotion. He moves quietly in the place God has given him, and his life, character and service speak for themselves. Ambition leaves such people cold, except the ambition to honour God. But a graceless, self-centred man is glad to take the flattery of foolish men. He climbs over them into a tyrant's place, and nothing matches it but the pride that comes before destruction. Christ, on the contrary, humbled Himself. God highly exalted Him.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anything of that sort is used for self, and not for God, the result must be bitter disappointment. If anything stands out in his history, it is the solemn fact of God's retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

How quickly Israel forgot what they owed to Gideon! A power that has turned away from God always persecutes God's people... We read, "Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself." God enabled him to bear witness. He "went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim" (the mountain of blessing; Deut. 27). There he told Israel in the most serious terms where they stood in relation to the man who had seized power.

Jehovah, in His grace, caused a ray of light to shine in the middle of the darkness. He does not leave Himself without a witness. We can say that again with confidence as we pass through difficult times. Suppose only one witness is left for God in this world, as here. May we be that one — the despised Jotham, last of all, but standing firm for God.

In the past Moses had ordered six tribes to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse and six on Gerizim to pronounce the blessing. Joshua had remembered this when the people entered Canaan, but since then Israel had in practice chosen Ebal, the place of cursing. Jotham chose Gerizim, the place of blessing, and he stood there alone. As God's witness, he faced the whole people. He lifted up his voice and spoke a fable in their hearing. It proclaimed the blessing of faith, and also what would follow from the people's unfaithfulness.

Jotham ("Jehovah is perfect") carries in his name the character of a true witness. With shameless boldness, the Shechemites gather at the stone Joshua set up, to make Abimelech, the killer of his own brothers, king. There Jotham appeals to them from Gerizim with the fable of the trees.

The tendency of man's heart is to make someone other than God king. People put leaders in His place. So they destroy the use and blessing for which God gives the olive, the fig and the vine — His various gifts. But those who are truly worthiest are the surest to refuse. They will not leave their places of happy service, their sweetness and their fruit, just to "wave over" the trees, fluttering in the wind above them.

The fatness of it in man honours God and means power for worship towards God and for service towards others. Saints who grasp this highest of all privileges want no promotion. It is enough to be what God has made them.

The bramble had no beauty and no use. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on the plant world as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

Of course it is clear this was not truthful dealing, but grossly wicked. So Jotham adds, "if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem, and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!" (v. 20). This was a prophecy God had put into Jotham's mouth, and it was fulfilled only three years later.

He sets himself to exercise authority over the people of God, and to do it he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. So he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. Having cut off all rivals, he goes to Shechem, his mother's town, the town of natural ties… There he gets the men of Shechem to endorse and recognise him as king. Then his brother Jotham, the one who had escaped, puts forward his parable. It is most striking, and it holds the whole lesson of this chapter.

Man's heart tends to make another king than God, and to put leaders in His place. That destroys the use and blessing for which God gave the olive, the fig and the vine — His various gifts. But the worthiest are the very ones sure to refuse. They will not leave their places of happy service, their sweetness and their fruit, to go and "wave over" the trees — to do nothing but flutter in the wind above them.

The fatness of the olive tree is the oil pressed from its fruits.

The Spirit of God would produce, and work out in God's people in daily detail, a character in line with the promise and purpose of God at any given time… The fatness of it in man honours God and means power for worship towards God and for service towards men. Saints who grasp this highest of all privileges want no promotion. It is enough to be what God has made them.

Who, then, is to rule over them? If those who bear fruit for God will not be rulers over His people, who is to be the ruler? The lesson of government, dear friends, is the lesson of service, and he rules best who serves best. In real, practical terms, the head of the people is the one at their feet serving them.

Each had its own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than it was. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known most of all for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on plant life as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

What a lesson about what rule is among the people of God! How it searches our hearts as we think of it! It makes us realise how easy it is to become mere brambles. How easy it is to seek a place over the heads of the saints instead of at their feet… Do you want believers to look up to you? Then you are a bramble, if you covet that. The people others look up to are those who do not take the place. They are seeking to bear precious fruit for God and for the blessing of the saints.

The parable concerned four "trees": the olive, fig, vine and the bramble, or thorn-bush. The trees invited each one in turn to become king over them. The olive had its fatness, which brought honour to both God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had no beauty and no use. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on plant life as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

They ask the olive tree, but the olive tree is content with God's order. It represented Israel in its place of privilege. "Should I leave my fatness, by which, through me, they honour God and man." The fatness of the olive tree is the oil pressed from its fruits.

Oil answers to the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit, which brings honour to God and men. The Israel of God can only know this power while it stays completely separate from the nations and their ways. The nations set up kings over themselves (1 Samuel 8:5), while Jehovah was the only ruler of His people as long as they stayed faithful.

That fatness in a person honours God. It means power for worship toward God and service toward people. Saints who grasp this highest of all privileges want no promotion. It is enough to be what God has made them.

This honour holds no temptation for the olive. It gives a beautiful reply: "Should I leave my fatness, by which, through me, they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" There is no selfish thought here. It is enough that God and man are honoured, and the one who bears the fruit is content to be left unnoticed.

Jotham could have claimed the right to rule the people after his father's death just as fairly as Abimelech. But he had learned that staying humbly with God, in the place He has given, is far more blessed than reaching for a place of dignity in the eyes of men. God does give honour, but not to those who seek it.

Please note that in all three cases they knew the place — the honoured place — God had given them. In each case they ask, and well they might, "Should I LEAVE." Here comes in a very important principle, which the young Christian will do well to remember. If you step out of the place God has set you in, you leave your power for glorifying God and blessing man. You gain nothing but loss and sorrow.

In the fullest sense the root is Christ Himself. The fatness, that is spiritual enrichment, did not come to a man because he was born a Jew, descended from Abraham. It came because he shared Abraham's faith, and shared in the blessing that Abraham enjoyed. And this is open to Gentiles as well.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree of which Jotham spoke, in contrast to the useless bramble.

He sets himself to exercise authority over the people of God, and to do it he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. So he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. With all rivals gone, he goes to Shechem, his mother's town, and gets the men of Shechem to accept him as king. Then his brother Jotham, the one who had escaped, gives his parable. It is most striking, and it holds the whole lesson of this chapter.

The tendency of man's heart is to make some other king than God, and to put leaders in His place. This destroys the use and blessing for which God gives the olive, the fig and the vine — His various gifts. But the very ones who are truly worthiest will surely refuse. They will not leave their spheres of happy service, their sweetness, and their fruit, to go and "wave over" the trees — to flutter idly in the wind above them.

Sweetness and good fruit are what marked the fig tree in Jotham's parable. Israel was chosen as a nation among the nations to bear fruit for God, as Luke 21:29 shows: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees" — the fig tree is set apart from the rest.

The fig tree pictures above all the gracious nourishment and healing that comes through bearing fruit for God. The fig tree produces sweet, wholesome fruit, and it says: If I am to rule, I must stop being fruitful. I would far rather provide food for the people of God than govern them. So if the Spirit of God has enabled someone to bear fruit that nourishes, refreshes, heals and sustains God's people — the gift seen in a pastor and teacher — who would trade that place for rank over them as master or lord?

In Jotham's parable, after the olive tree was asked to reign and refused, the trees asked the fig tree to reign over them. But the fig tree answered much like the olive. It was already bearing good fruit: should it leave this in order merely to wave its branches above the trees?

Each one said, "Shall I leave?" To give up fruitfulness in order to take a brilliant position was not really addition, it was subtraction of a very serious kind — it was giving up their true purpose in life, the only reason for their existence.

The fig tree is tried next, with "You come and reign over us." It replies, "Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?" It is enough that its fruit has gladdened and strengthened others. The tree that bore it may be forgotten. Next the vine is approached… The bramble has nothing to leave, and honour tempts it at once. We know the sad end, the end that always follows, of such beginnings — both people and ruler destroy each other.

It was a lump of figs that gave healing and recovery to King Hezekiah. Jotham's parable may well teach us that leadership is not necessarily the answer to the troubles among the saints. Past times have proved this. Goodness and sweetness are features that were seen in Christ. Perhaps unknown believers who live near the Lord and show these traits are better equipped to bring healing and recovery among the saints.

In the book of Judges we read an interesting story told by Jotham, Gideon's son. As far as I know it is the first "parable" in the Bible. He spoke of the trees choosing a king. In his story they asked four trees in turn to become king: the olive, fig tree, vine and bramble (Judges 9:8-15). It was the bramble who accepted the position, but on his terms. It was a picture of the wilful Abimelech, who seized the power and came to a bad end.

The olive had its richness, which honoured both God and man. The fig tree had its sweetness and good fruit. The vine had its wine which cheered God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known mostly for its thorns. They displayed the curse resting on the plant creation as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

God does give honour, but not to those who seek it... The trees try the fig tree next: "Come and reign over us." It replies, "Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?" Its fruit has gladdened and strengthened others. That is enough. The tree that bore it may be forgotten. The bramble has nothing to leave, and honour tempts it easily. We know the sad end, the unchanging end, of such beginnings: both people and ruler destroy each other.

The fig tree said: "Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit...?" (v. 11). Israel could only bear fruit when separated from the nations.

Sweetness and good fruit are what marked the fig tree in Jotham's parable. God chose Israel as a nation among the nations to bear fruit for Him. Luke 21:29 shows this: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees." The fig tree stands apart from the rest. Our Lord cursing the barren fig tree shows how Israel failed to respond to all God's goodness.

We have noted that it was a cake of figs that gave healing and recovery to Hezekiah. Jotham's parable may well teach us this: leadership is not necessarily the answer to the troubles among the saints... As we think of goodness and sweetness, these are features that were seen in Christ. Perhaps unnoticed believers are better equipped to bring healing and recovery among the saints. They live near the Lord and show these traits. We recall the words of the Lord: "whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" (Mark 10:44).

How precious was the fruit He bore when down here! Richness, sweetness, and cheer marked all His lovely ways. It gladdened the hearts of God and man. Our loving Father wants some of this divine beauty to reappear in the lives of His children. Let us also remember this: the very spot where God has placed us is where we are to show the fruit. Our sphere may be lowly and unnoticed. Even so, let us not think we could be more fruitful elsewhere.

People feel their need of rule. Yet once rule is in place, nothing rebels against it like the human heart.

He was able to bear testimony: he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, the mountain of blessing, and solemnly set before Israel where they stood in relation to the man who had seized power. In his speech he brings forward, one after another, the three trees that Scripture constantly uses as emblems of the Jewish nation: the olive, the fig tree, and the vine. All three refused the rule they were offered. The bramble took it, in the person of Abimelech. So Jotham is a picture of those among the Jewish people who will be persecuted for their testimony, but who will be kept by a faithful God right through to the end.

The great thought of the vine is that it supplies wine, which cheers the heart of God and man. The olive pictures something else: the blessing of God to man, seen in its rich root and fatness. The fig tree pictures something else again: Israel's special place among the nations, bearing fruit for God as a nation. The vine has its own thought attached to it: cheer for GOD, as well as for man. It is not so much the blessing of God to man as the response to GOD. Wherever there is response to God, man is blessed in making the response.

The vine was still more lowly and weak, but it was producing the grapes that made wine to cheer both God and man. Exchanging this just to flaunt its own pride over others had no appeal to the vine.

Jotham, son of Jerubbaal, gives wise and timely counsel: fruitfulness is better than honour, and pleasing the Lord is better than a great name among men. Jotham could have claimed the rule after his father's death as fairly as Abimelech. But he had learned that to stay humbly with God, in the place He has given, is far more blessed than to reach for a path of dignity in the sight of men. God does give honour, but not to those who seek it.

Fruit is Christ reproduced in our ways. It is not a matter of gift, by which one may preach or work; some have such gift and some do not, but all may bear fruit. Let us also remember that the very place where God has put us is the exact spot where the fruit should show. However lowly and unnoticed the place God calls us to move in, let us not think we could be more fruitful elsewhere.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree that Jotham spoke of, in contrast to the useless bramble. Yes, all His people's need is found in Him.

The parable concerned four "trees": the olive, fig, vine and the bramble, or thorn bush. The trees invited each one in turn to become king over them. The olive had its fatness, which honoured both God and man. The fig tree had its sweetness and good fruit. The vine had its wine which cheered God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on plant life as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

The explanation is easy for anyone who will look at verse 9. Clearly it points to the use of oil and wine in the offerings to God. They had just as much place in the honour, service, and social life of man.

New wine is the joy found in the shared communion of men with God. No enjoyment is higher. Israel lost it when they adopted the spirit and ways of the nations.

From the day the Aaronic priesthood was fully established, not one day was to pass without a drink offering. It went with the morning and evening burnt offering. Every day the bronze altar held something offered in picture that could cheer the heart of anyone who understood it. And now we are taught what the drink offering was to consist of: strong wine, poured out to the Lord. For wine it is, as Jotham says in his parable, "which cheers God and man." And surely the altar held in picture what was well fitted to do this — the lamb of the burnt offering. It foreshadowed the perfect surrender of the Lord Jesus Christ to do His Father's will.

In the Scriptures, wine speaks of earthly joy, and God sought that joy from His earthly people, Israel. Isaiah 5 compares Israel to a vine. Verse 2 of that chapter tells all that God did so that it would bear fruit. He had done everything that could be done. Yet when He came to taste the fruit, there was no wine for Him. He could have no joy in His earthly people.

What a lesson for us Christians! The world is to the church what the nations were to Israel. If we give in to its requests, we abandon our oil, our fruit, our new wine. That is, we give up our spiritual power, the works which God has prepared for us, and the joy of communion. Oh, can we answer every offer of the world like this? Should I leave what is my happiness and my strength? Should I trade it for fruitless turmoil, or to satisfy the desires and ambitions of men's hearts?

Jotham had as fair a claim as Abimelech to rule the people after his father's death. But he had learned something better. To stay humbly with God, in the place He may have given, is far more blessed than to aim at a path of dignity in the sight of men. God does give honour, but not to those who seek it.

The vine is a lowly plant, dependent and clinging. It is content with God's order… It yields wine and has its place in giving gladness to God and man. Christ is the lowly man of God's pleasure, the true vine, yielding fruit for the Father, always doing the things that please Him. Saints too remain in Christ, live by His life, are fed by His love, and quietly express that life in fruit.

The tendency of man's heart is to make another king than God, and to put leaders in His place. In doing so it destroys the use and blessing for which God gives the olive, the fig, the vine, and all His various gifts. But those who are truly worthiest will certainly refuse to leave their places of happy service, their sweetness, and their fruit. They will not go to "wave over" the trees — to flutter idly in the wind above them. So royalty comes naturally to the thorn-bush, which need give up nothing, but which has nothing in its gift but thorns.

They ask the Bramble. They are stubborn in their wrongdoing, and these refusals do not stop them. Because they are determined to have a king, they find that God in anger may give them one, and take him away in His wrath. Their choice may turn out to be one of the basest of men. The trees could only accept the bramble's authority over them by putting themselves down.

The olive had its fatness by which both God and man were honoured. The fig tree had its sweetness and good fruit. The vine had its wine which cheered God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on the plant creation as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

In his speech he brings forward in turn the three trees that Scripture uses again and again as emblems of the Jewish nation: the olive, the fig tree, and the vine. All of them turned down the rule they were offered. The bramble accepted it at last, in the person of Abimelech.

The devil himself will one day lift up a man — the political antichrist — as the puppet of his own ambition. He will give him his power, his throne, and great authority. Yet in God's picture of him (Revelation 13) he is only a beast. But with what result? Only the destruction of the puppet and of all who trust in him, and the final confusion and overthrow of Satan himself. The Shechemites of our chapter find out in the long run that their choice becomes their affliction and punishment.

If those who are bearing fruit for God will not be rulers over His people, who really is to be the ruler? The lesson of government is the lesson of service, and he rules best who serves best.

How this lesson searches our hearts, as we think of it! It makes us realise how easy it is to become mere brambles, and to seek a place over the heads of the saints instead of at their feet... The people who are looked up to are those who do not take the place, but who are seeking to bear precious fruit for God, and for the blessing of the saints.

Fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem. But when he meant to do the same to the men of Thebez, no fire came out from him. Instead, a piece of a broken millstone came down from a woman of Thebez and dealt him a death-blow. The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing... Jotham's parable not only contained a prophecy but a curse, which was fulfilled.

The olive had its richness, which honoured both God and man. The fig tree had its sweetness and good fruit. The vine had its wine which cheered God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns showed the curse resting on the plant world as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

Man's heart tends to make another king than God and to put leaders in His place. This destroys the purpose for which God gave the olive, the fig and the vine — His various gifts. But the worthiest are the very ones who will refuse. They will not leave their happy service, their sweetness and their fruit, to go and "wave over" the trees. So kingship comes easily to the thorn-bush. It has nothing to give up, and nothing to give except thorns.

There is utter sarcasm in the phrase "the shadow of the bramble". And fire coming out of the thin straggling weed called the bramble, to burn up the mighty cedars of Lebanon — that is irony at its best.

The spirit of rule is the spirit of service. The moment it passes into rule merely, it passes away from service and fruit-bearing. Get away from fruit-bearing and you get emptiness. That is what you have here. The trees elect a bramble bush to rule them. The bramble's answer is very telling: "If I am to be ruler, then you have either got to bow to me, or fire will come out and burn up all the trees, from the cedar of Lebanon in its height down to the smallest of them." It is rule or ruin.

This is arrogant dictatorship, but Israel had allowed this very thing in the case of Abimelech. He served only his own pride. The cedars' dignity stood far above the bramble. Yet, contemptible as he was in his pride, he would threaten them with destruction from his own person!

What a lesson about what rule is among the people of God! How it searches our hearts... It makes us realise how easy it is to become mere brambles. How easy to seek a place, not at the feet of God's people, but over their heads... Do you want believers to look up to you? Ah, you are a bramble, if you covet that. People look up to those who do not take the place, but who seek to bear precious fruit for God.

In verse 15 we see Jotham as a master of sarcasm and a man of prophetic vision. An element of prophecy appears here. The men of Shechem and others began by putting their trust in the wicked upstart Abimelech. But very soon an evil spirit sprang up between the two parties. It ended in fire from Abimelech consuming the men of Shechem and their tower, and Abimelech himself was destroyed.

But something worse than thorns would come — the fire of God's wrath, which from this side and from that would destroy both king and people.

The reign of the thorn-bush has been all that man has yet seen. His choice of rulers will produce nothing else until the Abimelechs have received their judgment. Then the time of revival will come, with the presence of the Risen One. He was once crowned with the thorn, and now with glory forever.

Jotham then applied this parable in a practical way. Suppose the Shechemites had acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king. Suppose they had truly dealt well with Gideon and his house. Then they would have reason to rejoice in Abimelech. But Jotham reminds them what his father had done. He risked his life fighting for Israel and delivered them from the Midianites.

Of course it is plain that this was not truthful dealing, but deeply wicked. So Jotham adds, "if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem, and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!" God had put this prophecy into Jotham's mouth. It came true only three years later.

Abimelech soon developed a thirst for blood. He went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. How quickly Israel forgot what they owed to Gideon! But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left alive, because he had hidden himself. He was able to bear witness. He went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim — the mount of blessing — and solemnly showed Israel where they stood with the man who had seized the throne.

Man's heart tends to set up some king other than God and to put leaders in His place. This destroys the use and blessing God gave the olive, the fig and the vine — His various gifts. But the worthiest are the very ones who refuse. They will not leave their happy service, their sweetness and their fruit, to go and "wave over" the trees — to flutter in the wind above them.

Oil answers to the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit. By it God and men are honoured. The Israel of God can only know this power while kept completely separate from the nations and their principles. New wine is the joy found in shared fellowship between men and God. It is the highest joy anyone could want, and Israel lost it when they took up the spirit and ways of the nations.

The moment you get away from fruit bearing, you get emptiness, and that is what you have here. The trees elect a bramble bush to rule them. Its answer is very telling: if I am to be ruler, then you have either got to bow to me, or fire will come out and burn up all the trees, from the tall cedar of Lebanon down to the smallest of them. It is rule or ruin.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable — above all when it is a question of God's things.

The lesson of government is the lesson of service, and he rules best who serves best. The real head of the people is the one at their feet serving them. Those who bring them the precious fruits of God's grace — the olive, the fig, the vine — are the ones, and the only ones, whose service rules and leads God's people.

Suppose the Shechemites had acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king. Suppose they had really dealt well with Gideon and his house (v. 16). Then they would have reason to rejoice in Abimelech (v. 19). But in verses 17 and 18 Jotham reminds them that his father had risked his life fighting for Israel, and had delivered them from the Midianites (v. 17). He tells them they had risen against his father's house. They killed 70 of his sons (less one), and made Abimelech king — the son of Gideon's female servant (v. 18).

They are ungrateful to the house of Gideon. War breaks out among them through the leader they set up. Instead of fighting the enemies of God, he only seeks to rule over the people who are now at peace.

We can hardly pass by the tragic end of Gideon's sons — seventy persons, killed on one stone. It seems strange, when we remember the bright beginning to the story of Gideon. But was there not a cause? Sadly, once again we find there surely was a reason for this tragedy. It was Abimelech, "the son of his female servant" (Judges 9:18), who murdered his seventy brothers. We read in Judges 8:30 that Gideon "had many wives." This in itself was not of God. But it made it even less excusable that he should take his female servant as concubine. It was the gratification of this lust that caused the death of all these sons of Gideon.

The sources of his power are plainly that he is half Canaanite, half Israelite, son of Gideon on the one side, though son of the female servant on the other. He is, in this respect, another Ishmael.

Nature's ties are very strong. They are perfectly legitimate before God in their proper place. But when they interfere in the things of God, they become a hindrance and a source of trouble and sorrow. Scripture provides many examples of nature's claims opposing God's will. Abraham wanted Ishmael, the son of the slave woman, to live before Him. God refused his request (Genesis 17:18-19).

He sets himself to exercise authority over the people of God, and to do that he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. Therefore he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. Having cut off all rivals, he goes to Shechem, the town of his mother, the town according to nature.

Righteous retribution follows in due course, since God considers it just "to repay with affliction those who afflict you" (2 Thessalonians 1:6). Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham had said... God had decreed his destruction. While Abimelech was fighting against the tower of Thebez, with victory all but sure, a woman threw a piece of millstone down on his head and broke his skull... "Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 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" (Judges 9:56-57).

Suppose the Shechemites had acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king. Suppose they had really dealt well with Gideon and his house (v. 16). Then they would have reason to rejoice in Abimelech (v. 19). But in verses 17 and 18 Jotham reminds them what really happened. His father had risked his life fighting for Israel and delivered them from the Midianites (v. 17). Then they turned on his father's house. They killed seventy of his sons, all but one, and made Abimelech king — and Abimelech was the son of Gideon's slave woman (v. 18).

Clearly their dealing was not truthful. It was grossly wicked. So Jotham adds that if not, fire should come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem, and fire from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo should devour Abimelech (v. 20). God had put this prophecy into Jotham's mouth, and it came true only three years later.

In verse 15 we see Jotham as a master of sarcasm and a man of prophetic vision. The shadow of a bramble! In the heat of Palestine you could hardly imagine anything less protective. And the bramble invited them to trust in that shade — or else be devoured! The cedars of Lebanon were to fall before the bramble's fire!

The human heart tends to set up some other king than God. It puts leaders in His place. So it destroys the use and blessing that God gave the olive, the fig, the vine and all His various gifts. But the worthiest are the very ones who refuse. They will not leave their happy service, their sweetness and their fruit just to "wave over" the other trees — to flutter in the wind above them. So kingship comes easily to the thorn-bush. It has to give up nothing, and it has nothing to give but thorns.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who paid Abimelech back for his wickedness. It was God who brought all the evil of the men of Shechem down on their own heads. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

What a lesson as to what rule is amongst the people of God! How it searches our hearts as we think of it! It shows us how easy it is to become mere brambles — to seek a place over the heads of God's people instead of at their feet. The one who rules is the one who does as Christ did and serves among them. Do you want God's people to look up to you? Ah, you are a bramble, if you covet that. The people others look up to are those who do not take the place. They are seeking to bear precious fruit for God, and for the blessing of His people.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree of which Jotham spoke in contrast to the useless bramble. Yes, all His people's need is found in Him.

If this was truthful and sincere dealing, then let them rejoice in Abimelech. And let him rejoice in the people of Shechem (v. 19). Of course it is evident this was not truthful dealing, but grossly wicked. […] This was a prophecy God had put into the mouth of Jotham and it came true only three years later.

The parable concerned four "trees": the olive, fig, vine and the bramble, or thorn-bush. The trees invited each one in turn to be their king. The olive had its fatness whereby both God and man were honoured. The fig tree had its sweetness and good fruit. The vine had its wine which cheered God and man. Each had their own place in the scheme of creation and had no wish to be other than they were. The bramble had neither beauty nor usefulness. It was known mainly for its thorns. Those thorns displayed the curse resting on the plant creation as the fruit of man's sin, according to Genesis 3:18. It was quite willing to accept promotion and lord it over others.

The spirit of rule is the spirit of service. The moment it passes into that of rule merely, it passes away from that of service and of fruit bearing. The moment you get away from fruit bearing, you get emptiness, and that is what you have here. The trees elect a bramble bush to rule them. Its answer is very significant. If I am to be ruler, you must either bow to me, or fire will come out and burn up all the trees — from the cedar of Lebanon in its height down to the smallest of them. It is rule or ruin.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham prophesied. Gaal the son of Ebed won the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He made them curse Abimelech and rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo. At first he appeared to carry all before him. But God had decreed his destruction. While he was fighting against the tower of Thebez, with the final victory all but sure, "a certain woman cast a piece of millstone upon Abimelech's head" and crushed his skull. God is not restricted to means.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. […] God it was who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was who paid back the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous. The modern teaching of these later days has produced a weak, watered-down religion. It flinches at the bare idea of God exercising His holy government in carrying out justice. He goes on carrying it out all the same.

What a lesson this is about rule among the people of God! How it searches our hearts. How it makes us realise how easy it is to become mere brambles, and to seek a place over God's people instead of at their feet. […] Do you want people to look up to you? Ah, you are a bramble, if you covet that. The people who are looked up to are those who do not take the place, but who are seeking to bear precious fruit for God.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree of which Jotham spoke, in contrast to the useless bramble. Yes, all His people's need is found in Him.

This was a prophecy God had put into the mouth of Jotham and it was fulfilled only three years later. But Jotham then ran away, going to Beer to live at a distance from his cruel brother (v. 21).

Jotham ("Jehovah is perfect") bears in his name the character of a true witness.

Of course, Abimelech's way has to be cleared by wiping out Jerubbaal's true successors. Even so, a remnant escapes into hiding at Beer, the "well" — a good place for God's refugees. That remnant is Jotham, who is still able to make his testimony against the usurper heard.

Now look at the contrast with Jotham. He cannot join in all this conflict and strife, so he flees to Beer and lives there. Beer means "a well," and he lives by the well, while the people of God carry on their ugly quarrel over authority. He drinks from the fountain of the word of God. That is the only place nourishment and refreshment come from.

For example, bishops have fought with bishops, and pope with pope, over whose claim to first place should be allowed. While they did, the saints of God have been glad to withdraw into the quiet of the word of God. There they drink from a stream of life and love infinitely better than all the Abimelechs in the world. Like fruitful branches growing by the well, they have had something even for those in need; the branches hang over the wall.

He went to Beer and lived there. That is "the well of which the LORD said to Moses, 'Gather the people together, so that I may give them water,'" the well Israel celebrated in a song (Num. 21:16-18). So it is with the faithful witnesses. The Christian world around them is already ripe for judgment, and they withdraw to Beer, the true gathering point. That is where the fountain of living water is (compare Jer. 2:13). It is the place of songs and praises too.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham had prophesied… But God had decreed his destruction. Abimelech was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and final victory looked all but sure. Then "a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted to particular means… "Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 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" (Judges 9:56-57).

Disobedience produces its fruit, and now you find Abimelech, son of Gideon, rising up to take the place of his father... He rises as king. Someone gave him his name — perhaps his mother, to show his link to the great man of Israel and to cover the shame of his birth. The name shows how the subtle spirit was at work, whether it found expression or not: "My father was king." That is the very thing his father was not. His father refused to be king, and said God alone should be their king. And yet here is the son who declares that his father was king. What is more, he declares in the strongest way that his son also is going to be king.

The wretched Abimelech was not a judge. He sought a still higher position: he had himself proclaimed king (v. 6). Among the people he took the title used by those who rule over the nations. By claiming this title openly (v. 2), he acted in the opposite way to a judge whom God had raised up. To seize this place, he used purely human methods.

Then a small segment of Israel's population, the people of Shechem and of Beth Millo, gathered together and made Abimelech king. There appeared to be no energy on the part of the other tribes to resist this arrogant seizing of authority. It may be that most just ignored him, for nothing is said of his even attempting to attract the other tribes to him. Yet he was considered king over all Israel (v. 22).

Abimelech's rule lasted only three years. It was truly a matter of man ruling man to his hurt. God could not bless a kingdom set up in such a way. Both Abimelech and the men of Shechem had left Him out of their calculations. Both came to a tragic end. Today men do likewise. They too will find that God will not be mocked.

After Abimelech had reigned only three years, God stepped in. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended both them and Abimelech to suffer the consequences of working together in wickedness.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought back on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask, in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

Let us not be seeking a place. Let us not be like Abimelech, wanting to step into the empty chair of the leader before him, the place his father had refused... wherever people think that certain ones are rulers, and will stay rulers despite anything in themselves or in the saints, be sure it is the bramble — a plant with no fruit for God.

The glory of the LORD and the blessing of His people were not before him; he wanted to exalt himself — he would be king... Now the Lord has declared that "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Abimelech proved that word true, and so will the evil figure he foreshadows in the future.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in and changed how the men of Shechem felt about him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God meant both they and Abimelech to suffer for the wickedness they had shared in (vv. 23-24). They had made Abimelech king, but they felt no loyalty to him, so they were ready to pull him down.

Evil as well as good has its commission from God — not its existence, but its liberty to act, and the limits of its action. So we see in Job in early times, and in Ahab's case later; and what a comfort it is to know this. Nothing can escape from the divine government by the fact or admission of its being evil. How should it? Only in this way can we be at peace, assured that no waves can rise higher than the footstool of His throne.

But let me add this. A "messenger of Satan" may be sent out from the presence of God against either the flesh or the heart of man. An evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and a lying spirit came upon the prophets of Ahab. 1 Sam. 16; 1 Kings 22. The Lord was beginning solemn acts of judgment. So He sent these messengers of Satan against the hearts of those who were justly under judgment. But other messengers of Satan reach only the body or the circumstances, as in the case of Paul and of Job. And this is only discipline, not judgment.

Treasure taken from the house of a false god kept this man in power. That silver did the devil's work. Baal's treasure took the place of Jehovah's power. It gave him the means to persecute and cut off the offspring of faith, the family of God (v. 5).

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Internal quarrels, treacheries, struggles for power — these were the troubles that shook the camp of Israel once the testimony of God had left it. It became a scene of sorrow, of slaughter, and of hatred. But Jehovah, in His grace, made a ray of light shine in the middle of the darkness. He does not leave Himself without testimony... And should there be, as here, only a single witness left for God in this world, may we be that one.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had helped in the wicked murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's wrath praise the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go further, God held back the rest of his wrath. God brought on him the miserable destruction he fully deserved.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But when a man uses anything of the sort for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap: if he sows to the flesh, of the flesh he reaps corruption.

Money taken from the house of a false god supported this man's influence. The usurper appealed to the pockets of the people, and did not despise the unholy source the money came from. This silver did the devil's work. Baal's treasure took the place of Jehovah's power. It gave the usurper the means to persecute and cut off the descendants of faith, the family of God.

After Abimelech had reigned only three years, God stepped in. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech… But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of working together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, but had no sense of loyalty to him, so were willing to remove him.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the anger of Abimelech serve the justice of divine retribution. But when he tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his anger. God brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved.

God it was who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous. The teaching of these later days has produced a weak and soft religion. It winces at the bare idea of God using His holy government to carry out justice. He goes on carrying it out all the same.

Righteous retribution follows in due time. God "considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you," and "if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain."… But God had decreed his destruction. Abimelech was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and final victory looked all but certain. Then a woman threw a piece of a millstone on his head and crushed his skull. God is not limited in His means.

"Whatever one sows, that will he also reap." This, however, is not grace but government. Still it is true of a saint as well as of a sinner… I shall never reap the reward of my sins in eternal blessedness, for it is infinite grace. But in the way of righteous government I shall reap the reward of my wrongdoing down here.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in and moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of working together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, but felt no loyalty to him, so were willing to remove him. They put men in ambush against Abimelech, robbing all the people who passed that way. But Abimelech was told about this and of course avoided the danger to himself.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought all their evil back on the heads of the men of Shechem. And we may ask, in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous. Modernist teaching in recent times has produced a weak and soft religiosity. It flinches at the very idea of God exercising His holy government in executing justice. He goes on executing it all the same; and before long we may see further striking displays of it.

If this was truthful and sincere dealing, then let them rejoice in Abimelech and let him rejoice in the people of Shechem. Of course it is clear this was not truthful dealing, but grossly wicked. So Jotham adds, "But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech." God had put this prophecy into Jotham's mouth, and it came true only three years later. But Jotham then ran away, going to Beer to live at a distance from his cruel brother.

He sets himself to exercise authority over the people of God, and to do so he builds his throne on violence. There must be violence if there is rule of that kind; if there is the rule of man, it must be by violence. So he kills all his brothers, all the many sons of Gideon, with a single exception. Having cut off all rivals this way, he goes to Shechem, his mother's town, the town according to nature.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. There were internal quarrels, treacheries, and struggles for supremacy. Harvests ended in drunken celebration, and drunkenness vented itself in curses. Then came the ambition of Gaal, the schemes of Ebed, the cunning of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. Such were the troubling elements that disturbed the camp of Israel when the testimony of God had left it. It became a scene of sorrow, of slaughter, and of hatred. But the Lord, in His grace, caused a ray of light to shine in the darkness. He does not leave Himself without testimony. We may say this again with confidence as we pass through difficult times.

Another man, Gaal, the son of Ebed, was ready to take advantage of the situation. He came to Shechem and won over the confidence of the Shechemites. He was a similar character to Abimelech, aspiring to have all authority in his hands. To celebrate the promotion of Gaal, the people gathered grapes from their vineyards and pressed out the juice. They went into the house of their idol, eating and drinking and cursing Abimelech. Such is the folly of men of the world.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in and moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended both them and Abimelech to suffer the consequences of their shared wickedness.

God it was, who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was, who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable. That is especially true when it is a question of God's things.

Men must have a leader. How ready they are to follow any upstart who can promise enough good times to come! And how constantly disappointed and deceived they are by those they follow. That must be the experience of all through life. It lasts until they find and follow the true Leader, the One whom God has appointed to be the Shepherd and Leader of men.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham prophesied. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He led them to curse Abimelech and to rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo, and at first he seemed to be winning everything.

Take Abimelech as a short picture of the rise and downfall of the power of Rome in Christendom. Then we may perhaps see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred of "servitude" — which is indeed the translation of his name. That loathing drives the nations to throw off their allegiance to the man they first lifted into power.

He is overcome. Abimelech and his officer Zebul are victorious.

Internal quarrels, betrayals, struggles for supremacy. Grape harvests that end in drunken hilarity, and drunkenness spilling over into curses. The ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the unsettling elements that troubled the camp of Israel, once the testimony of God had left it.

Israel had once again lapsed into idolatry, and taken Baal-berith to be their god. The words mean "lord of the covenant." That may simply mean "covenant-lord," and it may mean more. The worship of Baal was at least a sign of covenant with the Canaanites, whose god he was. The history here gives clear proof of alliance with the pagan nations. Baal-worship and mixing with the Canaanites are found at their worst in the story of crime and bloodshed that follows here.

The vine said: "Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" New wine is the joy found in the shared communion of men with God. Israel lost that joy — the highest joy anyone could desire — when they adopted the spirit and ways of the nations.

Abimelech was successful. The evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Internal quarrels, betrayals, struggles for supremacy; grape harvests that produced drunken hilarity; drunkenness finding its outlet in curses. Then the ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. Such were the disturbing elements which troubled the camp of Israel, once the testimony of God had left it.

To celebrate the promotion of Gaal, the people gathered grapes from their vineyards, pressed out the juice and went into the house of their idol, eating and drinking and cursing Abimelech. Such is the folly of men of the world.

Long before, Moses had decreed that six tribes should stand on Mount Ebal to curse, and six on Mount Gerizim to bless. Joshua remembered this when the people entered Canaan. But since then Israel had morally chosen Ebal, the place of cursing. Jotham chose Gerizim, the place of blessing, and he stood there alone.

After Abimelech had reigned only three years, God intervened by moving the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer for joining together in wickedness.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham prophesied. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous men of Shechem. He led them to curse Abimelech and to rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king in turn, to devour them and the house of Millo.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable. That is true above all when it is a question of God's things.

Gaal could then be very bold in asking, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him?" (v. 28). This is only a case of one broken piece of pottery quarrelling with another. The proud words fall from his lips: "If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech" (v. 29). Then he sent a message for Abimelech to build up his army and come out to battle.

Prince of the Hivites and father of Shechem. Jacob bought a piece of ground from his family, and Joseph was buried in it. Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32; Judges 9:28. He is called Emmor in Acts 7:16. Simeon and Levi killed him with the sword, along with Shechem and all the males of the city, to avenge their sister Dinah.

We may perhaps see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred of "servitude." That is in fact the translation of his name. It stirs the nations to throw off their allegiance to the very man they first lifted into power. No wonder the descendants of the "wild ass" (Hamor) rebel against so harsh a yoke as the one they had put their own necks into! But escaping from it is another matter. It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez.

Zebul was ready to distract him, and told him he was only seeing the shadows of the mountains as if they were men. But Gaal kept watching, and insisted there were two companies of people coming from different directions (v. 37). Then Zebul taunted Gaal with the reminder of his own words, "Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised (v. 28). Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal had to gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself; he could do nothing else.

Abimelech was successful. The evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Once the testimony of God had left the camp of Israel, unsettling elements troubled it. There were internal quarrels, betrayals, and struggles for supremacy. Grape harvests produced drunken merriment, and drunkenness vented itself in curses. There was the ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, and the violence of Abimelech.

He does not leave Himself without testimony. We can say this again with confidence as we pass through difficult times. And if there is, as here, only a single witness left for God in this world, may we be that one — that despised Jotham, the last of all, but standing firm for God.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable, Judges 9 — and especially when it is a question of God's things.

Another man, Gaal, the son of Ebed, was ready to take advantage of the situation, and coming to Shechem, won over the confidence of the Shechemites. He was a similar character to Abimelech, aspiring to have all authority in his hands. To celebrate the promotion of Gaal, the people gathered grapes from their vineyards and pressed out the juice. They went into the house of their idol, eating and drinking and cursing Abimelech. Such is the folly of men of the world.

Gaal could then be very bold in asking, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him?" (v. 28). This is only a case of one broken piece of pottery fighting with another, and the proud words fall from his lips: "Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech" (v. 29). Then he issued a message for Abimelech to increase his army and come out to battle.

We may perhaps see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred by "servitude." That is in fact what his name means. It is what stirs the nations to throw off their loyalty to the man they themselves first lifted into power. No wonder the descendants of Hamor — whose name means "wild ass" — rebel against so harsh a yoke, when they put their own necks into it. But escaping it is another matter.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in and moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the results of joining together in wickedness.

Then Zebul taunted Gaal by reminding him of his own words: "Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal must gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

The men of Shechem receive a rival to Abimelech. They receive him in a half-hearted way, and then thrust him out to meet Abimelech, who puts him to flight.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. There were quarrels within, betrayals and struggles for the top place. There were grape harvests that ended in drunken laughter, and drunkenness that poured itself out in curses. There was the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the troubles that disturbed the camp of Israel, once the testimony of God had left it.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree of which Jotham spoke in contrast to the useless bramble. Yes, all His people's need is found in Him.

Gaal then could be very bold in questioning, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?" (v. 28). This is only a case of one piece of broken pottery from the earth fighting with another, and the proud words fall from his lips: "If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech" (v. 29). Then he issued a message for Abimelech to increase his army and come out to battle.

Take Abimelech as a short picture of the rise and ruin of Rome's power in Christendom. Then perhaps we may see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred by "servitude" — which is in fact what his name means. That loathing stirs the nations to throw off their loyalty to the very man they first lifted into power.

Governor of Shechem for Abimelech while the latter was absent. Judges 9:28-41.

However, Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathize with Gaal, though he had evidently kept quiet. He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech to warn him of what Gaal was doing (vv. 30-31). He advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack the city in the morning (vv. 32-33).

Quarrels at home, betrayals, struggles for the top place, grape harvests that ended in drunken merrymaking, drunkenness that poured itself out in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech — these were the troubles that disturbed the camp of Israel once the testimony of God had left it. It became a scene of sorrow, of slaughter, and of hatred. But Jehovah, in His grace, caused a ray of light to shine in the darkness. He does not leave Himself without testimony.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who paid back the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But when anyone uses such a thing for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If there is anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in and moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proved too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of joining together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, yet felt no loyalty to him, so they were willing to remove him.

However, Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathize with Gaal, though he had clearly kept quiet. He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech to warn him of what Gaal was doing. He also advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack in the morning. Abimelech acted on this advice, having all his army ready for a surprise attack on Gaal and his men.

Zebul was ready to distract him, and told him he was only seeing the shadows of the mountain as if they were men. But Gaal was now watching closely. He insisted that two companies of people were coming from different directions. Then Zebul taunted Gaal by reminding him of his own words: "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" These, he said, were the very people Gaal had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was.

In Gaal, the son of Ebed, we may perhaps see the "loathing" bred of "servitude" — that is exactly what his name means. It is a loathing that stirs the nations to throw off their allegiance to the very man they first lifted into power... And Zebul, whose character all through is craft, is Abimelech's officer to keep the city obedient. He may easily stand for the appearance of holiness that a power like Rome knows so well how to use when it enforces its claims.

In the Old Testament Scriptures the Spirit of God has drawn our attention to several men who clearly foreshadow the coming man of sin. Among them Abimelech the son of Gideon holds a solemn place.

Quarrels at home, betrayals, fights for the top place, grape harvests that ended in drunken laughter, drunkenness that poured itself out in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the troubles that disturbed the camp of Israel once the testimony of God had left it.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who paid Abimelech back for his own wickedness. It was God who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

However, Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathise with Gaal, though he had evidently kept quiet. He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, warning him of what Gaal was doing (vv. 30-31). He advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack in the morning (vv. 32-33). Abimelech acted on this advice, having all his army ready for a surprise attack on Gaal and his men.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God intervened. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of working together in wickedness (vv. 23-24).

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who paid back the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

We may perhaps see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred of "servitude" — which is exactly what his name means. That loathing stirs the nations to throw off their loyalty to the man they themselves first lifted into power… Zebul shows craft all the way through. He is Abimelech's officer, there to keep the city obedient.

Internal quarrels, treacheries, struggles for supremacy. Grape harvests that ended in drunken partying, and drunkenness that spilled over into cursing. The ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the disturbing elements that troubled the camp of Israel, once God's testimony had left it.

Just as Jotham prophesied, fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He made them curse Abimelech and rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo. At first he seemed to carry all before him. But God had decreed his destruction. He was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and the final victory looked all but sure, when a woman threw a piece of millstone down on his head and crushed his skull.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly, and teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable, Judges 9 — and especially so when it is a question of God's things.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail.

However, Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathise with Gaal, though he had evidently kept quiet. He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech to warn him of what Gaal was doing (vv. 30-31). He advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack the city in the morning (vv. 32-33). Abimelech acted on this advice, having all his army ready for a surprise attack on Gaal and his men.

Early in the morning Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. He said to Zebul, who was with him, "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul was ready to put him off. He told him he saw only the shadows of the mountain, as if they were men. But Gaal was watching closely now. He insisted that two companies of people were coming from different directions. Then Zebul taunted Gaal with the reminder of his words, "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" ... Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal must gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

Abimelech had reigned only three years when God stepped in. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of joining together in wickedness (vv. 23-24). They had made Abimelech king, but they felt no loyalty to him, so they were willing to remove him from power.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to chastise them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's wrath praise the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his wrath. He brought on him the miserable destruction which he so richly deserved. Jotham's parable contained not only a prophecy but a curse — and that curse came true.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Once the testimony of God had left the camp of Israel, unsettling things troubled it. There were internal quarrels, treacheries and struggles for supremacy. There were grape harvests that ended in drunken laughter, and drunkenness venting itself in curses. There was the ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul and the violence of Abimelech... And if only a single witness is left for God in this world, as here, may we be that one. May we be like that despised Jotham — the last of all, but standing firm for God.

Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathise with Gaal, though he had clearly kept quiet. He sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, warning him of what Gaal was doing (vv. 30-31). He advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack in the morning (vv. 32-33). Abimelech acted on this advice, having all his army ready for a surprise attack on Gaal and his men.

Abimelech had reigned only three years when God intervened. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the consequences of collusion in wickedness (vv. 23-24). They had made Abimelech king, but had no sense of loyalty to him, so were willing to depose him.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. God it was who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem as Jotham prophesied, to devour Abimelech. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He made them curse Abimelech and rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo, and at first he appeared to carry everything before him. But God had decided on his destruction.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Internal quarrels, betrayals, struggles for supremacy. Grape harvests that ended in drunken excitement, and drunkenness venting itself in curses. The ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the disturbing forces that troubled the camp of Israel once the testimony of God had left it.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anything of that sort is used for self and not for God, bitter disappointment must follow. If there is anything in his history more striking than the rest, it is how solemnly God repaid him. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

Let us not be seeking a position. Let us not be like Abimelech, wanting to step into the empty chair of some predecessor — a chair his father had actually refused.

Early in the morning Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate, and he said to Zebul who was with him, "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul was ready to divert him, and told him he saw only the shadows of the mountain as if they were men. But Gaal was now intent on watching, and insisted that there were two companies of people coming from different directions.

Zebul taunted Gaal with his own words: "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal must gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

Gates protected a city, but "in the gate" was also the place where people settled many important matters. When Boaz wanted the question of Ruth and the inheritance settled, he went up to the gate. There he debated the matter with a nearer relative, then closed it, with the elders as witnesses. To "sit in the gate" was a place of honour... It should have been the place of true judgement and justice, but was not always so.

Abimelech had reigned only three years when God stepped in. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should pay for working together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, but felt no loyalty to him, so they were willing to remove him. They set men in ambush against Abimelech and robbed everyone who passed that way.

Righteous retribution follows in due course, for "God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you." Fire came out from the men of Shechem as Jotham prophesied, to devour Abimelech; Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites and caused them to curse Abimelech and to rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them, and at first he appeared to be winning everything. But God had decreed his destruction.

In Gaal, the son of Ebed, we may perhaps see the "loathing" bred of "servitude." That is indeed the translation of his name. It is what drives the nations to throw off their allegiance to the man they first lifted into power. The descendants of Hamor — whose name means "wild ass" — may well rebel against so harsh a yoke, when they put their own necks into it! But escaping it is another matter.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable. That is true above all when God's things are at stake.

Early in the morning Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. He told Zebul that people were coming down from the tops of the mountains. Zebul was ready to divert him, and told him he saw only the shadows of the mountain as if they were men. But Gaal was now intent on watching, and insisted that there were two companies of people coming from different directions.

Gaal then could be very bold in questioning, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?" This is only one piece of broken pottery fighting with another. The proud words fall from his lips, "If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech." Then he issued a message for Abimelech to increase his army and come out to battle.

Then Zebul taunted Gaal with the reminder of his words, "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal must gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

We may perhaps see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred of "servitude." That is indeed the translation of his name. Such loathing drives people to throw off their loyalty to the very man they first lifted into power. But breaking free is another matter. Zebul, whose character throughout is that of craft, is Abimelech's officer to keep the city in obedience.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Internal quarrels, treacheries and struggles for supremacy troubled the camp of Israel when the testimony of God had left it. So did grape harvests that ended in drunken hilarity, and drunkenness venting itself in curses. So did the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul and the violence of Abimelech. It became a scene of sorrow, of slaughter, and of hatred; but the Lord, in His grace, caused a ray of light to shine in the darkness. He does not leave Himself without testimony, and we may say that with confidence as we pass through difficult times. Even if only one witness is left for God in this world, may we be that one — that despised Jotham, the last of all, but standing firm for God.

The men of Shechem receive a rival to Abimelech. They receive him in a half-hearted way, and then thrust him out to meet Abimelech, who puts him to flight. The men of Shechem are still at enmity with Abimelech, so he comes into open conflict with them and overthrows them.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem as Jotham prophesied, to devour Abimelech. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He caused them to curse Abimelech and rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo. At first he seemed to carry everything before him. But God had decreed his destruction.

Early in the morning Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. He said to Zebul, who was with him, "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!" Zebul was ready to distract him. He told Gaal that he saw only the shadows of the mountain, which looked like men. But Gaal was watching closely now. He insisted that two companies of people were coming from different directions.

Not the 'plain' but the 'oak' of Meonenim, that is, the Enchanter's Oak, or 'the regarders of times,' as the margin note puts it.

An observer of times had his lucky and unlucky days. Nothing could be started without asking the gods first… Others read omens for the same purpose: to find out the will of their god. Their answers came from thunder, lightning, the clouds, the flight of birds, or the appearance of certain birds.

Gaal could then be very bold in asking, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?" This is only a case of one piece of broken pottery from the earth fighting with another. The proud words fall from his lips: "If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech." Then he issued a message for Abimelech to increase his army and come out to battle.

Then Zebul taunted Gaal by reminding him of his own words: "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal had to gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

Abimelech was successful; the evil spirit triumphed, but it will never be a spirit of peace among men. Quarrels within, betrayals, and struggles for power troubled the camp of Israel. Grape harvests ended in drunken laughter, and drunkenness poured itself out in curses. Then there was the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the cunning of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech. These were the things that disturbed the camp once the testimony of God had left it.

God it was, who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was, who rendered again the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who rendered upon the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

Then there is the revolt of Gaal (loathing), the son of Ebed (servitude), and he opposed Abimelech. Something similar happened in the Christian world. Because Rome ruled in a domineering way, people revolted against her. They tried to overthrow the church power that oppressed them. But Gaal's attempt fails. He is overcome. Abimelech and his officer Zebul are victorious.

Zebul was ready to put Gaal off, and told him he was only seeing the shadows of the mountain, as if they were men. But Gaal was watching closely now. He insisted that two companies of men were coming from different directions. Then Zebul taunted Gaal by reminding him of his own words, "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. They were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal had to gather his army at short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

Gaal could then be very bold in asking, "Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?" This is only a case of one potsherd of the earth striving with another. The proud words fall from his lips: "If only this people were under my authority! Then I would remove Abimelech." Then he sent a message telling Abimelech to build up his army and come out to battle.

Another man, Gaal the son of Ebed, was ready to take advantage of the situation. He came to Shechem and won over the confidence of the Shechemites. He was a similar character to Abimelech, aspiring to have all authority in his hands. To celebrate Gaal's promotion, the people gathered grapes from their vineyards and pressed out the juice. Then they went into the house of their idol, eating and drinking and cursing Abimelech. Such is the folly of men of the world.

Perhaps we may see in Gaal, the son of Ebed, the "loathing" bred of "servitude." That is in fact the translation of his name. It is this loathing that stirs the nations to throw off their loyalty to the man they first lifted into power. No wonder the descendants of the "wild ass" (Hamor) rebel against a yoke as harsh as the one they had put their own necks into! But escaping from it is another matter. Zebul, whose character all through is craft, is Abimelech's officer, there to keep the city in obedience.

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God stepped in, moving the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward him. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer the results of working together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, but they had no loyalty to him. So they were willing to remove him.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham prophesied. Gaal the son of Ebed gained the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He caused them to curse Abimelech and to rebel against him. So fire comes out from the false king in turn, to devour them and the house of Millo. At first he seemed to sweep everything before him. But God had decreed his destruction.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable — and to beware most of all when it is a question of God's things.

Then Zebul taunted Gaal with the reminder of his words, "Who is Abimelech... that we should serve him?" He told him these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal must gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself: he could do nothing else.

Another man, Gaal, the son of Ebed, was ready to take advantage of the situation, and coming to Shechem, won over the confidence of the Shechemites. He was a similar character to Abimelech, aspiring to have all authority in his hands.

This is only a case of one piece of broken pottery fighting with another, and the proud words fall from his lips, "Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech."

However, Zebul, the ruler of the city, did not sympathize with Gaal, though he had clearly kept quiet. He sent secret messengers to Abimelech to warn him of what Gaal was doing. He advised him to take his army by night and wait in the field outside the city, ready to attack the city in the morning.

Zebul's character throughout is one of craft, and he is Abimelech's officer, there to keep the city in obedience. He may well represent the show of holiness that a power like Rome knows so well how to use when it enforces its claims.

The cedars of Lebanon were to fall before the bramble's fire! In saying that, an element of prophecy appears. The men of Shechem and others began by putting their trust in the wicked upstart Abimelech. But very soon an evil spirit sprang up between the two parties. It ended in fire from Abimelech consuming the men of Shechem and their tower, and in the destruction of Abimelech himself.

God it was, who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was, who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. God, who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous.

These were the things that troubled the camp of Israel when the testimony of God had left it: internal quarrels, treacheries, struggles for power, grape harvests that ended in drunken laughter, drunkenness finding its outlet in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech... And if there is, as here, only a single witness left for God in this world, may we be that one. May we be that despised Jotham — the last of all, but standing firm for God.

Zebul taunted Gaal by reminding him of his own words: "Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?" He told him that these were the very people he had despised. Now they were ready to fight before Gaal was, and Gaal had to gather his army on short notice. But he had committed himself. He could do nothing else.

Abimelech had the stronger army and the advantage of surprise. He crushed Gaal's followers, and many fell wounded. But at this point Abimelech withdrew to Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. This was in fact better for Gaal, since he would probably have been killed if he had stayed in Shechem. Nothing more is said about what happened to him after this.

In Gaal, the son of Ebed, we may perhaps see the "loathing" bred by "servitude" — that is in fact what his name means. It is this loathing that stirs the nations to throw off their loyalty to the very one they first lifted into power. No wonder the descendants of the "wild ass" rebel against a yoke as harsh as the one they had put their own necks into! But escaping from it is another matter.

Fire came out from the men of Shechem to devour Abimelech, just as Jotham prophesied. Gaal the son of Ebed won the confidence of the treacherous Shechemites. He made them curse Abimelech and rebel against him. So fire comes out in turn from the false king, to devour them and the house of Millo. At first he seemed to carry all before him. But God had decreed his destruction.

The power that makes Abimelech is not the power that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought all their evil back on the heads of the men of Shechem. And we may ask, in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" Indeed He is not. He is very righteous.

Quarrels among themselves, betrayals, struggles for the top place, grape harvests that ended in drunken partying, drunkenness that poured itself out in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the advice of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech — these were the troubles that disturbed the camp of Israel, once the testimony of God had left it... And if only a single witness is left for God in this world, as here, may we be that one.

Abimelech's army was stronger, and it had the element of surprise. It crushed the followers of Gaal, and many fell wounded. But at this time Abimelech withdrew to Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers from Shechem. Actually, it was better for Gaal that they did this, for he likely would have been killed if remaining in Shechem. The account says nothing, though, about what happened to him after this.

City or district apparently near Shechem, the home of Abimelech. Judges 9:41.

The details show us how this prophecy of Jotham's came true to the very letter. Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and consumes Abimelech, and fire comes out from Abimelech and consumes the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem receive a rival to Abimelech. They receive him in a half-hearted way, and then thrust him out to meet Abimelech, who puts him to flight. The men of Shechem are still at enmity with Abimelech, and he is put into open conflict with them, and overthrows them.

Then there is the revolt of Gaal (loathing), the son of Ebed (servitude), and he opposed Abimelech. Something similar happened later in the Christian world. Rome ruled in a domineering way, and people revolted against her. They tried to overthrow this church oppressor. But Gaal's attempt fails. He is overcome. Abimelech and his officer Zebul are victorious. The revolt has failed.

The story is told with such full detail that there is much more in it than the affairs of one small Israelite city; yet the commentators treat it as little more than that. Nor can we expect full light on it all at once... Zebul's character all through is craft, and he is Abimelech's officer, there to keep the city obedient. He may easily stand for the apparent holiness that a power like Rome knows so well how to use to enforce its claims.

Abimelech had not yet captured the city of Shechem. For some reason people were coming out of it the next day. He heard this and approached the city with three companies, lying in wait... All that day Abimelech fought against the city. He took it and tore it down. He sowed it with salt, so that nothing fruitful would grow there. He had told the Shechemites before that he was their flesh and blood, and had won their support. Now he has no hesitation in destroying his own flesh and blood!

Accordingly fire comes out from the false king to devour them and the house of Millo, and he seemed at first to carry all before him. But God had decreed his destruction.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God used Abimelech's anger to display the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his anger. God brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved.

The city of Shechem had not yet fallen, and for some reason people were coming out of it the next day. Abimelech heard this (v. 42) and with three companies approached the city, lying in wait. When he saw people coming out of the city he attacked. One company took the city gate. The other companies destroyed those who had come out (vv. 43-44). Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He overcame it and tore it down, and sowed it with salt so that nothing useful would grow there (v. 45). Earlier he had told the people of Shechem that he was their own flesh and blood (v. 2), and so won their support. Now he has no hesitation in destroying his own flesh and blood!

In Judges 8 we saw the people of Israel wanting to hand authority to their leader. Here a wolf takes the Shepherd's place and grabs the flock to eat it... He used the brothers of his mother, who was Gideon's concubine, to win over the men of Shechem by posing as their brother. They trusted this traitor. Their moral state was so low that they even forgot the bond that tied them to all Israel, and said of Abimelech: "He is our brother." For them, brotherhood had lost its true meaning. It had become only a label for one party.

After Abimelech had reigned only three years, God intervened by moving the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the man's arrogance had become too much for them. But God meant both them and Abimelech to suffer the consequences of joining together in wickedness (vv. 23-24).

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who paid Abimelech back for his wickedness. It was God who brought all their evil back on the heads of the men of Shechem. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance?" No, He is not. He is very righteous.

...the details show us how this prophecy of Jotham's came true to the very letter. Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and burns up Abimelech. Fire comes out from Abimelech and burns up the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem take in a rival to Abimelech. They receive him half-heartedly, then push him out to face Abimelech, who puts him to flight. The men of Shechem are still hostile to Abimelech. He is brought into open conflict with them, and he overthrows them.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's rage show the justice of His own repayment. But when Abimelech tried to go further than that, God held back the rest of his rage and brought on him the miserable destruction he had earned. Jotham's parable held not only a prophecy but a curse, and that curse came true.

The city of Shechem had not been captured, and for some reason people were coming from the city the next day. Abimelech heard this (v. 42). He came near the city with three companies and lay in wait. When he saw people coming out of the city he attacked. One company took the gate of the city, while the other companies destroyed those who had come out (vv. 43-44). He had told the Shechemites before that he was their flesh and blood (v. 2), and so won their support. Now he has no hesitation in destroying his own flesh and blood!

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's wrath show the justice of His retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go further, God held back the rest of his wrath, and brought on him the miserable destruction he fully deserved.

Fire comes out from the false king to devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo, and at first he appeared to carry all before him. But God had decreed his destruction. He was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and the final victory looked all but sure. Then a woman threw a piece of millstone on Abimelech's head and broke his skull. God is not restricted to means. He Who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use the same kind of instrument here, when everything else had failed.

Internal quarrels, treacheries, struggles for power, drunken grape harvests, drunkenness that broke out in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech — these were the things that troubled the camp of Israel. They came in when the testimony of God had left it. It became a scene of sorrow, of slaughter, and of hatred. But Jehovah, in His grace, caused a ray of light to shine in the middle of the darkness.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly, and teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable, Judges 9 — and especially so when it is a question of God's things.

Let us not be seeking a place. Let us not be like Abimelech. He wanted to step into the empty chair of the man before him — a chair his own father had refused. Let us not seek to be Abimelechs in any sense of the word. Whether it is one man or a dozen makes no difference. The principle is the same. Wherever there is a spirit of succession, wherever people think that certain men are rulers and will stay rulers despite anything in themselves or in the saints, you may be sure it is the bramble. It is what has no fruit for God.

The city of Shechem had not been captured, and for some reason people were coming out of the city the next day. Abimelech heard this and with three companies approached the city, lying in wait. When he saw people coming out of the city he attacked. One company occupied the gate of the city. The other companies destroyed those who had come out. All that day Abimelech fought against the city. He overcame it and demolished it, sowing it with salt to make it unfit for bearing fruitful plants. He had told the Shechemites before that he was their flesh and blood, and gained their support. Now he has no hesitation in destroying his own flesh and blood!

Abimelech had reigned only three years. Then God intervened. He moved the men of Shechem to change their attitude toward Abimelech. No doubt the arrogance of the man had proven too much for them. But God intended that both they and Abimelech should suffer for working together in wickedness. They had made Abimelech king, but had no sense of loyalty to him, so were willing to depose him.

I will not go into the details. They are very interesting and profitable reading, and they show us how this prophecy of Jotham's came true to the very letter. Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and consumes Abimelech. Fire comes out from Abimelech and consumes the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem take in a rival to Abimelech. They welcome him half-heartedly, then push him out to meet Abimelech, who puts him to flight. The men of Shechem are still hostile to Abimelech, and he is brought into open conflict with them, and overthrows them. They flee to their tower. He brings branches of these very trees — brings his brother's parable, we might say — sets fire to the door of the tower, and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

God it was who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God it was who paid back the wickedness of Abimelech. God it was who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. ... Modern teaching in these later days has produced a corrupted and soft religion. It flinches at the bare idea of God using His holy government to carry out justice. He goes on carrying it out all the same.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez. In the story in Judges, the millstone is the cause of Abimelech's destruction; yet it is character that brings destruction from God.

Internal quarrels, betrayals, struggles for power, grape harvests that ended in drunken partying, drunkenness that broke out in curses, the ambition of Gaal, the counsels of Ebed, the craft of Zebul, the violence of Abimelech — these were the troubles that disturbed the camp of Israel once the testimony of God had left it. It became a scene of sorrow, slaughter, and hatred. But Jehovah, in His grace, made a ray of light shine in the darkness. He does not leave Himself without testimony.

All that day Abimelech fought against the city, overcame it and demolished it, sowing it with salt to make it unfit for bearing fruitful vegetation (v. 45). He had told the Shechemites before that he was their flesh and blood (v. 2) and won their support. Now he has no hesitation in destroying his own flesh and blood!

It was used in the grain offering, and in other offerings (Lev. 2:13), also in connection with covenants (Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5, etc.); and in judgments (Gen. 14:3; Deut. 29:2; Judges 9:45; Jer. 17:6). These uses powerfully declare the lasting nature of the truth that salt pictures.

In the same way, the Lord declared what would happen if Israel rebelled and fell under the curse. Their whole ground would be brimstone and salt, like the overthrow of Sodom (Deuteronomy 29:23). The New Testament adds the terrible picture of salt that loses its taste. Such salt is no use for the land or for the manure heap, so it is thrown out.

I will not go into the details, though they make very interesting and profitable reading. They show us how Jotham's prophecy came true to the very letter. Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and consumes Abimelech, and fire comes out from Abimelech and consumes the men of Shechem... When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees — the parable of his brother, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But when anyone uses such a thing for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If there is anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of God's retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap: if he sows to the flesh, of the flesh he reaps corruption.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez. Here the millstone reminds us of Babylon's overthrow. In Revelation 18:21 the New Testament takes up the symbol the Old Testament prophet used.

He cannot join in all this conflict and strife, so he flees to Beer and dwells there. Beer is "a well," and he dwells by the well, while the people of God carry on their ugly strife over authority. He drinks from the fountain of the word of God, the only place that gives strength and refreshment.

But the men of the tower of Shechem were clearly not in the city of Shechem. When they heard of Shechem's fall, they gathered in a stronghold inside the temple of an idol, Berith (v. 46). What else could they do, when they had refused God as their stronghold?

As soon as Gideon died, Israel went back to worshipping the Baals as idols, and above all Baal-Berith, which means "lord of the covenant." This shows Israel sinking to a covenant relationship with God that is not God's covenant at all. It is only a promise to serve the Lord that comes from the flesh. God's covenant with Israel was the law of Moses, but false lords promote a counterfeit covenant.

The worship of Baal was at least a sign of a covenant with the Canaanites, whose god he was, and the history here gives clear proof of an alliance with the pagan nations… The Hebrew word used for the "lords" of Shechem is an unusual one, and it keeps coming back (verses 2, 6, 7, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 39, 46, 47, 51). That can hardly be an accident. It probably points to most of them being Canaanites.

Idolatry and the reign of Abimelech go together here, as they do in the later fulfillment this history pictures. And Shechem, the very spot where God proclaimed His law, is now the center of falling away from Him.

The shadow of a bramble! In the heat of Palestine you could hardly imagine anything less protective. And the bramble invited them to trust in that, with the alternative of being devoured!… The men of Shechem and others began by putting their trust in the wicked upstart Abimelech. But very soon an evil spirit sprang up between the two sides, and it ended in fire from Abimelech destroying the men of Shechem and their tower.

Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and consumes Abimelech, and fire comes out from Abimelech and consumes the men of Shechem… When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees. He brings his brother's parable with him, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower, and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anything of that sort is used for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If one thing stands out in his history above all, it is the solemn fact of God's repayment. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

But the men of the tower of Shechem were clearly not in the city of Shechem. When news of Shechem's destruction reached them, they gathered in a stronghold at the temple of an idol, Berith (v. 46). What else could they do when they had refused God as a stronghold? Abimelech heard this and led his men to the location.

Israel had once again fallen into idolatry and taken Baal-berith to be their god. The name means "lord of the covenant"... Worshipping Baal was at the very least a sign of a covenant with the Canaanites, since he was their god. The history here gives clear proof of an alliance with the pagan nations... The word used here for "lords" (baale) is unusual in Hebrew, but is "often found in the Phoenician dialect." The way it keeps coming back in this chapter can hardly be an accident. It probably points to most of these men being Canaanites, and it ties them to the Phoenician Baal-worship of Canaan.

So idolatry and the reign of Abimelech belong together here, just as they do in the larger fulfillment this foreshadows. And Shechem — the very spot where the law of Jehovah was proclaimed — is now the center of the nation's turning away from God.

...they show us how Jotham's prophecy came true to the very letter. Fire comes out from the men of Shechem and consumes Abimelech. Fire comes out from Abimelech and consumes the men of Shechem... When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees. He brings his brother's parable with him, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

In verse 15 we see Jotham as a master of sarcasm and a man of prophetic vision. The shadow of a bramble! In the heat of Palestine you could hardly picture anything that gives less shelter. And the bramble invited them to trust in that, with the alternative of being devoured!... The men of Shechem and others began by putting their trust in the wicked upstart Abimelech. But very soon an evil spirit sprang up between the two sides. It ended with fire from Abimelech destroying the men of Shechem and their tower — and with Abimelech himself destroyed too.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God used Abimelech's anger to display the justice of His own judgment. But when Abimelech tried to go further than that, God held back the rest of his anger. God then brought on him the wretched destruction he so fully deserved. Jotham's parable held not only a prophecy but a curse, and that curse came true.

All of this is told in such full detail that there must be far more in it than the affairs of one small Israelite city. Yet commentators treat it as little more than that. Nor can we expect to gain full light on it all at once.

Salmon is perhaps the same as Mount Zalmon in Judges 9:48, the Hebrew being the same, a wooded mountain near Shechem.

The trees elect a bramble bush to rule them. The bramble's answer is very significant: "If I am to be ruler, then you have either got to bow to me, or fire will come out and burn up all the trees, from the cedar of Lebanon in its height down to the smallest of them." It is rule or ruin.

Abimelech did not only forget his father's example. He deliberately chose the opposite path of proud self-pleasing.

When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees — brings the parable of his brother, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower, and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

When they heard that Shechem had been destroyed they gathered in a stronghold of a temple of an idol, Berith (v. 46). What else could they do when they had refused God as a stronghold? Abimelech heard this and led his men to the location. They cut down branches of trees and used these to set a fire. The fire burned into the stronghold and destroyed it, killing about one thousand men and women.

So the first part of Jotham's parable was fulfilled: fire came out from Abimelech and consumed the men of Shechem (v. 20), those who had made Abimelech king. This was an awesome judgment of the city and the tower of Shechem!

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to chastise them as they deserved. So God made the wrath of Abimelech praise the justice of divine retribution. But when he tried to go beyond this, God restrained the rest of his wrath and brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved.

But the men of the tower of Shechem were evidently not in the city of Shechem. When they heard that Shechem had been destroyed they gathered in a stronghold of a temple of an idol, Berith. What else could they do when they had refused God as a stronghold? Abimelech heard this and led his men to the location. They cut down branches of trees. With these they set a fire that burned into the stronghold and destroyed it, killing about one thousand men and women. So the first part of Jotham's parable was fulfilled: fire came out from Abimelech and consumed the men of Shechem, those who had made Abimelech king.

Israel had once again lapsed into idolatry, and taken Baal-berith to be their god. The words mean "lord of the covenant"... Idolatry and the reign of Abimelech are connected; and Shechem, at the very spot where the law of the Lord was proclaimed, is now the centre of apostasy.

The details show us how this prophecy of Jotham's was fulfilled to the very letter... When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees. He brings his brother's parable, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower, and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

The tendency of man's heart is to make another king than God, and to put leaders in His place. This destroys the use and blessing for which God gives the olive, the fig, the vine, and all His various gifts... Royalty comes naturally to the thorn-bush. It needs to give up nothing, but it has nothing in its gift but thorns. But worse would come than this. The fire of God's wrath would come from this side and from that, and destroy both king and people.

In the case of Abimelech it is seen most clearly... In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But when anything of that sort serves self and not God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If anything in his history stands out above the rest, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's anger serve the justice of divine retribution. But when he tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his anger. He brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved. Jotham's parable contained not only a prophecy but a curse, and it was fulfilled.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anything of the sort is used for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If there is anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

Then Abimelech goes after another man to another city. There he is seeking to do the same thing, to burn out those who had found shelter in the tower. Then a woman's hand with a piece of millstone makes an end of him — weakness using a simple tool of daily labour, the daily humble work of a weak woman. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech, and all his power with him. It is done by the hand of a woman.

But God had decreed his destruction. Abimelech was fighting against the tower of Thebez, with the final victory all but certain, when "a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted to means. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use similar means here, when everything else had proved useless.

Again a woman became the vessel of God's power, and a worthless fragment of a once useful millstone became the instrument.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the anger of Abimelech serve the justice of divine repayment. But when he tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his anger and brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez.

City in Ephraim. Abimelech took it, except for the tower. A piece of a millstone thrown from that tower killed him. So the besieged and the besieger were all punished in their sin.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez. Here the millstone reminds us of Babylon's overthrow. In Revelation 18:21 the New Testament takes up the symbol used by the Old Testament prophet. There Babylon herself is pictured by the millstone, as the hard and merciless grinder of God's wheat. In the story in Judges, the millstone is the cause of Abimelech's destruction. Yet these two things are almost one: it is character that brings destruction from God. And the woman's hand — what is it but the Church of God? Her cries have gone up to God, and in this way she brings the punishment. The millstone and the woman's hand are complementary thoughts that complete the picture.

Abimelech, confident from his victories, then went on to Thebez and took the city. But the people of the city escaped to a strong tower and barred it against him (v. 51). Again Abimelech meant to burn this tower, but he made the mistake of going too close. A woman in the tower (her name unknown) dropped a large millstone from the top of the tower onto Abimelech's head, crushing his skull.

Fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem. But when he thought to do the same to the men of Thebez, no fire came out from him. Instead, a piece of a broken millstone came down from a woman of Thebez and struck him a death-blow. The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the wrath of Abimelech praise the justice of divine retribution. But when he tried to go beyond this, God restrained the rest of his wrath and brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved. Jotham's parable contained not only a prophecy but a curse, which was fulfilled.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anyone uses such a thing for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If there is anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap.

But God had decreed his destruction. He was fighting against the tower of Thebez, with the final victory all but sure, when "a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted to means. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use a similar instrument here, when everything else had proved useless.

A woman's hand with a piece of millstone — weakness using a simple tool of daily work — makes an end of him. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech, and all his power with him.

Jerusalem may yet be rebuilt and fortified so well that people think no one can break in. The sentries may stay on the alert. The city may take every care against attack. But the hardest efforts of human strength and care will be useless unless the Lord keeps the city.

"The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." The Name stands for Jehovah Himself. He is the place of refuge, of shelter, protection and safety for all who in faith turn to Him. In Him is our peace and safety. The Hebrew meaning of "is safe" is "set on high." So if we flee to Him and become His, we are lifted high in Him, seated in Christ in heavenly places.

When they flee to their tower, he brings branches of these very trees. He brings his brother's parable, we might say. He sets fire to the door of the tower, and burns up those who had sided with his rival.

Abimelech, in the confidence of conquest, then went on to Thebez and took the city. But the people of the city escaped to a strong tower and barred it against him (v. 51). Again Abimelech meant to burn this tower down. His mistake was going too close.

But God had decreed his destruction. He was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and the final victory looked all but sure. Then "a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted to means. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use a similar instrument here, when everything else had proved useless.

Abimelech goes after another man, to another city. There he tries to do the same thing: to burn out those who had found shelter in the tower. Then a woman's hand with a piece of millstone makes an end of him — weakness using a simple tool of ordinary daily work, the humble daily work of a weak woman. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech and all his power with him. It is done by the hand of a woman.

Again a woman became the vessel of God's power, and a worthless fragment of a once useful millstone became the instrument.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the anger of Abimelech serve the praise of divine justice. But when he tried to go beyond this, God held back the rest of his anger. God brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved. Jotham's parable contained not only a prophecy but a curse, and that curse came true.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable. That is true above all when it is a question of God's things.

But Abimelech was a forceful man. It looked as if his cruel rule would be fastened even more firmly on Israel's shoulders. Then, all at once, deliverance came. Abimelech had taken Thebez, and the survivors there fled in desperation to a tower. He was about to set the tower on fire and destroy them. Just then a blow struck him down. And how? A woman threw down from the tower a piece of a millstone.

the punishment is often of the same kind as the sin that caused it. Scripture gives many examples of this. Jacob deceived his father when the old man could not see. Later Leah's crafty father deceived Jacob in the dark. Jacob's sons sold their brother Joseph into Egypt, and they themselves had to come into Egypt… Abimelech killed his seventy brothers on one stone. He himself died when a piece of a millstone was thrown on his head… As we sow, so we reap.

Fire came out from Abimelech and destroyed the men of Shechem. He planned to do the same to the men of Thebez. But no fire came out from him this time. Instead a piece of a broken millstone came down from a woman of Thebez and dealt him a death blow… The men of Shechem had shared in the wicked murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the anger of Abimelech serve the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go further, God held back the rest of his anger and brought on him the miserable destruction he fully deserved. Jotham's parable held not only a prophecy but a curse, and that curse came true.

A woman's hand with a piece of millstone makes an end of him. Here is weakness using a simple tool of daily work — the humble daily work of a weak woman. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech and all his power with him. A woman's hand does it.

He could only call quickly to his armour-bearer to kill him with his sword. He did not ask this to escape the pain. He asked it so that people would not say that a woman killed him! (vv. 53-54). Such was the pride of this godless man. Whatever he was thinking, the Lord still used a woman to defeat him. The record gives no reason to admire Abimelech.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez. Here the millstone reminds us of Babylon's overthrow. In Revelation 18:21 the New Testament takes up the same symbol the Old Testament prophet used. There Babylon herself is pictured as the millstone, the hard and merciless grinder of God's wheat. In the story in Judges, the millstone is the cause of Abimelech's destruction. Yet the two thoughts are almost one: it is character that brings destruction from God.

A woman in the tower (her name is unknown) dropped a large millstone from the top onto Abimelech's head. It crushed his skull. All he could do was call quickly to his armour bearer to kill him with his sword. That was not to save him from suffering. It was so that people would not say that a woman killed him! Such was the pride of this ungodly man. Whatever his thoughts were, it was still a woman whom the Lord used to defeat him, and the record certainly inspires no admiration for Abimelech.

Then Abimelech goes after another man to another city. There he tries to do the same thing, to burn out those who had found shelter in the tower. Then a woman's hand with a piece of a millstone makes an end of him — weakness using a simple tool of daily work, the humble daily work of a weak woman. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech, and all his power with him. A woman's hand does it.

Notice here the lesson that is repeated all through this book. The way of power is the way of weakness. God will only use an instrument weak enough to give itself up into His hands.

But God had decreed his destruction. He was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and the final victory looked certain. Then "a certain woman threw a piece of a millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted in the means He uses. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use a similar instrument here, when everything else had failed.

Fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem. But when he planned to do the same to the men of Thebez, no fire came out from him. Instead a piece of a broken millstone came down from a woman of Thebez and dealt him a death-blow. The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been willing partners in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the anger of Abimelech serve the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go further, God held back the rest of his anger and brought on him the miserable destruction he had fully earned. Jotham's parable held not only a prophecy but a curse, and it came true.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But when anyone uses such a thing for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. If there is anything in his history that stands out more than the rest, it is the seriousness of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap: if he sows to the flesh, from the flesh he will reap corruption. And this is just as true of the believer as of the man who carelessly or lightly bears the name of the Lord Jesus.

With Abimelech dead, there was no leader and no reason for his servants to fight any longer. They all left and returned to their homes (v. 55). So, just as God had prophesied through Jotham, Abimelech destroyed the Shechemites, and a Shechemite woman killed him. Whether Abimelech or the men of Shechem, they all reaped what they had sown. Their gross evil recoiled on their own heads (vv. 56-57).

Abimelech's rule lasted only three years. It was truly a matter of man ruling man to his hurt. God could not bless a kingdom set up in such a way. Both Abimelech and the men of Shechem had left Him out of their calculations. Both came to a tragic end. Today men do likewise. They too will find that God will not be mocked.

In him we have a man who took advantage of the reputation for the power of God that had worked through his father. But where anything of the sort is used for self, and not for God, bitter disappointment must be the result. And if there is anything more marked than another in his history, it is the solemnity of divine retribution. This is always true in the ways of God. What a man sows he must reap: if he sows to the flesh, of the flesh he reaps corruption.

Then Abimelech goes after another man to another city. There he is trying to do the same thing, to burn out those who had found shelter in the tower. While he does it, a woman's hand with a piece of millstone makes an end of him — weakness using a simple instrument of daily, humble toil. She takes the millstone and throws it out, crushing Abimelech, and all his power with him. It is done by the hand of a woman.

It is not the power that makes Abimelech that can unmake him. He prevails against Shechem, only to perish by a woman's hand at Thebez. Here the millstone reminds us of Babylon's overthrow. In Revelation 18:21 the New Testament takes up the symbol the Old Testament prophet used. There Babylon herself is pictured by the millstone, as the hard and merciless grinder of God's wheat. In the story in Judges, the millstone causes Abimelech's destruction. Yet these two things are almost one: it is character that brings destruction from God.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable. This is even more so when it is a question of God's things.

The Lord alone is our sufficiency. His love and grace and power can never fail. He is the true Vine, the Olive and the Fig Tree of whom Jotham spoke, in contrast to the useless bramble. Yes, all His people's need is found in Him.

The last two verses of the chapter point out that God's hand in government was behind the whole thing. The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons. God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made Abimelech's anger serve the justice of divine retribution. But when Abimelech tried to go further, God held back the rest of his anger. God then brought on him the miserable destruction he so fully deserved. Jotham's parable held not only a prophecy but a curse, and it was fulfilled.

His relatives gave Abimelech a little money — seventy shekels of silver. With it he hired worthless and reckless men to carry out his evil plans. Then, to stop any chance of opposition, he went to Ophrah and killed the other sons of Gideon. Only the youngest, Jotham, escaped by hiding. This awful crime of mass murder of his own brothers meant nothing to him. None of them had shown any desire to reign over Israel, but he wanted to make sure that none of them would.

But God had decreed his destruction. Abimelech was fighting against the tower of Thebez, and final victory looked certain. Then "a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not restricted to means. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use a similar instrument here, when everything else had proved useless.

All he could do was call quickly to his armor bearer to kill him with his sword. He did not ask this to escape suffering. He asked it so that people would not say a woman killed him! Such was the pride of this ungodly man. Whatever his thoughts were, it was still a woman whom the Lord used to defeat him.

"Whatever one sows, that will he also reap." The sin of sowing weeds may be forgiven, but the reaping must match the sowing. The first is grace, the second is government. Each acts in its own sphere, and neither interferes with the other.

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. It was God who brought down on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask, in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not. He is completely righteous. Modern teaching has produced a weak, watered-down religion. It flinches at the bare idea of God using His holy government to carry out justice. He carries it out all the same.

So it will be with the wilful king of the future, the blasphemous persecutor of God's saints. The Lord Jesus "will kill him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to nothing by the appearance of His coming."

It was God who sent the evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was God who repaid the wickedness of Abimelech. God repaid on the heads of the men of Shechem all their evil. And we may ask in the words of Scripture, "Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?" Indeed He is not: He is very righteous. The modern teaching of these later days has produced a weak and soft religion. It flinches at the bare idea of God using His holy government to carry out justice. He carries it out all the same; and before long we may see further striking expressions of it.

The men of Shechem had been wicked accomplices in the murder of Gideon's sons, and God used Abimelech to punish them as they deserved. So God made the wrath of Abimelech serve the justice of divine repayment. But when he tried to go further, God held back the rest of his wrath and brought on him the miserable destruction he so richly deserved. Jotham's parable contained not only a prophecy but a curse, and it came true.

Of course it is clear this was not honest dealing, but grossly wicked. So Jotham adds, "But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech" (v. 20). This was a prophecy God had put into the mouth of Jotham, and it was fulfilled only three years later.

As God had foretold through Jotham, Abimelech destroyed the Shechemites, and a Shechemite woman killed him. Whether Abimelech or the men of Shechem, they all reaped what they had sown. Their gross evil came back on their own heads (vv. 56-57).

Righteous retribution follows in due course: "God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you," and "if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain" (2 Thessalonians 1:6; Revelation 13:10). God had decreed his destruction. When he was fighting against the tower of Thebez, with final victory all but certain, "a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull." God is not limited to means. He who sold Sisera into the hands of a woman could use a similar instrument here, when everything else had proved useless.

Now the Lord has declared that "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" — Abimelech proved the truth of it, and so will the godless counterpart of the future.

The ninth chapter of Judges records for us the bitter harvest of his pride and their folly. It teaches us to beware of trusting in man — the bramble of Jotham's parable, Judges 9 — and especially so when it is a question of God's things.