CONSPIRACY. Judges 9 Gideon started well when he was young and understood his limitations. He knew who he was; as a humble judge, God could use him to deliver His people from external conflicts. However, as he grew older, his successes went to his head, and he made an ephod that resembled an idol and was worth a lot of money. The man God had used when he was young led God's people back into idol worship later in life. A servant of God can bring about great blessings and lead people out of Christendom, yet later, leave a spiritual void that can be filled with that which is not of God or even cause them to turn back into idol worship. Those who have been used to bless others can be responsible for leaving serious problems behind when they grow old.
Abimelech, Gideon's son by a woman who was not his wife, chose to go with "his mother's brethren" rather than with his brothers, the sons of Gideon. That led to a conflict over control. Gideon had left the nation in a spiritual vacuum, but Gideon's great victory was because he had been obedient to the word of God. His greatest failure was because he did not consistently practice the word of God.
Abimelech was a result of Gideon's failure. He lacked any legal rights from his father. Although he had his father's genes, he did not inherit his name or respect for his father's lifestyle, morality, or reputation. The second influence on Abimelech was the city of Shechem, where the spiritual confusion of the nation was clearly evident. As a pagan, immoral society, they tolerated the most outrageous act of sixty-nine sons of a national hero being killed in their community. Abimelech is portrayed as an utterly ruthless man willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
We will be ruled by a usurper when we reject the true King. We do not live in a vacuum. We will either walk "in the flesh or the Spirit." We will either move forward or backward because, in a spiritual vacuum, Satan will rush in to fill that space. Two major factors that influence our lives are our parents and where we live. Leadership among God's people is an important responsibility that requires constant awareness of our need for God.
Opposition within an assembly often comes from a gap that needs to be filled. Internal conflicts occur when one or more individuals desire control. One person may seek a leadership role for the wrong reasons, which causes disagreements among brothers and sisters, leading God's people to take sides. Some are never happy unless everything is done exactly as they want. It only takes one person stepping into leadership, rallying others around them to make changes that could make our testimony more acceptable to the majority, even if it contradicts the Word of God. The only way to resolve this conflict is to walk in the Spirit.
God had not been given His rightful place, even though Gideon refused to be the king of Israel. He adopted a kingly lifestyle and, in a way, was an unofficial king. Abimelech had learned enough from his father that he openly lobbied to "reign" over the people of God. Because of Gideon's failures as he grew older, there was no change in the attitude of the children of Israel toward God, even though outward strife had stopped. Their national life still had a vacuum not filled by turning back to God. The family life of Gideon was also a vacuum that created the opportunity for internal conflict.
Inevitable consequences follow bad choices, whether we are young or old. It is best to start well, even if one feels inadequate; to keep going well through life's pressures, and to end with humility, even if there's little to show for it. Alternatively, one could start well, gain much, and end wealthy and worldly. The decline of personal standards leads to internal conflict. When spirituality is compromised and carnality appears, a lust for power and control arises. The focus shifts from people to position. Things overshadow spiritual character. Programs and public perception of our fellowship become more important than God's will and word. A carnal person thinks in fleshly terms, acts in the flesh, and enjoys worldly-fleshly relationships.
The decline Gideon had started was carried further by Abimelech. Shechem had previously been a place where idol worship ended, but under Abimelech's leadership, it became a hub of carnality. Self-exaltation amounts to self-worship. Devious, worldly-minded people had moved into Shechem. Even the value of a human life had fallen to just a piece of silver. Abimelech’s name means, “My father is king,” which may have led him to believe he would become the king of Shechem, where his relatives through his mother lived.
The pomp and ceremony of royalty are a source of pride for the ruler and his subjects. Such pride leads to the surrender of freedom and the people's submission to the rule of a man instead of God. Injustice occurs socially, economically, and politically, often resulting in violence and war. To the people of Shechem, it resulted in their destruction. Abimelech’s rise to power stemmed from the discontent of God’s people toward the Lord, their spiritual unfaithfulness, and their rejection of the Lord as they turned to idolatry. Jealousy, hatred, and ambition drove Abimelech to exploit the fears of his relatives that Gideon’s sons would oppose them.
Abimelech was determined to be the absolute ruler at any cost and gathered a discontented splinter group to himself. He positioned himself as a Canaanite king who aimed to conquer a city with the help of Baal. The difference between him and Gideon was that the Lord had raised Gideon from obscurity to serve Him, and the Lord reigned over all of Israel. Abimelech desired the position that God had reserved for Himself as ruler over His people. Ultimately, “God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech.” He was not a true king, having established his three-year reign through the murder of Gideon’s sons. He did not seek to lead the people in the righteous ways of the Lord, and God could not let his rebellion go unpunished.
At Shechem (the crossroads), Abraham had stopped generations earlier. Jacob buried his foreign gods under that tree centuries before, and his sons had killed the men of Shechem over the dispute regarding Dinah. It was at Shechem where Joseph's bones were buried, where Israel renewed its covenant with the Lord, and where the nation would divide. Joshua wrote his words in the book of the law of God there, and he set up a great stone pillar.
No matter how significant a place might be for various reasons, there is a danger when ambitions are self-centered instead of God-centered. This occurs in assemblies of God's people where His name has been honored for years. God intends our "religion" to be reflected in the attitudes of our hearts, serving God's people and helping those in need - not fostering oppression. However, politics and religion often intertwine, aiming to succeed in a “business-like way,” with profits measured by the number of attendees rather than by character traits and commitment to the scriptures. Does God use something evil to accomplish His will, or does He allow the consequences of treachery and rebellion? Bitterness and distrust can infiltrate a relationship that was built through conspiracy. We reap what we sow.
True faith is genuine and sincere, lacking any ulterior motives. Just because someone comes from a line of people with a spiritual heritage doesn't mean they are truly spiritual. Carnal men crave prominence and desire to be recognized as leaders who can tell others what to do and how to do it. Spiritual men acknowledge their inability and dependence on God. They do not seek a strong leadership role but are aware of being placed there by the Holy Spirit. They often remain quiet and unassuming, fulfilling the role of a true servant among God's people. Carnal men frequently push for change to suit public appeal. Discontentment can lead to dissatisfaction.
Jotham escaped the fate of his sixty-nine brothers, and God chose to use him to tell the first parable recorded in the Bible to teach an important lesson to the people. He pointed out that the whole problem wasn't because of Abimelech but "all the trees," referring to the entire nation of Israel. His fable carried a prophetic message, showing that useful trees keep their position and purpose. The bramble produces nothing of value. Even its shade offers only fleeting protection from the heat of the sun. They chose the "bramble" over the other three fruitful trees.
The olive tree represented Israel in testimony, the fig tree symbolized Israel politically, and the vine signified that Israel was chosen by God and for God. To us, the olive tree reminds us of the Holy Spirit, filling us for usefulness to God. The Spirit-filled man honors God by guiding the saints to Him in spirit and truth. He also honors others by being filled with the fruit of the Spirit and does not seek the idle role of king. The man represented by the fig tree teaches us the value of sweetness and goodness. He may not be a public leader, but he demonstrates humility, grace, uprightness, and Christlikeness. He is compassionate, empathetic, and in fellowship with the Lord and His people. A leader with the qualities of the vine lifts the spirits of the Lord's people and brings joy to God and man. He does what is right and strives to bring good and blessings that reflect the joy of the Lord. The character of a leader often guides the path of those he leads. Good leadership is productive and brings benefits.
Abimelech was the opposite of what God intended leaders to be and resembled a thorn bush, or bramble. A bramble always causes discomfort and unease. Someone like a bramble seeks followers, criticizes others, and claims to be a leader. Such a person is worthless, only seeking honor for themselves, and willing to hurt others to get it. Some come among us to exploit and take advantage of unstable situations. They do not seek God's will and use the discontent and internal strife of God's people to push their own agenda. Internal conflict often results from false promises that lead to disillusionment and destruction. Discontented people tend to form splinter groups that spread dissatisfaction. There are many ways people manipulate others for wrongful ends.
When moral standards are removed from society, indecisive people can be easily influenced by almost anyone’s ideas or proposals. Abimelech and the people of Shechem ended up destroying each other, just as Jotham’s curse predicted. God will ensure that those who rebel against His divine authority face the consequences of their sins. “All the evil” God brought upon them fell on their own heads. Abimelech was judged for his prior sin of conspiracy, and the men of Shechem for their recent sins. God is in control of events and responded to Abimelech's wickedness with a swift and shameful death.
God’s justice will be fulfilled, although it is not always immediate. We may wonder why God doesn't stop evil right away. Still, He works with people in His way to bring about righteous judgment that transforms individuals rather than just creating temporary external changes that do not last. We might have to wait a long time before God can bring about a spiritual transformation. Carnal people often stop at nothing and must be dealt with through divine intervention, as seen in the death of Abimelech. False promises result in false freedom, which leads to self-destruction. Our only option is to "walk in the Spirit" and "make no provision for the flesh."
When he was a humble man, God used Gideon, and many were delivered through him. He was the father of many sons but was unsatisfied at home and strayed from God’s leading. Because of his sins, he caused confusion among the entire nation. He became concerned with getting rich and was caught by a false god of his own making. After his death, his family was divided by an idol that was a mix of true and false, which became a god, and as a result, confusion reigned.
A divided family is a trap for many, forcing them to pick sides. Cunning often wins over fickle hearts that fall for false words and evil deeds, and vain people rally together. When seventy members of one family die in the same place, everyone knows that chaos kills. Chaos breeds bitterness, and bitterness takes hold deep within, corrupting many. Corrupted minds turn against integrity; hundreds die because of one man’s confusion as chaos spreads.
Evil plotting grows both near and far, and jealousy consumes a bitter man's soul like a canker. His bold, boastful words mislead many, turning peaceful communities and cities into enemies as confusion spreads. All this chaos began when a humble man became proud, dividing his family and causing the death of many of his sons. This led cities to take sides, turning patriots into foes, and confusion prevailed because a humble man became proud.