The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 9:1-2; 5; 22-24,
"Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem
and said to them and to all his mother's clan, 'Ask all the citizens
of Shechem, "Which is better for you: to have all seventy of
Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?" Remember, I am your
flesh and blood.'... He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one
stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal
[Gideon]... After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent
an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who
acted treacherously against Abimelech. God did this in order that the
crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood,
might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of
Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
What a wicked man Abimelech was! He turned the city of Shechem against
Gideon's family. The Lord had used Gideon to bring forty years of
peace to Israel during a tumultuous time. Following Gideon's death,
his son from a concubine, Abimelech, slaughtered his seventy
half-brothers, save one, Jotham. This he did so he could seize the
power of the city of Shechem and enjoy all that entailed.
Three years later the Lord fulfilled the curse Jotham called upon
Abimelech and the people of Sheckem to bring justice for the
wickedness all these people had done.
Two thoughts strike me this morning. The first is how insane and
half-witted sin causes people to be. Abimelech wanted to be the ruler
of the city and was willing to act abominably to acquire it. Here is a
man who will spend an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur! All
for the fulfillment of a passing fancy to be the top dog and enjoy
what it brought for... what? three years?! I wonder how valuable those
three years look to Abimelech right now, after having spent the last
three millenniums in the place of torment we read of in Luke 19. In
the account of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man found that place
intolerable after only just arriving! And, as Abimelech sits in that
place of torment day after day, all he has to look forward to is the
great white throne judgment when he will be cast into that horrific
lake of fire we read of in Revelation 20! I wonder just how valuable
his ill-gotten gain he had for a mere three years looks to him now? I
suspect as he considers it day after miserable day it rises in his
heart as an overwhelming and nauseating horror.
What could have been... and what it is! Sin only destroys and the
satisfaction it provides is only an illusion that will dissipate in
the reality of the judgment it will certainly bring! Make no mistake,
God's horrific and terrible judgment outweighs any pleasure and
satisfaction we might think sin will bring - by a long, long country
mile!
The other thought that strikes me this morning is that it was three
years later that God brought justice for the family of Gideon for all
Abimelech and the people of Shechem did to them. It didn't happen
immediately. Why? I'm just speculating here, but I wonder if God
doesn't delay his judgment in this life for sin to provide folks an
opportunity for repentance. Peter tells us, "He is patient with you,
not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2
Peter 3:9. On the other hand, we do know that God's election, his
choice is that all who will embrace him in faith are given the right
to become children of God, John 1:12. As such he keeps a low profile
in order that the opportunity for faith can exist. If he immediately
brought his justice each and every time wickedness was committed, his
presence would be evident and the context where faith could be made
manifest lost. Just musing here... what do you think?
Those who have been wronged in this life and struggle as they await
justice in their behalf can take heart. Even though you may have
suffered and not seen the culprit pay... be fully assured that day
will, without fail, come. In a sobering observation while Paul
encouraged us to not take revenge ourselves he said, "Do not take
revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is
written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans
12:19. No one can come close to making the sinner pay (in full!) like
the Lord!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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