Judges 9:22-57
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
In biology class I remember learning about different kinds of symbiotic relationships in nature. It was always fascinating to me to learn how different creatures interact with each other in nature.
For example, there were some mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships; one of my favorites is the remora fish and and sharks. The Remora get to eat the scraps left by the shark, and they benefit the shark by keeping him clean from other, harmful parasites.
Then there are the parasitical relationships we are aware of, where one species benefits and the other is only harmed. These are things like ticks, leeches, tapeworms, or Zebra mussels.
There are some other relationships where one is benefitted without either helping or hurting the other.
And then there are other types of relationships that only seem to pop up in human relationships and I’m not sure if there’s a scientific name for them, but I’ll call them mutually destructive relationships. This is something that occurs when you have human beings making idols out of other people; in these relationships we almost always see both parties destroyed.
Last week, Jotham warned the people of Shechem and Abimelech that they had formed a mutually destructive relationship. He warned them that this was going to consume them completely and leave them utterly destroyed. What they intended for their gain would only serve their downfall.
We see these relationships all over scripture, in our own world today, and even in our own lives.
in judges and in life more broadly, these relationships often leave us asking the question, is there hope? That is the question i seek to answer tonight.
Idolatry (Greed?) Brings Destruction
Idolatry (Greed?) Brings Destruction
Idolatry is often rooted in greed
Idolatry is often rooted in greed
The act of idolatry is when mankind takes what is by nature not a god, and then elevates it to the level of God.
Mankind has specialized in this ever since our fall, and we have made many little gods in our hearts.
We may not always call them gods with our lips, but we will often show that we hold our idols to be gods in our hearts by how much trust we place in them. We become obsessed with them, give them our time and money, and place our hope for the future in them.
Most of the time, we do not make an idol because we desire to worship it but because we want it to do something for us.
Abimelech idolized the throne because he thought it would bring him power
Abimelech idolized the throne because he thought it would bring him power
The little god that Abimelech had constructed in his heart was no god at all, but the idea of something that would bring him his heart’s desires
We read in last week’s passage that Abimelech approached Shechem and asked for their support so that he could gain unmitigated power in Israel.
Shechem idolized Abimelech because they thought he would save them
Shechem idolized Abimelech because they thought he would save them
The little god that Schechem had constructed in their hearts was no god at all, but a mere man that they had become convinced was able to deliver them their heart’s desires
Last week we read that when Abimelech came to Shechem, they received him with open arms; but it wasn’t him that they really wanted. What they wanted more than anything was superiority and favor over the other regions of Israel, and they had become convinced that putting their trust in Abimelech would provide that for them.
Apply: How often do we do this with an idea? A political candidate? Which one of your potential futures have you crafted into an idol? Which one have you come to believe will deliver you everything you desire?
Idolatry will cause you to do horrible things
Idolatry will cause you to do horrible things
This is not a harmless affair. Idol-making is a bloody business, and we are all caught up in it.
The truth is, idolatry causes people to do horrible things.
Last week, Shechem paid Abimelech money to hire rabble off the street to help him murder his 70 brothers, which they successfully accomplished except for Jotham.
But the horrors didn’t stop there, because the idolatry didn’t stop there. In fact, God responds to their idolatry by giving them over to their evil desires, and allowing them to see the emptiness of their idols.
Judges 9:23 (ESV)
And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem
Shechem conspiring against Abimelech
Shechem conspiring against Abimelech
Judges 9:23–29 (ESV)
and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’ ”
Abimelech plotting against his own people
Abimelech plotting against his own people
When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.”
Zebul is Abimelech’s faithful officer and henchman who overhears to plans of Schechem
So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men.” Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.” Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem. On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
The thing you idolize will destroy you rather than build you up
The thing you idolize will destroy you rather than build you up
Shechem is destroyed by Abimelech
Shechem is destroyed by Abimelech
When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.
Abimelech is destroyed by the people he craved power over
Abimelech is destroyed by the people he craved power over
Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. 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.
Apply: What things do we idolize? How has greed caused us to set up idols in our lives? What horrible things have we been willing to do in order to have our idols? Do we play with idols, ignorant to the fact that they will destroy us?
Make no mistake - any relationship with an idol is a mutually destructive relationship. God’s Word has rung out - the wages of sin is death.
Christ Was Willingly Destroyed for Our Idolatry
Christ Was Willingly Destroyed for Our Idolatry
Our idolatry deserved destruction
Our idolatry deserved destruction
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
This is our condition, and it brings forth death.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
illustrate .
EviGod has spoken - Our idolatry is wicked and we can expect that it brings destruction.
Christ intercepted that destruction
Christ intercepted that destruction
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
he never idolized anything
Apply: In Christ, the things you have idolized can no longer harm you. The idolatry in your heart has been dealt with in Christ, the things you’ve done have received their penalty in his death, and you have been cleared by his sacrifice. There is hope in Christ!
Christ Resurrected To Redeem Our Idolatrous Hearts
Christ Resurrected To Redeem Our Idolatrous Hearts
Through the resurrection, we have been made new
Through the resurrection, we have been made new
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Apply: We have been freed from serving idols to serve the living God. newness of life starts now! It is yours in Christ, today!
Conclusion: Christ has died to pay the penalty for your idolatry, and he has resurrected to give you newness of life that serves him rather than idols. Trust in Christ alone for your past, present and future. Put to death the things you once lifted up over him, and turn to serve the living God.
FCF: The things we idolize are the things that destroy us
OR
Evil returns Evil
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.
Shechem idolized Abimelech
Abimelech idolized power
CFC: Christ has been destroyed on our behalf, and resurrected to restore our idolatrous hearts
The Call: Put away your idols to serve the living God
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