The Fruit of Unfaithfulness
Judges 8:29-9:57
April 18, 2004

            Some think tritely of unfaithfulness, thinking that if there's no immediate divine response, then it has no effects.  But the divine response can never be put on a particular timetable.  Contrast - in other stories the enemy was outside, now the enemy is within.  Israel was destroying herself.  How does that happen?

1. By adopting the practices of paganism

2. By abandoning the right worship or Yahweh and adherence to His law

3. By sacrificing right morals and principles for immediate gratification

4. By lowering the criteria and accepting ignoble people as leaders

5. By trespassing God's law through elevating man's desires above God's

6. By forgetting God - not that they had no knowledge of Him, but they intentionally laid aside any attention to Him, forgetting His past mercies and all the lessons that should have been learned.

7. By neglecting to show respect and kindness toward those who had led them and helped them in times of trouble.

At the heart of it all was base ingratitude.  Thankfulness serves to keep us focused:

(1)   It reminds us of our neediness and weakness

(2)   It reminds us of God's greatness and mercy

(3)   It reminds us of the need for dependence on the Lord

(4)   It reminds us that life and the world is much bigger than us and our little sphere of existence

I. Lessons on leadership

            We regularly face elections of leaders.  It is part of life in our society.  So we must be conscious of good with discernment on our part and involvement.

1.      Beware of exaggeration

"Seventy ruling over you" - he had no clear basis for this statement but it appealed to the emotions of the crowd.

2.      Beware of promises - one to "rule over you"

One's promises are only as good and dependable as one's character.  The people of Shechem had become so debased in their own morals that they had no basis for judging or discerning right character.  This is an important lesson to learn, and a concern that affects our own political process.

3.      Beware of manipulation, v. 3

"He is our relative" - So what?  Even though he might be a relative, Abimelech lacked the character and virtue necessary to lead.  People that are low on character and right thinking are most gullible to manipulation; e.g. 1930's Germany listened to the shrewd intonations of Hitler.  His ideas were ludicrous, venomous, divisive, and lacked a moral foundation.  But the people were eventually swayed because their own moral foundation had been eroding for 50 years.

4.      Beware of immoral paths to the position of leadership, vv. 4-6

(1)   Associations with Baal-berith - 'the Baal with whom we are in covenant.'  They had covenanted together in pagan idolatry.

(2)   Resorting to assassination

(3)   The murders and crowing of Abimelech became a religious experience - 'the oak of the pillar.'  Baalism was enshrined.  Because Abimelech and the people of Shechem took such a course, they left no foundation of law, justice, and moral rightness upon which all right of proper leadership and government must exist.

II. A prophetic parable

(1)   The only hint we have that the Lord might be in the parable is the comment of v. 7.  Otherwise we are left thinking that the powerless Jotham is taking his verbal shot and that's all that it's worth.  But the writer intentionally obscures the divine name since in this setting, Israel had obscured the name of God.  It seemed that Yahweh was no longer at work, silent, hidden - yet the God who rules is never outdone by the plans and scheming of men.  He will accomplish His purpose.

(2)   The point of the parable is to show two things:

a.       Abimelech's lack of qualities needed to lead - bramble

b.      The foolishness of Israel in choosing the worthless to reign over them.  Jotham's parable shows that a high cost would eventually be paid.

c.       Interpretation and application calls Israel into account.  Jotham was powerless to exact vengeance.  But the point made is that he relied on the Lord of heaven and earth to eventually bring about justice. 

-         We must not forget that the nations will be judged

-         We must live with the consciousness that every injustice will eventually be met with divine justice

III. Treachery meets judgment

1.                            God's silence is never evidence of divine activity or impotence, vv. 23-24.  His ways are not our ways.  Abimelech was not the only guilty party.  The men of Shechem enabled him and collaborated with him.  They were in covenant with him - in league with evil.  God's vengeance might seem slow in coming, but it is certain.

2.                            Man proposes but God disposes, as it has been so well put in vv. 26-41.  The Shechemites broke their covenant with Abimelech.  They fell into their own trap, being out-witted in their own scheme.

3.                            Greed and vengeance of man will ultimately fail, vv. 42-54; Jotham's prophecy is fulfilled.

4.                            Reflection and assessment, vv. 55-59

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