Abimelech wants to rule                                                  verse 1- 2 

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal

went to Shechem to his mother’s brethren

and communed with them

and with all the family of the house of

his mother’s father

saying

Speak – I pray you – in the ears of all the men of Shechem

Whether is better for you either that all the sons of Jerubbaal

which are threescore and ten persons             reign over you

or that one reign over you?

Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh 

Abimelech kills all but one of his step-brothers       verse 3- 5 

And his mother’s brethren spoke of him

in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words

and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech

for they said – He is our brother

And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver

out of the house of Baal-berith

wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light

persons which followed him

And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah

            and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal

                        being threescore and ten persons – on one stone

notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of

      Jerubbaal was left – for he hid himself 

Abimelech made king in Shechem                                    verse 6 

And all the men of Shechem gathered together

and all the house of Millo

and went – and made Abimelech king

                  by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem 

Remaining son, Jotham curses Abimelech               verse 7- 15 

And when they told it to Jotham

he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim

      and lifted up his voice – and cried

and said to them

Hearken to me – you men of Shechem

that God may hearken to you

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them

and they said unto the olive tree – Reign you over us

BUT the olive tree said to them

            Should I leave my fatness wherewith by me they

honor God and man

and go to be promoted over the trees?

And the trees said to the fig tree

            Come you – and reign over us

BUT the fig tree said to them

            Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit

and go to be promoted over the trees?

THEN said the trees to the vine

            Come you – and reign over us

And the vine said to them

            Should I leave my wine which cheers God and man

and go to be promoted over the trees?

THEN said all the trees to the bramble

            Come you – and reign over us

And the bramble said to the trees

            IF in truth ye anoint me king over you

            THEN come and put your trust in my shadow

                        and IF not – let fire come out of the bramble

                                    and devour the cedars of Lebanon 

Jotham continues his statements                                 verse 16- 20 

Now therefore – IF you have done truly and sincerely

in that you have made Abimelech king

And IF you have dwelt well with Jerubbaal and his house

and have done to him according to

the deserving of his hands

(For my father fought for you – and adventured his life far

and delivered you out of the hand of Midian

and you are risen up against my father’s house this day

and have slain his sons – threescore and ten persons

on one stone

and have made Abimelech the son of his maidservant

king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother)

IF you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house

 this day

THEN rejoice you in Abimelech

and let him also rejoice in you

BUT IF not – let fire come out of Abimelech

and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo

And let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo

and devour Abimelech 

Jotham escapes                                                                       verse 21 

And Jotham ran away – and fled – and went to Beer – and dwelt there

            for fear of Abimelech his brother 

Division against Abimelech                                           verse 22- 25 

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel

THEN God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech

and the men of Shechem

And the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech

that the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal

might come – and their blood be laid upon Abimelech

their brother which slew them

and on the men of Shechem

                                          which aided him

in the killing of his brethren

And the men of Shechem set liers in wait

for him in the top of the mountains

and they robbed all that came along that way by them

                  and it was told Abimelech 

Gaal moves to Shechem                                                 verse 26- 29 

And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren

and went over to Shechem

And the men of Shechem put their confidence in him

and they went out into the fields

and gathered their vineyards

                  and trode the grapes – and made merry

and went into the house of their god

      and did eat and drink

                  and cursed Abimelech

And Gaal the son of Ebed

said

Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem – that we should serve him?

Is not he the son of Jerubbaal?

And Zebul his officer?

serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem

      FOR why should we serve him?

And would to God this people were under my hand

THEN would I remove Abimelech

And he said to Abimelech

Increase your army – and come out 

Zebul informs Abimelech of plot                               verse 30- 33 

And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal

the son of Ebed – his anger was kindled

And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily

saying

BEHOLD – Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem

            and behold – they fortify the city against you

Now therefore up by night – you and the people that is with you

            and lie in wait in the field – and it shall be that in the morning

as soon as the sun is up – you shall rise early

and set upon the city

and BEHOLD – when he and the people that is with him

                        come out against you – then may you do to them

as you shall find occasion    

 Abimelech waiting outside of Shechem                   verse 34- 38 

And Abimelech rose up – and all the people that were with him

by night – and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies

And Gaal the son of Ebed went out

and stood in the entering of the gate of the city

And Abimelech rose up – and the people that were with him

from lying in wait

And when Gaal saw the people – he said to Zebul

BEHOLD – there come people down from the top of the mountains

And Zebul said to him

You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men

And Gaal spoke again

and said

See there come people down by the middle of the land

and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim

THEN said Zebul to him

Where is now your mouth – wherewith you said

      Who is Abimelech – that we should serve him?

                  Is not this the people that you have despised?

      Go out – I pray now- and fight with them 

Zebel removes Gaal from Shechem                             verse 39- 41

 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem

and fought with Abimelech

            and Abimelech chased him – and he fled before him

                        and many were overthrown and wounded

                                    even to the entering of the gate

And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah

            and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren

                        that they should not dwell in Shechem 

Abimelech levels the city of Shechem                       verse 42- 45

 And it came to pass on the morrow

that the people went out into the field

                        and they told Abimelech

And he took the people – and divided them into three companies

            and laid wait in the field – and looked – and BEHOLD

                        the people were come forth out of the city

                                    and he rose up against them – and smote them

And Abimelech – and the company that was with him – rushed forward

            and stood in the entering of the gate of the city

                        and two other companies ran upon all the people that were

in the fields – and slew them

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day

            and he took the city – and slew the people that was therein

                        and beat down the city – and sowed it with salt 

Abimelech sets fire to temple of Baal-berith           verse 46- 49 

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that

they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith

And it was told Abimelech

that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together

And Abimelech got him up to mount Zalmon

he and all the people that were with him

      and Abimelech took an ax in his hand

                  and cut down a bough from the trees – and took it

                              and laid it on his shoulder

And said to the people that were with him

What you have seen me do – make hast and do as I have done

And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough

and followed Abimelech – and put them to the hold

      and set the hold on fire upon them

so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also

      about a thousand men and women 

Abimelech attacked town of Thebez                          verse 50- 53 

Then went Abimelech to Thebez – and encamped against Thebez

and took it

BUT there was a strong tower within the city

and thither fled all the men and women – and all they of the city

      and shut it to them – and gat them up to the top of the tower

And Abimelech came to the tower – and fought against it

and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire

      and a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone on

                  Abimelech’s head – and all to brake his skull 

Abimelech killed by armor bearer                           verse 54- 55 

THEN he called hastily to the young man his armor-bearer

and said to him

Draw your sword – and slay me – that men say not of me

A woman slew him

And his young man thrust him through – and he died

            and when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead

                        they departed every man unto his place 

Curse of Jotham fulfilled                                              verse 56- 57 

       THUS God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech

which he did to his father – in slaying his seventy brethren

      and all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render

on their heads

and upon them came the curse of Jotham

                  the son of Jerubbaal 

COMMENTARY:              

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 2         Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. (4910 “reign” [mashal] means rule, dominion, governor, control, or be in charge)

DEVOTION:  Abimelech had a proposition for his relatives. He was a son of one of the women of Shechem. She was a concubine to Gideon. Now Gideon was dead. So there was a empty seat for someone to take and be the ruler of Israel.

His proposal was that the men of Shechem give him money and he would kill the seventy sons of Gideon and become the ruler. The men of Shechem liked the idea and gave him money from the house of their false god.

Sometimes it is not wise to listen to relatives. Here was a group that wanted power. They thought they could get it through this relative. They were wrong. He eventually turned on them but they didn’t know that was going to happen.

Abimelech killed sixty-nine of the sons of Gideon. He became a ruler. He worshiped false gods. The final son of Gideon put a curse on him for killing his brothers.

Too often we can follow the thinking of someone who is not thinking Biblically because we also are being politically correct rather than Biblically correct.

If the men of the city thought about what they were doing from the perspective of the LORD they would not have agreed to have Gideon’s sons killed. They were not thinking those thoughts or the consequences of the actions.

The LORD allowed the killing of Gideon’s sons but HE also sent judgment. Our decisions bring consequences into our life. Abimelech thought he was going to get away with killing his brothers but he did not. We are not going to get away with agreeing with our relatives over the standards God has set down for life.

CHALLENGE: Remember to think Biblically when someone comes to you with a proposition that might give you power over others even if it is a family member

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional                                        Believers 

: 16      Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands. (1576 “deserving” [gamuwl] means recompense, reward, benefit, accomplishment, requital, what is deserved, or anything well or ill done)

DEVOTION:  Here is the only surviving son of Gideon speaking to the men of Shechem who have just make their relative king. They had paid the money to have his brothers killed.

Now he continues to confront them from a distance. He asks if they thought they treated his father with honor for all the fighting he did for them. He wanted to know if they were acting in good faith toward someone who sacrificed all to save the nation from the Midianites.

So often we have individuals who have been faithful in their service to the LORD and to us and yet when they have a need we forget what they have done for us. We are not individuals who have long memories regarding those who have helped us in the past. We are ones who only think in the present. We ask “What have you done for me lately.”

Well, Gideon was dead and so he couldn’t do anything right then but his son wanted them to remember what he had done in the past to help them. Now they were going to suffer the consequences of their actions of paying for the death of his brothers.

Jotham was just reminding the men of Shechem that God is the one who is going to judge them sometime in the future. God is going to judge us for our actions whether now or in the future.

We need to remember those who have helped us in the past if they need our help now. Don’t be individuals who are short term friends. This should be especially true of fellow believers.

CHALLENGE: We are to be friends in good times and bad times. We are to be available to help those in need at all times.

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: 23      Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. (898 “dealt treacherously” [bagad] means to do wrong against someone by an act of treachery, to act covertly, treat faithlessly, deceitfully, or offend)

DEVOTION:  God was dealing with Abimelech and the men of Shechem in HIS timing. HE waited three years before HE sent this spirit of ill will between this man and his relatives.

Remember the LORD is longsuffering with us. HE is also longsuffering with sinners who have never repented of their sins. HE wants all men to recognize HIM as the one who will ultimately judge every human ever born. We are all going to face the LORD one day.

So the world is divided into two groups. There are those who have repented of their sins and asked the LORD into a personal relationship with them and there are those who have never repented and don’t care if they have any relationship with the LORD. There is no middle group. There is no other way to get to heaven except through Jesus Christ.

Now these men had conspired to kill the sons of Gideon and they thought they got away with it for three years. They were wrong. The curse of Jotham was going to come true. They were going to be judged by the LORD.

Abimelech was going to be injured by a woman and finally killed by his armor bearer. The men of Shechem were going to die because of a rebellion that was started in their city by Gaal. The LORD dealt with both in HIS way and in HIS time.

We have to be willing to turn our problems over to the LORD and allow HIM to deal with it in HIS timing. We want quick justice for those who offend us but when it is our turn we want the LORD to be gracious. We can’t have it both ways.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 38      Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, wherewith you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people that you have despised? Go out, I pray now, and fight with them. (3988 “despised” [ma’ac] means to look down on with contempt, trash, scorned, rejected, loathed, abhor, or spurn)

DEVOTION:  There are people today who like to trash talk others. They seem to think that they can say anything they want if the person is not there. This is what was happening in this case.

Here we have Gaal, trash talking about Abimelech who had killed all of his siblings, in order to rule over Israel. He was in the town of Shechem having a party and talking as if he could do anything he wanted to Abimelech. The leader in Shechem told Abimelech what was going on and told him to come and fight against Gaal.

Once Gaal saw the army of Abimelech he had to match his words and go out and fight with him. He lost. Remember the men of Shechem had followed the advice of Abimelech and allowed him to kill all the sons of Gideon, so that, he could be ruler over the area.

This was God’s judgment on them for their actions. We also learn that the LORD was not done.

The next battle was in a town called Thebez and they had a strong tower, so that, while Abimelech fought against it a woman cast a piece of millstone and hit him in the head, so that, he was going to die. He didn’t want people to know that a woman killed him so he had his armor bearer kill him before the stone did it’s work.

Too often we think that the LORD is not going to judge us for our actions. Sometimes HE takes HIS time but if we are not repentant the time will come when the LORD will deal with our sin.

Remember the LORD wants us to treat others as we would like to be treated at all times. Keep this thought in mind as you deal with people. Remember to keep short accounts with people and with the LORD. HE is longsuffering but HE will also be just.

CHALLENGE: Watch how you treat others. The LORD is watching those who mistreat others.

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: 56      Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brethren. (7725 “rendered” [shuwb] means to turn back, to retreat, pull in again, backward, withdraw, to return, or recompense)

DEVOTION:  The Bible says that we are not to be deceived about what we do. If we sow wrong, we will reap wrong. The children of Israel sowed wrong. They allowed the children of Gideon to be killed. They followed a man who was not true to the LORD. Abimelech was the son of a concubine of Gideon. He didn’t like his brothers. He offered to kill them and become king. The men of Shechem agreed to give him the money to have his seventy brothers killed. All but one of the sons of Gideon were killed. The remaining son, Jotham, went to mount Gerizim and cursed Abimelech and those who helped him kill his brothers.

This time period was full of men doing what was right in their own eyes. We live in such a time period. Abimelech was a man who killed all but one of his siblings and thought that God would let it just pass without any judgment. God is longsuffering but HE does judge the wicked, either here in this life or in the next. They are not getting away with anything, even though; it seems that way to us.

God waited three years before he started the actions that led to the death of Abimelech. God fulfilled the statements of the one remaining son of Gideon. Whatsoever a man sows, he shall also reap. Abimelech sowed death and the LORD took his life. He was not a follower of the LORD.

Those who are followers of the LORD are chastened here in this life because we have a better life for eternity and HE wants us to be like HIS son now. Are we learning from HIS dealing with us?

Those who are not HIS followers, HE gave them enough rope to hang themselves. They have made their choice. Abimelech was not a follower of the LORD. He went his own way and caused much evil in the nation.

Once our back is turned toward the LORD it is hard to return, but it is not impossible. HE gives all of HIS children HIS attribute of longsuffering. Those who are HIS children can commit the sin unto death. We need to realize the difference between serving the LORD and not serving the LORD.

CHALLENGE:  Let us not do what is right in our own eyes instead of doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH: 

BODY 

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone) 

SOUL 

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God) 

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH: 

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead) 

God – Elohim (Creator)                                    verse 7, 9, 13, 23,                                                                                                  29, 56, 57 

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)     

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil) 

Evil spirit                                                                   verse 23

            Between Abimelech and men of Shechem 

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation) 

Midian                                                                         verse 17 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels) 

Hearts included                                                       verse 3

Worship false god: Baal – berith                           verse 4, 46

Vain and light persons                                             verse 4

Killed sixty-nine sons of Gideon                           verse 5, 24

Fear                                                                                verse 21

Dealt treacherously                                                  verse 23

Robbed                                                                          verse 25

House of their gods                                                   verse 27

Cursed                                                                           verse 27

Wickedness                                                                  verse 56

Evil                                                                                 verse 57 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Deal truly                                                                     verse 16, 19

Deal sincerely                                                             verse 16, 19

Curse of Jotham                                                          verse 57 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

Abimalech                                                                    verse 1- 56

plots to kill seventy sons of Gideon

men of Shechem agree with him

made king

wickedness dealt with

 

                        Jerubbaal  = Gideon                                                    verse 1

Men of Shechem give money for murders           verse 1- 6,                                                                                                         23- 57

            house of Baal-berith

            vain and light persons

            didn’t like Abimalech anymore

            evil men of city dealt with

Jotham hid himself                                                   verse 5- 21, 57

            youngest son of Gideon

            curses men of Shechem

            hid in Beer

            curse fulfilled

Abimalech made king                                               verse 6

Parable of Jothan                                                       verse 7- 21

Shechem destroyed                                                   verse 26- 45

Gaal the son of Ebed                                                 verse 28- 49

Zebul- ruler of city of Shechem                            verse 28- 38

Thebez                                                                          verse 50 -55

            Fought against Abimalech

            Woman wounds Abimalech

            Abimalech dies 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events) 

Shechem died                                                            verse 49

Abimelech died                                                          verse 54

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QUOTES regarding passage 

Judges 9: 57 

9:56–57 The chapter concludes with the narrator’s editorial comment on the death of Abimelech. The author observes that both elements of Jotham’s curse have been fulfilled and that God has been the agent behind the remarkable turn of events. Reversing the order of v. 20, he notes first that God has paid Abimelech back for his murderous crimes against his father and brothers. By attributing his death to God (Elohim, not Yahweh) he interprets the nameless woman of Thebez both as a divine agent by which the curse is fulfilled and (along with the people of Thebez) as a surrogate for the Shechemites whom the curse had identified as the source of Abimelech’s demise. The question that had remained after v. 49 had been answered. Second, the narrator notes that with this sequence of events God has also carried out Jotham’s curse upon the Shechemites for their complicity in the crimes against Jerubbaal. As Fokkelmann has so aptly observed, Abimelech has craved desperately to prove himself a worthy successor to his father by living up to one interpretation of his name (“The king [Gideon] is my father”), only to experience the original intention of the name (“The king [divine] is my father”). Neither human pretension (8:22–32) nor human ferocity (9:1–55) could dislodge Yahweh from his throne. In the end Abimelech’s egomaniacal ambition must yield to the kingship of God, and with this the story of Gideon is complete. (Block, D. I. (1999). Judges, Ruth (Vol. 6, p. 334). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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Abimelech paid for the murders he committed, and it happened while he was attempting to protect his throne. Since the people in the city of Thebez, about ten miles from Shechem, had apparently joined in the general rebellion against Abimelech, he went there with his army to punish them as well. Like the people from Beth-Millo, the citizens of Thebez fled to their tower; and Abimelech tried to use the same method of attack that he used so successfully at Shechem.

However, he made the mistake of getting too close to the tower, and a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and killed him. Abimelech experienced a triple disgrace: (1) He was killed, but not really in a battle; (2) he was killed by a woman, which was a disgrace to a soldier; and (3) he was killed with a millstone, not a sword. The fact that his armor-bearer finished the job with a sword didn’t change anything; for centuries later, Abimelech’s shameful death was remembered as being accomplished by a woman (2 Sam. 11:21).

Abimelech lost his life and lost his kingdom. The curse pronounced by his half-brother Jotham was fulfilled on both Abimelech and the people of Shechem (Jdg. 9:20). “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned” (Ps. 34:21, NIV). “The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin” (Prov. 21:12, NIV).

          (Wiersbe, W. W. (1994). Be available (pp. 87–88). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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9:56, 57 The key to understanding Abimelech’s fate may be found in the comments in vv. 23, 24, 56, 57. He was not a true king; he had established his reign through murder. God actively intervened against Abimelech, repaying his evil act of murdering his brothers. Note that his sin was murder (v. 56), not declaring himself king. Jotham’s use of the fable proved to be prophetic: The fire that devoured the cedars (vv. 15, 20) would burn up both Shechem and Abimelech (vv. 49, 53). (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 321). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers)

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Ver. 57. And all the evil of the men of Shechem, &c.] In aiding Abimelech to slay his brethren, and in making him king after so foul a fact committed: did God render upon their heads; by suffering Abimelech to beat down their city, and destroy the inhabitants of it, and by burning the hold in which the men of the tower of Shechem were, and them in it: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal; both upon Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, they being destroyed by one another, as Jotham imprecated they might, and foretold they would, see ver. 20. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 333–334). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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24–57. One general observation runs through the whole of this history, and meets the Reader in every part of it: namely, that God’s judgments, sooner or later, overtake the sinner. The Shechemites are first punished by the apparent victory of Abimelech, but this victory only becomes the prelude to the death of Abimelech: so that both fall by the just judgment of Almighty God. So true and final is that solemn sentence of God: Whose sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man. Gen. 9:6.  (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Deuteronomy–2 Samuel (Vol. 2, p. 361). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software)

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Three years later the prediction in Jotham’s parable comes true; fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem; and fire came out from Shechem and devoured Abimelech. It was God who sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. Then there is the revolt of Gaal, (“loathing”), the son of Ebed (“servitude”), and he opposed Abimelech. Something similar came to pass in Christendom. On account of the domineering rule of Rome there was the revolt against her. The overthrow of the ecclesiastical oppressor was attempted. But Gaal’s attempt fails. He is overcome. Abimelech and his officer Zebul are victorious. The revolt has failed. Even so to-day Rome is gaining, and those who “protested” once against her wickedness, now are following her pernicious ways once more. Abimelech’s end was brought about by a piece of a millstone which a woman cast on him, and a young man thrust him through with a sword and he died. It was a fearful end in judgment. Even so it is written of Babylon, the mother of harlots, Rome. “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.” … “And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” (Rev. 18:21, 24.) (Gaebelein, A. C. (2009). The annotated Bible: Joshua to Second Chronicles (Vol. 2, pp. 91–92). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

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FROM MY READING: 

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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Genesis 40
Joseph is confined in prison.

INSIGHT

Joseph is one of the finest examples in the Bible of faithfulness in the face of tribulation. Wherever he was, Joseph lived for the glory of God. He demonstrated that he could be trusted in the tough times, thereby making himself eligible for God to use him in other settings. Joseph was faithful over small things, so God was able to set him over large things.

Most of our failures come with the small things. It rarely occurs to us that the challenge of the moment is to demonstrate ourselves faithful at that point. Then — and only then — will we be trusted in the greater things. Joseph is a good reminder.   (Quiet Walk)

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Unbreakable Faith

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3

After doctors diagnosed their first-born son with autism, Diane Dokko Kim and her husband grieved facing a lifetime of caring for a cognitively disabled child. In her book Unbroken Faith, she admits to struggling with adjusting their dreams and expectations for their beloved son’s future. Yet through this painful process, they learned that God can handle their anger, doubts, and fears. Now, with their son reaching adulthood, Diane uses her experiences to encourage parents of children with special needs. She tells others about God’s unbreakable promises, limitless power, and loving faithfulness. She assures people that He gives us permission to grieve when we experience the death of a dream, an expectation, a way or a season of life.

In Isaiah 26, the prophet declares that God’s people can trust in the Lord forever, “for the Lord . . . is the Rock eternal” (v. 4). He’s able to sustain us with supernatural peace in every situation (v. 12). Focusing on His unchanging character and crying out to Him during troublesome times revitalizes our hope (v. 15).

When we face any loss, disappointment, or difficult circumstance, God invites us to be honest with Him. He can handle our ever-changing emotions and our questions. He remains with us and refreshes our spirits with enduring hope. Even when we feel like our lives are falling apart, God can make our faith unbreakable.

                      By Xochitl Dixon, Our Daily Bread)

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A VITAL UNION

And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
John 1:16
We are joined to Christ in a union with Him by means of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. It is a vital union because our spiritual life is drawn directly from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are sustained by Him through the indwelling Holy Spirit. There is nothing more important in the Christian life than to realize that our union with Christ is a vital one. It is a living thing. It is not something mechanical or conceptual; it is not a thought or an idea; it is really a vital, spiritual union.
“And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). That says it all. That is our relationship to Him, says John; something of His fullness and of His life is passing into us, and we are receiving it.
The trouble with all of us is that we do not realize the truth of these things. But this is the truth given by the Lord Himself. It is His prayer for His people that they may know the meaning of this vital, spiritual relationship. And He does not hesitate to compare it with the relationship that subsists between the Father and Himself: As the Father is in Him, so He is in us, and we are in Him. But consider the statement of this truth that is made by the apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” There is nothing greater than that, and what it does teach is that this is a life-giving relationship; it is a union of life. “Not I, but Christ liveth in me.” And then Paul goes on to say, “And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
A Thought to Ponder: Our union with Christ is a vital, spiritual union.
               (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 108-109. (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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The Blindness of Israel
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Romans 11:7)
One of the saddest aspects of our world is the blindness of Israel. Even the Orthodox Jews, who strongly affirm their belief in the Old Testament Scriptures, seem unable to see what the Scriptures clearly show, that their Messiah has come and gone. In the first book of the Torah, we read: “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). Ancient Jewish commentators agreed that Shiloh was another name for Messiah, but this very fact should prove to modern Jewish expositors that Messiah has already come, for the scepter (the symbol of national leadership) did depart from Judah, very soon after Jesus was crucified.
King David was the first descendant of Judah to attain the scepter of leadership among the tribes of Israel, and the divine promises were clear that Messiah would be in David’s lineage. That Jesus’ legal father, Joseph, and human mother, Mary, were both in that lineage was shown in the genealogies of Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38, respectively, both of which were written when the genealogical records in the Temple were still intact. No one at that time ever questioned their validity, in spite of intense opposition by the Jews to the claims of Jesus and His disciples that He was the Messiah. In 70 AD, the records and the Temple were destroyed so that no later claimant to the title could ever prove his right to the throne. Messiah had come, and was slain, so the scepter departed from Judah until He comes again. It is certain that Jesus was, indeed, the Jews’ promised Messiah, and we should pray that God will soon open their eyes to see and believe.

                   (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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WISDOM FROM THE PAST

“America needs a tidal-wave of the old-time religion. America needs to be taken down to God’s bathhouse and the hose turned on her. And the time isn’t far distant when the wheels of God’s judgment are going to go sweeping through this old God-hating world” – Evangelist Billy Sunday

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NEW

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