Judges 9
McGeeCHAPTERS 9 AND 10THEME: Fifth apostasy; Abimelech responsible for civil war
Judges 9:1
THE CAREER OF ABIMELECH, GIDEON’S SONThis chapter records the story of Abimelech, the sinful and wicked son of Gideon and his concubine. You see, Gideon should not have had a concubine. It certainly caused trouble in the nation. This boy Abimelech is very ambitious. He had heard about the nation wanting Gideon to become ruler over them. Since he is a son of Gideon, he wants to become king. So he goes to his mother’s people, who are in Shechem, and gets them to follow him.
Judges 9:5
Obviously, Abimelech is a wicked and brutal man. He does a horrible thing here. Some Bible expositors rate Abimelech as a judge. He may have been a judge, at least it is said that he “reigned three years over Israel.” Dr. James M. Gray wrote, “The usurped rule of Abimelech, the fratricide, is not usually counted [as a judge].” He brutally murdered the seventy sons of Gideon and set himself up as king. His abortive reign reveals, I feel, the truth of the statement in Daniel: “…the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan_4:17). Even today when a good ruler comes into office, many folk say, “God raised him up.” What about the wicked ruler?
God permits him to come to the throne also. Do you know why? Because the principle is “like priest, like people.” That is, people get the ruler they deserve. The people of Israel wanted this boy Abimelech to rule over them; and they got the caliber of man they deserved. Friend, when we look around our world today, we find this principle is still true. Now we find that God judges Abimelech for the awful thing he did, and He also judges the men of Shechem for making him king and starting him out on such a course. Civil war ensued because there were many people who did not want Abimelech, of course.
Judges 9:52
This is a sad ending for the life of Gideon who fathered this illegitimate son, Abimelech. God lifted Gideon from a very humble position to be the deliverer and judge of His people. How sad that a man who accomplished so much good should allow this in his life of which God did not approve and which resulted in civil war in Israel.