Year 7, Day 270: Judges 9

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I know that I’ve read Judges 9 before.  I can even look on my blog and see the posts that I’ve written about it.  Yet it doesn’t feel like I’ve studied this passage before.  With the vivid description of human sinfulness throughout this story, I should remember it more than I do.

This story starts out with human ambition.  Abimelech wants to take over the leadership of the people when his father dies.  For the record, this tells us something about Gideon.  Gideon may not have said he was a king, but he certainly lived enough like a king so that Abimelech felt he should take over as leader.

After all, Abimelech does mean “My dad is king.”  Learn this lesson well, especially if you are a parent or someone who works with shaping young minds.  How we raise our children will impact how they behave when they are older. Abimelech is named to reflect that Gideon was a kingly leader among the people.  Abimelech lived into that self-fulfilling prophecy.

Furthermore, Abimelech goes out with a plan to kill his brothers (half-brothers, really).  He wants to be king so bad that he is willing to kill to get it.  This is really an act that is all about removing the opposition.  If none of Gideon’s children remain, nobody can challenge Abimelech for the role.

Notice, though, that we get more than just a self-fulfilling prophecy of kingship.  We also see that those who act dishonestly to get what they want often end up being bit by the same sword they used.  Abimelech is killed after a short reign.  Unlike Gideon, who followed God’s will and was allowed to live out his life in full, Abimelech kills to get into power and he is killed in order to get him out of power.

The way we are raised affects how we live.  The way we live affects the way we will live.  The way we live will affect what we can do in this life and how we can follow God’s will.  When we get it right, it can be a beautiful thing for parents and mentors to watch.  When we get it wrong, it can all come crashing down around us.

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