The book of Judges is bleak, but chapter 9 is particularly devastating. A passage like this forces us to see the devastation that bad people can wreak. Sometimes the only appropriate response to something like this is, “How long, O Lord?” That is my posture today.
Gideon died, and the people of Israel once again worshiped Baal, the fake god. When he passed, Gideon left behind seventy (yes, 70) sons. Abimelech was one of those sons, born to Gideon’s concubine, and he was bent on being king. So he killed all but one of his brothers (Jotham) and rallied the people of Shechem to make him king.
Abimelech was awful and opportunistic, a greedy and prideful man. Knowing this, Jotham gave him a warning in the form of a parable: A forest of cedar trees wanted a king, and so they asked an olive tree, fig tree, and grapevine to do the job. All three declined, and instead asked the trees of the forest to consider what it would be like to no longer produce the fruit that pleases both people and God.
Turns out the olive tree, fig tree, and grapevine knew their place and their calling; they were content in the roles given to them by the Lord. But the bramble, an opportunistic and destructive plant, said yes—he would be their king (vv.7–15). One commentary I read compared the bramble to the Southern vine kudzu, which ruthlessly takes over anything in its path. Jotham knew Abimelech would do the same.
Then “God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem” (v.23). A man named Gaal started a coup against him, and when Abimelech learned of the plot to overthrow him, he unleashed a violent terror against his people. He “tore down the city and sowed it with salt” (v.45), making it infertile land, destroying it not just for the present, but for generations after. To round out his wrath, he burned a tower filled with people, killing more than a thousand.
Abimelech’s anger would echo for decades. We don’t know exactly how Abimelech salted the earth, but Scripture describes just how destructive this practice might have been, leaving behind soil as a “burning waste of sulfur and salt, unsown, producing nothing, with no plant growing on it” (Deuteronomy 29:23).
This is the definition of “scorched earth,” a turn of phrase typically reserved for military strategies. It is Sherman’s March to the Sea in the Civil War and the use of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. It is the devastation we see throughout both history and Scripture. It leaves us to cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
Sin has scorched the whole earth and all of our hearts. It leaves nothing to satisfy us. We are only refreshed, rebuilt, and renewed when we look to Jesus. He is the only One who can water a scorched earth and a hardened heart, and He does. And He will. Thanks be to God.
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41 thoughts on "Abimelech Becomes King"
I’m blown away with how history truly repeats itself. So thankful for Jesus and His grace and mercy. These days are heavy and wicked … but God preserves and protects his own.
Thank you, SRT, for the devotional portion of the daily readings. I became a little lost in the details of chapter 9 but the whole picture came together with Melanie’s description. Thank you to the whole SRT team for making The Word become alive and relatable in our daily lives. May we never fall to the Abimelechs of the world!
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Love your take on this
War and destruction have always been part of our planet and always will be until Jesus returns. God is not surprised and neither should we be. We can stay in the eye of the storm, which is His presence, resting in Him.
Michelle Patire happy to hear that things are improving with your mother. mother.
@Alison Bentley I was thinking the same thing about God using a woman in a mighty way to complete His purpose. Women were never meant to be weaker or less than men when God created us. It’s only through society that women were esteemed as less than.
Today was a tough read. So many awful things happened. I’m so very thankful for the hope I have in Jesus.
You will know them my their fruit. Actions speak louder than words. This passage just pressed on me an urgency to be a mom of substance and to raise men that produce good fruit.
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Today’s reading was hard. It feels heavy. Our world feels heavy lately. I’m trying to remember to focus on the good.
I am so uplifted by reading all of your comments and thoughts on the story of Abimelech. It is always so thought-provoking to be able to discuss the Bible with other believers. To me, that’s what makes SRT so wonderful. When I read alone, I only have my own conclusions and thoughts. But when I read the comments and thoughts of my She sisters, my eyes are opened to nuances and messages I would miss on my own.
When I read the Scripture passage in the SRT book, I wrote in the margin that every sin has a consequence. Thank God for Jesus who paid the price for our sins.
Whatever battles we face this day Psalm 68:19 lifts our spirits up after the horror of Abimelech’s deeds.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.
Amen! God loves us so much!
Thank you for referencing that page! I had not even noticed it.
Deb, thank you for sharing that.
Have a blessed Wednesday, dear Sisters. You and your requests remain in my prayers. ❤️
I was listening to Jess Connallys podcast this morning and she mentioned the phrase “you can’t beat the curse”. The curse of sin in the garden was pain – we can’t beat the troubles of this world what we can do is lean in to Jesus for comfort, wisdom and understanding!!! Also – I love my God- “But a woman” Judges 9:53 – ladies if you don’t feel important because society tells you otherwise just know God has been using women in MIGHTY ways from the beginning!!! Happy Wednesday She’s!!!
I am so grateful that this is not the end of the story like you said Taylor. Thanks be to God that even in times as these, we know the end of the story.
Abimelech was pure evil killing his own brothers; killing / burning the people of Shechem; Abimelech ruthless reign is ultimately met with tragic downfall.
Hi sisters! I would like to ask for prayers for my boyfriend, Jose. He’s been actively looking for a job for 4 months now and he still hasn’t received a job offer. It’s been a tough time for both of us emotionally and financially. Please pray that he receives favor and encouragement from the Lord. And that he gets the best job offer soon. Thank you so much!
My best friend bought The Bible Recap. You reminded me of it today so I’m going to order it! I had not connected the stones in my mind!
Has your mom tried taking a spoon of honey?
As a gardener, I am cautious using salt. It can ruin the soil, leaving it useless. Yet, salt is an amazing thing. It can be used as a preservative, food enhancer, deodorizer, cleaner, bug repellant and 55 other uses according to Readers Digest. But there is one caveat. It has to be used in the right proportion. Col 4:6 says our speech should be full of grace, seasoned with salt. Seasoned, not the whole shaker. Too much salt makes food inedible and will burn on your tongue. How often do my words scorch those who hear them, producing soil that will grow nothing? Are my words like Abimelech’s reign of terror, wreaking havoc for generations to come? “Set a guard over my mouth, Oh Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3
So thankful for the hope that we have in Jesus. God is in control and we know the end of the story! Abimelech sounds like a lot of the evil rulers today. And just like God called Abimlech to account, he will do it for those today.
I think our job as believers is to pray and keep ourselves pure in our world. Letting our light shine as we trust in God.
Like TINA, I was struck with the last paragraph of the devo and it reminded me that God will remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. NKJV The NLT says it this way “I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Once again we see God use the least likely people: The youngest (Jotham) and the weakest (woman).
God, in your mercy, help us to recognize the brambles that threaten our relationship with you.
Praying for each of you and looking forward to more updates. Thankful to see your update, MICHELLE PATIRE, and continued prayers!
GM!
Greed and pride, the sin that creeps in, and causes destruction to yourself and others. It never ends well. We see it all the time through history and today. Lord, take all pride out of me. Help me to be humble and show your fruits. Help us not to have pride in you, but to show love. We were all sinful people until we came to Jesus, by your power.
“In Christ Alone.. our hope is found..” Blessed be the name of the Lord!
He alone is our living hope. The chasm they lay between us is broken. Thank you Lord!
@GramsieSue- How is Steve feeling? Hope he is better.
Wanted to share this commentary from Tara Leigh Cobble, “The Bible Recap” on Judges 9.;
God’s justice is on display with Abimelech, he kills his brothers on a stone,then dies by a stone. God’s wrath and justice are adjacent to his love, not in contrast to it. When we love something we have wrath towards anything that threatens it. We want to defend and protect it. When it comes to His name and His people, YHWH is vigilantly protective. Even in the midst of their wickedness and waywardness,He’s still enacting justice to purify them and protect them from evil. In love and in justice, He’s where the joy is!
Have a blessed day sweet she’s!
I’ve been reading a book about the story of Jacob “Limping with God” by Chad Bird and in one of the final chapters, he talks about how the number 70 represents the nations often in Scripture. It also is a picture of completeness (7 x 10). Interesting, that Gideon had 70 sons. Some verses to support the theory—
Genesis 46:27 – All the people who descended from Jacob were seventy people, but Joseph was already in Egypt.
Exodus 24:1 – Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.
I like the reminder from the book of Matthew, today, about false prophets. Always hits home. Praying the Lord protects the minds of young and vulnerable believers. May they have discernment and take witness of the counterfeit fruit of the enemy. False peace. False hope. False unity. A symbol of the anti-christ. The Lord have mercy on His body and sharpen our discernment and breed unity.
Thank you all who prayed for my family, recently. My mom seems to be showing signs of repentance… She went out of her way to be kind to me yesterday. I believe the Lord is talking to her. I am also trying to observe my heart and be aware of blindspots. I know I am not always kind to her. Thankful God is here and moving :)
No matter where we look there is sin and evil in this world. The only way to escape is in God through belief in Jesus Christ. Keep praying for our family and friends, our community, our nation, everyone including ourselves. Trust in the Lord and His plans.
I am thankful for the Hope we have knowing Jesus is returning. This particular reading hit me hard today. It hurt my heart. To know there is still so much evil in the world and it’s only going to get worse before Jesus returns.
Sobering passage today of the effects of sin. Thankfully we know this is not the end of the story. Praying for our world and the world leaders that they would choose peace.
Yes, CINDY HANNA and SEARCHING.
May Lord have mercy on us, our leaders and the world.
That’s all I have to say about that.
What a mess Abimelech made of leadership. It brought to mind a cast of equally vicious leaders among us today. I’m grateful for the Hope-filled Psalm provided . God is bearing our burdens. HE is our salvation. Blessed be the Lord!
Amen!
Welp. I miss Gideon! This chapter was exactly what I expected Judges to be (which is why Gideon’s story was so refreshing). But alas, the people are back to behaving like the humans that we are. Greedy, vengeful, committing atrocities left and right. It’s amazing the damage one power-hungry person can do. I loved the tree parable however. I’m picturing the tree creatures from Lord of the Rings, declining to pick a king, content to play their God-given role. Make me a tree, Lord, content to sink my roots deep into You, standing tall, providing shade and safety to others.
Abimelech’s thurst for power and honor was unquenchable. This son of a concubine would be respected no matter the cost. He did not fear God or seek to serve Him. A life ( and death) of violence was the result.
This story has been often repeated in history, and continues today. May the Lord have mercy on us.
Praying for your requests.
DONNA WOLCOTT- praying your cough has an easy resolution to it. My mom has had a cough for years caused by acid reflux. She didn’t like the side effects of the meds, so just always has water on hand to douse a flare up.
Oh, the evil in man’s heart! Only our faith in God can change our hearts and save us. The passage from Matthew – Lord, guide us and help us to not be deceived.
Praying through yesterday’s requests, sisters.
Blessed be the Lord!
Day after day He bears our burdens;
God is our salvation.
SELAH.
Resting in this truth from Psalm 68:19 today.❤
Thanks be to God!
I don’t know whether my heart can take today’s readings!
I felt anger rise up within me, that another human being can do such atrocious things to others!
How long, Oh Lord, indeed!
I guess being given a name like Abimelech, meaning, my father is king, was always going to give this young man, the ‘I have power’ complex!
What was going through his head, I mean destroying fertile land so no crops could grow for the people, and for decades..
I am a sinner, and I sin every day, not on purpose, but I guess it’s me( no excuse). I remember when my husband left us for another woman, a year after my daughter died, I wanted to go to her town and stick posters everywhere with the headline in bold that she was a home wrecker and people of that town should beware! Yes, I was mad, but did I do it? NO, I did not! I could not ruin another’s life! Not even one who had caused hurt to our children..
This saved the day for me. Thank goodness!
Sin has scorched the whole earth and all of our hearts. It leaves nothing to satisfy us. We are only refreshed, rebuilt, and renewed when we look to Jesus. He is the only One who can water a scorched earth and a hardened heart, and He does. And He will. Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to God..
BUT GOD..
Happy Wednesday my dears, lovingly wrapped in hugs and prayers.❤