“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” (Psalm 50:7-11 ESV, continued next week).
Taberg NY United Methodist Church
Judges 8
Gideon's Legacy
}As Gideon and his 300 men have the Midianites on the run, Gideon sends a message out to other tribes asking to have them help rout the Midianites.
}The Ephraimites are ungrateful because they thought they should have been asked to join the fight earlier. Gideon deflects their ungratefulness and reminds them of the bigger picture.
}This little example is something that we here in the modern day can draw from: When other Christians question you about your ideas or vision first of all be humble and calm. Remind them that ultimately you are on the same team; Yahweh’s team.
}Next, Gideon’s army is getting tired and hungry pursuing the Midianites so they stop in a town along the way called Succoth (Hebrew for “Weaving”). The townsfolk basically say that because Gideon doesn’t have the Midianite generals captured yet they don’t want to risk helping Gideon in case he fails.
}As Gideon and his 300 men have the Midianites on the run, Gideon sends a message out to other tribes asking to have them help rout the Midianites.
}The Ephraimites are ungrateful because they thought they should have been asked to join the fight earlier. Gideon deflects their ungratefulness and reminds them of the bigger picture.
}This little example is something that we here in the modern day can draw from: When other Christians question you about your ideas or vision first of all be humble and calm. Remind them that ultimately you are on the same team; Yahweh’s team.
}Next, Gideon’s army is getting tired and hungry pursuing the Midianites so they stop in a town along the way called Succoth (Hebrew for “Weaving”). The townsfolk basically say that because Gideon doesn’t have the Midianite generals captured yet they don’t want to risk helping Gideon in case he fails.
Gideon's Legacy continued
}The same thing happens in a town a little further down named Penuel (Hebrew for “Face of God”).
}Ironically these 2 towns tried to preserve themselves by not standing with Gideon but they were both destroyed for not making this stand. Yahweh requires us to stand for him, even when it seems like we are completely on the wrong side of the battle. Don’t try to preserve yourself by not standing for what is right.
}So far the Gideon story has been really a “feel-good” one, hasn’t it? A coward from a weak family in a weak tribe rises up to claim back what is rightfully Israel’s with an army of 300 men wielding trumpets, clay pots, and torches. A Mighty Man of Valor.
}He even goes so far as to turn down being the King when the people want to put a crown on his head. The problem is that he took all the riches from his battles and became like royalty.
}He had a harem of wives that bear him 70 sons. He even has a concubine on the side who gives him at least another son.
}He takes thousands of gold earrings and makes a gold Ephod (something the priests wear) that the Israelites end up worshiping. The Israelites beat the Midianites but are losing to the enemy within themselves; greed.
}The same thing happens in a town a little further down named Penuel (Hebrew for “Face of God”).
}Ironically these 2 towns tried to preserve themselves by not standing with Gideon but they were both destroyed for not making this stand. Yahweh requires us to stand for him, even when it seems like we are completely on the wrong side of the battle. Don’t try to preserve yourself by not standing for what is right.
}So far the Gideon story has been really a “feel-good” one, hasn’t it? A coward from a weak family in a weak tribe rises up to claim back what is rightfully Israel’s with an army of 300 men wielding trumpets, clay pots, and torches. A Mighty Man of Valor.
}He even goes so far as to turn down being the King when the people want to put a crown on his head. The problem is that he took all the riches from his battles and became like royalty.
}He had a harem of wives that bear him 70 sons. He even has a concubine on the side who gives him at least another son.
}He takes thousands of gold earrings and makes a gold Ephod (something the priests wear) that the Israelites end up worshiping. The Israelites beat the Midianites but are losing to the enemy within themselves; greed.
Reflection
}Think about the lessons that Gideon taught us:
}1) Yahweh doesn’t always choose the biggest and most capable warrior to lead the battle- sometimes he picks the wimp.
}2) You have to trust that Yahweh is going to give you what you need for battle- clay pots and trumpets have defeated armies.
}3) When the time comes you have to stand for what is right, trying to preserve yourself by denying God is futile.
}4) In the end, remember where you came from- taking on the spoils of battle will sometimes make you fall from your exalted throne.
(WTC Memorial)
}1) Yahweh doesn’t always choose the biggest and most capable warrior to lead the battle- sometimes he picks the wimp.
}2) You have to trust that Yahweh is going to give you what you need for battle- clay pots and trumpets have defeated armies.
}3) When the time comes you have to stand for what is right, trying to preserve yourself by denying God is futile.
}4) In the end, remember where you came from- taking on the spoils of battle will sometimes make you fall from your exalted throne.
(WTC Memorial)
Judges 9
Back to Idolatry
}No sooner was Gideon in the ground then the Israelites went back to serving Baal. It is true that the ancient Israelis were fickle when it comes to serving Yahweh, but we shouldn’t condemn them.
}How many of us let things get in the way of us serving the Lord? We may not bow down to idols but anything that takes away from our time with him is like an idol.
}Gideon’s 70 sons are collectively ruling the area together but Abimelech, the concubine’s son, kills (almost) all of them and seizes power over Shechem like a King.
}One of the 70, the youngest named Jotham, hid and was able to keep a low profile until Abimelech’s coronation day. Yahweh uses Jotham as a prophet.
}No sooner was Gideon in the ground then the Israelites went back to serving Baal. It is true that the ancient Israelis were fickle when it comes to serving Yahweh, but we shouldn’t condemn them.
}How many of us let things get in the way of us serving the Lord? We may not bow down to idols but anything that takes away from our time with him is like an idol.
}Gideon’s 70 sons are collectively ruling the area together but Abimelech, the concubine’s son, kills (almost) all of them and seizes power over Shechem like a King.
}One of the 70, the youngest named Jotham, hid and was able to keep a low profile until Abimelech’s coronation day. Yahweh uses Jotham as a prophet.
Back to Idolatry continued
}When Jotham speaks he would have crawled up to a rock protruding out of the mountain above the ceremony- this would have given him excellent acoustics.
}Although the parable about trees doesn’t make as much sense with us today because we don’t work in the field every day, it would have sent quite the message in ancient times. The olive tree, fig tree, and vine all refused to be king of the trees because they all had a more important function to serve, but the thorn bush on the other hand…
}The thorn bush (Abimelech) was about to become king. Thorn bushes make great fuel for fires but are useless at providing shade. They were making the decision that was about as smart as seeking shade under a thorn bush- but this one not only cut them, he burned too!
}Abimelech is king 3 years and the people of Shechem start to regret their decision and plot to get rid of Abimelech. A man named Gaal starts to speak out against Abimelech and the mayor of Shechem (Zebul) but Abimelech finds him out and attacks the city.
}Jotham’s words ring true because Abimelech took brush and set the rulers of Shechem on fire. El Berith is Hebrew for “God of the Covenant”, but it was not our God that the tower was named after- it was Baal.
}The people were burned down in a tower built to Baal- enough said.
}When Abimelech tries to take a neighboring town and burn down their tower a woman throws an upper millstone on him. He has someone kill him with a sword so that he can be spared the embarrassment of being killed by a woman.
}When Jotham speaks he would have crawled up to a rock protruding out of the mountain above the ceremony- this would have given him excellent acoustics.
}Although the parable about trees doesn’t make as much sense with us today because we don’t work in the field every day, it would have sent quite the message in ancient times. The olive tree, fig tree, and vine all refused to be king of the trees because they all had a more important function to serve, but the thorn bush on the other hand…
}The thorn bush (Abimelech) was about to become king. Thorn bushes make great fuel for fires but are useless at providing shade. They were making the decision that was about as smart as seeking shade under a thorn bush- but this one not only cut them, he burned too!
}Abimelech is king 3 years and the people of Shechem start to regret their decision and plot to get rid of Abimelech. A man named Gaal starts to speak out against Abimelech and the mayor of Shechem (Zebul) but Abimelech finds him out and attacks the city.
}Jotham’s words ring true because Abimelech took brush and set the rulers of Shechem on fire. El Berith is Hebrew for “God of the Covenant”, but it was not our God that the tower was named after- it was Baal.
}The people were burned down in a tower built to Baal- enough said.
}When Abimelech tries to take a neighboring town and burn down their tower a woman throws an upper millstone on him. He has someone kill him with a sword so that he can be spared the embarrassment of being killed by a woman.
Further Thoughts
}What does the story of Abimelech teach us?
}1) Idol worship doesn’t necessarily mean that you pull out a little statue and start worshipping it- how many people actually leave church after service and stay devoted completely to God without letting anything get in between them and God until the next service?
}2) In Deuteronomy 17 Moses gave us a warning about future kings of Israel- maybe Abimelech is a small taste of how power corrupts.
}3) Just because someone is “flesh and blood” with you doesn’t mean that they won’t “burn” you in the end. Abimelech won over the Shechemites by saying he was flesh and blood, but in the end he still burned them alive to try and keep his power.
(Le Penseur, Auguste Rodin)
}1) Idol worship doesn’t necessarily mean that you pull out a little statue and start worshipping it- how many people actually leave church after service and stay devoted completely to God without letting anything get in between them and God until the next service?
}2) In Deuteronomy 17 Moses gave us a warning about future kings of Israel- maybe Abimelech is a small taste of how power corrupts.
}3) Just because someone is “flesh and blood” with you doesn’t mean that they won’t “burn” you in the end. Abimelech won over the Shechemites by saying he was flesh and blood, but in the end he still burned them alive to try and keep his power.
(Le Penseur, Auguste Rodin)