Family Family FeudFeud

Lesson Passages:Lesson Passages:

Judges 9:1-9, 14-15, 56-57Judges 9:1-9, 14-15, 56-57

Background Passage:Background Passage:

Judges 8:22 – 12:15Judges 8:22 – 12:15

Pictured:

A potsherd from Thebe dating back to the 14th century BCE shows a nude fertility goddess of Canaan. Perhaps it is Astarte riding a horse.

Themes?How about: •Success•Sensuality (illicit)•Freedom•Power

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Ancient ‘Billboards’

Judges 3 - OTHNIEL, EHUD,SHAMGAR● Othniel, of Debir, south of Hebron, saved Israel from the Mesopotamians, who invaded from the northeast. ● Ehud saved Israel from Moabites, Ammonites, and Amalekites. The story of how he used his left-handedness to kill Eglon, king of Moab, is told in graphic detail.● The Moabites were descendants of Lot. They occupied the tableland east of the Dead Sea. Their god, Chemosh, was worshiped by human sacrifice. They had repeated wars with Israel.● The Ammonites were descendants of Lot. Their territory was next to Moab,beginning about 30 miles E. of the Jordan. Their god Molech was worshiped by the burning of little children.Moab and Ammon ancestors were produced from an incestuous relationship (Gen.19:30–38).

– adapted from Halley’s Bible Handbook.

God was “trying” as Supreme Judge, to deliver His people… All that He required was their _____ ? (Cooperation)!

1. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon at Ophrah as he was beating out wheat in the winepress (6: 11-18).

2. Gideon’s offering consumed by fire (6: 19–24).

3. Gideon’s destroyed the altar of Baal by night (6: 25-27).

4. Gideon “put out the fleece” twice for a “sign” (6: 36-40).

5. Gideon reduced his army from 32,000 to 10,000 to 300 (7: 2-8); he routed the Midianites with trumpets, pitchers, and torches (7: 16-22).

6. Oreb and Zeeb killed by the Ephraim-ites (7: 24 - 8:3).

7. Gideon took revenge on the men of Succoth and Penuel, for not giving his army bread (8: 5-9, 14-17).

8. Gideon killed Midianite kings Zebah & Zalmunna, in rightful revenge for their murdering his brothers at Tabor (8: 18-21).

9. Gideon made a gold ephod for himself, which led the people back toward idolatry (8: 24-27).

Nelsons complete book of Bible maps & charts: Old and New Testaments (Rev. & updated ed.)

Events in Gideon’s life (Judg. 6 – 8:32)

Servitude & battles vs. Midianites

Logos maps

• Ephraim’s anger (jealousy) for NOT being in the fight is answered by Gideon. He had invited them.

• Pursuing some of the rulers of Midian, Gideon is denied aid traitorously by Succoth and Penuel. He warns, then later repays their desertions with rightful vengeance

• Gideon ruled in peace after this for 40 years

• He was offered kingship, but declined it

• Yet, in his remaining life, he– ..had 70 sons from many wives, “plus” a foreign concubine from

more distant Shechem. Their son was Abimelech.

– ..created for his use an ephod of gold spoils, which sat in his house, but all Israel paid homage to it -- so it became a snare

– He sought security in his many sons, wealth and influence – even though not “King”

How can similar ‘heart leanings’ hurt a family or church (yours)?

Completing battles vs. Midian, & Gideon’s legacy (Jdg. 8)

1 Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) went to Shechem to his mother’s kinsmen and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2 “Say, I pray you, in the hearing of all the men of Shechem, Which is better for you: that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one man rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s kinsmen spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and foolhardy men who followed him. 5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all of Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak (terebinth) of the pillar at Shechem.

•Abimelech was linked most to his mother’s kin.

•‘..one stone’ meant public slaughtering: Murder X 70! Note 70 ‘coins’

•How did he use his mom’s family’s “softer’ ambitions,to become King?

•Satan fights God as Destroyer, thief, murderer, liar (Jn.8:44,10:10)How do we know if we are being seduced thru our “lofty” ambitions?

Beware Manipulative Appeals (Judg. 9: 1-6)

7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Hear me, men of Shechem, that God may hear you. 8 One time the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, Reign over us. 9 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, by which God and man are honored, and go to wave over the trees?”

“Interesting” that God preserved a remnant (Jotham), for His work!

No plot can stand against God’s will & judgment (Is. 54:17; Matt. 16:18)

We must pray that WE are standing in God’s will, with Him! (Matt. 6:13)

Mt. Gerizim was a ‘sacred’ spot, to focus the attention of Shechem’ites

Jotham fought with the effective Weapon he had: God’s Words (thoughts)!

His parable had an olive tree ‘fat’ with oil; continues w/ fig tree & grapes What’s more important, bearing fruit of character for God’s work, or ‘success’? Can selfish ambition, ignoring God, lead to spiritual death? (Matt.7:13)

Jesus warned against serving Mammon, our world’s ‘god’ of security!!...

Choose Self-Giving Service (Judg. 9: 7-9)[]

Luke 16:12–17 (AMP) 12 And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]? 13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely). 14 Now the Pharisees, who were covetous and lovers of money, heard all these things [taken together], and they began to sneer at and ridicule and scoff at Him. 15 But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God. 16 Until John came, there were the Law & the Prophets; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone strives violently to go in [would force his own way rather than God’s way into it]. 17 Yet it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to fail and become void.

Luke 13:24 24 Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.

What “success doors” should we trust in? []

10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, You come and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go to wave over the trees? 12 Then the trees said to the vine (grapevine), You come and reign over us. 13 And the vine (grapevine) replied, Should I leave my new wine, which rejoices God and man, and go to wave over the trees? 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, You come and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said to the trees, If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

•Jotham next reminded the Shechem-ites how his father Gideon had served them honorably – delivered them from their enemies, and judged well, with peace.

•He left them the decision to fully follow Abimelech, or to reject this ‘bramble’ (thorn or briar) Abimelech

•He then (understandably) fled in fear from his “brother” Abimelech

Beware Offers of False Security (Judg. 9: 14-15)

Judges 9:23 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

:24-54 Another evil, ambitious man Gaal rose up and plotted against Abimelech, to overthrow him. In the battles that followed, Abimelech killed many more people of Shechem – and then he himself was killed.

Judges 9:55–57 (AMP) : 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed each man to his home. 56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech which he had done to his father [Gideon] by slaying his seventy brothers; 57 And all the wickedness of the men of Shechem God repaid upon their heads and caused to come upon them the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.

God served justice, restored peace, and His purposes were continued. “Case dismissed”: this trial was Over!

The consequences of Selfish Ambition (Judg. 9: 56-57)

-- Judge GOD Presiding. All Rise!

1.Abimelech slew all his half brothers (70) except Jotham, the youngest (9:5).

2.Abimelech defeated Gaal, who conspired against him (9:26-41).

3.Abimelech captured Shechem and razed the city (9:42–49).

4.At Thebez a woman threw a millstone which hit Abimelech on the head; Abimelech then had his armor-bearer kill him with a sword (9:50-54).

Oppression: the damages this time were a very costly Civil War, not foreign enemiesNelsons complete book of Bible maps & charts: Old and New Testaments (Rev. and updated ed.)

Case Summary Abimelech (of Manasseh) -- Son of Gideon by a concubine (Judg. 8:33–9:57, also 2 Sam. 11:21)

16 For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry & selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil & vile practices. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity). 18 And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace.

•Blessed are the peacemakers… sons of God (born again, New Life)

•Decide to NOT be swayed by the god of ambition & false security, Mammon

•Don’t seek riches (1 Tim. 6:10, 2 Tim. 3:1-7)

•Christ has it ALL (Col. 2:3)

•We are to be ‘ONLY’ servants of the King! (Luke 22:25-27)

•BUT we will inherit great treasures, now & Forever (Luke 18:28-30)

For us: the ‘fruits’ of Selfish Ambition (Jam. 3:16-18)

(Backups)

Two Ways! See Deut. 29-30

E |N —|— S | W

The AmphitheatherMt. Ebal

“And these [tribes] shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse [for disobedience]: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.” – Deut. 27:13

Mt. Gerizim “These [tribes] shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph’s [sons], and Benjamin.” – Deut. 27:12

Mt. Gerizim Mt. Ebal

Shechem