The LORD has brought about the destruction of Shechem, as Jotham predicted in his curse (Judges 8:20). Now He has only to bring about Abimelech's downfall. We might ask, if Abimelech has destroyed Shechem, how can Shechem now be the instrument of Abimelech's destruction as the curse of Jotham stated? The answer is found in the town of Thebez.Thebez is

God has brought about the defeat of Gaal and, with him, many of the leaders of Shechem who aided Abimelech in his murder of the sons of Gideon, but God is not finished with the Shechemites. As we noted yesterday, after the battle, Abimelech took up residence at the nearby town of Arumah. The next day, the people of Shechem

As Zebul advised him, Abimelech moves his army overnight to attack Shechem at dawn. When Gaal sees Abimelech's men moving down the mountainside, Zebul convinces him that all he is seeing is the shadow of the mountains shifting as the sun rises. Thus, Gaal does not prepare for the attack. Next, Gaal sees Abimelech's men moving toward the city from

We ended last week's study with the conspiracy of Gaal and the men of Shechem to overthrow Abimelech. Today, we learn of a counter-conspiracy. Zebul, the man Abimelech has left in charge of Shechem, hears of Gaal's plot against Abimelech. He sends messengers warning Abimelech of the conspiracy and advises him to make a sneak attack on the city. Zebul

The LORD causes the division between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem to grow as another man related to the men of Shechem, Gaal the son of Ebed, moves into the city. Rejoicing at his arrival, the Shechemites hold a festival, eating and drinking in the house of their god (that is, the temple of Baal-berith). At this celebration, they

Today, we see Jotham's curse begin to take effect. God was pleased to cause Abimelech and the men of Shechem to be His instrument of destruction, each for the other. He begins by sending an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. Whether this means a demonic spirit, specifically, or, more generally, a mood of suspicion and distrust

In Joshua 8, fulfilling God's Word to Moses in Deuteronomy 27:12, Mount Gerizim was the place from which blessings Israel would receive if the nation kept covenant with the LORD were pronounced. Now, Mount Gerizim is the site of the pronouncement of a curse. In Jotham's parable, when the trees choose the worthless bramble to be their king, the bramble

Yesterday, we noted that all but one of Abimelech's brothers were murdered. The one who survived was Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, who hid from Abimelech and his worthless and reckless men. When Jotham hears that the men of Shechem have declared Abimelech to be king, he goes to Mount Gerizim, which overlooks Shechem, and cries out a parable to them.

Abimelech became king in Israel by means of a very wicked deed. Besides Abimelech, Gideon had had seventy sons by his many wives. If Abimelech's supposed right to rule over Israel came from the fact that he was a son of Gideon, there were seventy other men who could make the same claim. In fact, since they were sons of

Last week we learned that after the great victory over the Midianites the people of Israel desired to make Gideon their king. Gideon rightly refused saying "the LORD will rule over you." However, Gideon proceeded to live like a king, demanding tribute of the people and taking many wives for himself as well as a concubine in the city of