Judges Chapter 9 "Internal Disorders." "Action of Jotham [7-21]." "Action of God [22-55]." This Bible Study is
written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription
is provided by theseason.org This chapter starts out after the death of Gideon, who was also known as Jerubbaal. Gideon left behind seventy children, and one that was an illegitimate child named Abimelech. There is a difference between a "mamzer" [bastard child], and an illegitimate child, for the "mamzer" is a mongrel, a child of a Israelite father and an heathen mother. It is important that you know what the word "Abimelech" mean, for it means "son of the king". It is also important that we keep this Abimelech separate from all the other "Abimelechs" named in the Bible, because there were many Philistine kings with this name. Judges 9:1 "And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying," This Abimelech again, is the illegitamate child of the judge Gideon, whose name was changed to Jerubbaal. "Jerubbaal" being fully translated means "let Baal plead his own case". At the death of Gideon, or Jerubbaal, Abimelech returned to the family of his mother, to live with her relatives. Judges 9:2 "Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.' " In the first place, the reason that Israel had judges, was that there were no kings. Now that the judge over Israel is dead, someone had to step forward and take over the judge position that Gideon held. The position of "king" was common only to the heathen and not of Israel, and all the kings that existed were from the heathen, the Philistines and other nations. However, Abimelech has been named the "son of the king", and his name has gone to his head. Abimelech wants power and the right to rule. Gideon, or Jerubbaal had seventy other children besides Abimelech and he is asking the family of his mother to support him in his quest to become the first king over all of Israel. Abimelech called a meeting of all the family, and he is trying to get their support for his becoming king. He is reminding them that he not only is the son of Gideon, but he is their next of kin, from the same bone and flesh that they are. Judges 9:3 "And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "he is our brother." Abimelech made quite a case for his right to lead them, in that he was the son to Gideon, as well as their next of kin. He asked them, do you want all seventy of his half brothers and sisters to rule over you, or would you rather have me, someone that knows and understands you, and is one of you? It is real easy to stir up trouble through gossip, and Abimelech is doing a good job of that. Judges 9:4 "And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him." So his brethren gave Abimelech seventy pieces of silver, one piece for each of his brothers and sisters. We discussed Baal-berith earlier, called the house of Baal worship under Judges 8:33, and what went on in Baal and Ashtoreth or grove worship. Baal worship is the worship of Baal or Babel, the confusion in religious form that came from that early Canaanite religious form out of Nimrud's kingdom as discussed in Genesis 11. Baal and Ashtoreth are religious forms of worship that deals with sex orgies. However the word "berith" ties the religious followers to this form through a covenant between Baal and the people. There is only one covenant that our people are to bind themselves to and that is the covenant with the Living God. Then to add insult to injury, Abimelech and his family go to the house of Baal and to it's heathen followers, and they bound themselves together in a covenant. So Abimelech is now committed to serve under Baal-berith, by covenant who is the heathen god and an enemy of the Living God. Judges 9:5 "And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself." So after Abimelech finished his dealings with his mother's family, and committing himself to the Baal-berith, or covenant god of the heathen, he went back to his father house in Ophrah. "Ophrah" in the Hebrew tongue means "gentle" or "fawn", a place of peace. Remember that Jerubbaal was Gideon, who had passed away, and Gideon's family were at Ophrah. These seventy people that were slaughtered on that stone were Abimelech's own brothers and sisters. All that is except his youngest brother, Jotham. "Jotham" in the Hebrew tongue means "God is upright". It is also important to know the number seventy in Biblical numerics. God is setting the stage for His message to you and I in a prophetic sense, in that this is a type of how it shall be at the end of this earth age. The "stone" is what you build your foundation on, and our "stone" or "Rock" is Jesus Christ. Our Rock is not this false covenant god Baal, confusion, and the orgies of deception that are going on in the world today, and that shall increase when Satan is cast out of heaven to this earth. The subject which is the number "seventy" has now been repeated three times. The number seventy in biblical numerics refers to Israel's restoration and completeness, and this is talking directly to the end times. True Israel will be completely restored, and all the tribes brought back together at our Lord Jesus Christ's return, at the seventh trump. So what tribe are we speaking of specifically here? Gideon was from the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe that represented all of the ten tribes of the house of Israel [not Judah]. Ephraim is one of the largest tribes, of which the people of Shechem were mostly from the tribe of Ephraim. This is why Abimelech may not be considered a "mamzer" or "bastard", but a "illegitimate" child. The tribe of Ephraim was the leader of the other nine tribes of house of Israel, which carried the covenant blessings that God gave to Abraham. They lead the movement through the Caucuses mountains, and migrated to locations throughout western Europe, and the Americas, and established colonies around the world. These people became known by this event, and were later call "Caucasians". In their migrations they took on many names, such as Celts, Gauls, Cimmerons, Brits, Sakka, and so on, however they all kept the name "Caucasian". Caucasian is not a race, but a family identification of the house of Israel, named after their migrations. So this chapter is talking about the "rock, the "covenant", and "the restoration of our people". The name "British" [Brit-ish] translated means "covenant people". Judges 9:6 "And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem." "Millo" in the Hebrew is a "mound", or a small place of worship. "Pillar", as given here is "oak", so this was saying that these men of Shechem [of the family of his mother] gathered together for a small meeting over by the old oak tree, and there they made Abimelech their king. There is a great deal of history concerning this location of the oak tree that took place centuries prior. It is the place where Jacob had his dream of the ladder that stretched into heaven, where angels ascended and descended. Genesis 28:18 "And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it." Genesis 28:19 "And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of the of that city was called Luz at the first." Genesis 28:20 "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, " Genesis 28:21 "So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:" Genesis 28:22 "And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee." Judges 9:7 "And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, "Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you." Remember that when Jotham saw what was happening to his brothers and sisters by Abimelech and the gang from Shechem, he ran off and hid. Later it was told to Jotham that Abimelech had killed his sixty nine brothers and sisters, he went to these murderers and gave them a message from God. It may seem at times that the wicked do get away with murder, but God keeps very accurate records, and there is a day of reckoning coming for not only Abimelech, but everyone that took part in any murderous act. The legitimate the true man of God is Jotham, a man that was fair and honest. Jotham gave the warning to all the men of Shechem, and he told them that this message was from God. Judges 9:8 "The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, 'Reign thou over us.' " Jotham is going to use the symbology of trees to give this message, and the trees represent people. But remember that there is no king yet to rule over people, this is important. The first king to rule over Israel was king Saul, the king that was anointed by the prophet Samuel some hundred and eighty years later. God simply did not accept Abimelech as king, for Abimelech's covenant is not with the True God, but with Baal-berith, a heathen god. This is the analogy or parable that Jotham is telling the men of Shechem. The book of Zechariah from the ninth chapter to the end of the book, has to do with the end time prophecy also. Zechariah 9 speaks of the false messiah, and deals with both the first and second advent of Jesus. Zechariah 14 tells us exactly how these three events are going to come to pass. Zechariah 9:9 tells us that Jesus would come not in the pageantry of a king but riding on an ass, a young unridden donkey. Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." This we know did come to pass from Matthew 21:4, 5; "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying," [4] "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." [5] We see then that when Jesus did come riding into Jerusalem on this donkey, that the people of Jerusalem did worship him as their king. Matthew 21:8 "And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches form the trees, and strawed them in the way." Matthew 21:9 "And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." This the only time that Jesus was recognized as the the Son of God, from the term "Hosanna [save now] to the Son of David..." They knew from the prophets that the promised messiah would be born through the seed of David, and that He would be the eternal king of all Israel. The problem that these Jews had was that they could not separate the difference between Zechariah 9:9, and 9:10. Zechariah 9:10 "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." However in Zechariah 9:6, Jotham's parable is used to show us that this type is true. Zechariah 9:6 "And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines." Remember that the world "bastard" in the Hebrew tongue means that the child is born to a father of Israel, and a heathen mother. In either case, neither the bastard nor the illegitimate child suffers because of the sins of their parents. The word "dwell" as used here is "yahsab" and it means "to sit as king", or ruler, or judge. So what God is saying here is that one will be sitting as king, or ruler or judge in that latter days, who does not have the blood line or credentials to be in that position. This is the same type that you have here with Abimelech, a man who sits as a king, only the authority was not his to rule. Abimelech's covenant or anointing was not with God, but with the heathen covenant god of Baal-brerith. It will be this same way in the end times when the false Christ, Satan in the role of instead of Christ, will take his position as ruler of the earth, and that right was not given by God but by his kin and offspring, the Kenites. He will claim to be the True Messiah, while the only authority behind his claim are his family, and the friends that he has deceived into following him. Those include the fallen angels who were also deceived by him. So we see Jothan is giving us a parable of the coming of the false messiah, and the throne that he shall take very shortly. This is why it is unknown whether or not Abimelech was a mamzer [bastard] or an illegitimate child for there were many Kenites and Philistines that had mixed with the tribe of Ephraim during this time of the Judges. Judges 9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" Remember that Jotham is telling a parable, whereby the trees are symbols for people. Jotham is asking, "should I leave my purpose of the oil of the tree, to be a witness of what has happened, to become promoted over all of Israel, all of the people?" It was the "olive oil" or "the truth from God's Word" that the virgins were supposed to have had in their lamp, and waiting for the bridegroom Jesus Christ. That oil was the olive oil that is the oil of our people, and it is the symbol for truth that can only come from the understanding of God's Word. When you have enough of that oil or truth, then you have the knowledge to know who Satan is when he come, and you will not be deceived by him. Those of the olive tree knew that there is One coming who has the right to rule, and they do not desire to have anyone rule in His stead. Judges 9:10 "And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come thou, and reign over us.' " Remember that the Lord used the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" who is Satan in his role as the serpent of deceiver, as well as the "tree of Life" in the garden of Eden. Trees are symbolic throughout the entire Scripture of people. The parable of the "fig tree" deals with the identification of Satan's children, the offspring of Cain called the Kenites. Most men of God acknowledge that Genesis 3:15 is talking about the death of Jesus Christ, when He was nailed to the cross for our sins. The recognize that Seed is referring to the children of the woman "Eve", yet somehow they just want to spiritualize everything else that happened in the Garden of Eden that caused sin to enter into the Garden. Genesis 3:15 "And I [God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman [Eve], and between thy seed [the Kenites] and her Seed [Jesus Christ]; It [Christ] shall bruise thy [Satan's] head, and thou {Satan] shall bruise His [Christ's] heel." Judges 9:11 "But the fig tree said unto them, 'Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?" The fig tree refuse to give up his sweetness and good fruit to take the reign over the people. The Kenites don't relish the idea of doing the ruling, but they would rather have control over the rulers. They want to continue in their merchandising and trade without having to mess around with the problems of governing. They want the profits to continue, without the interference of any government. Judges 9:12 "Then said the trees unto the vine, 'Come thou, and reign over us.' " Judges 9:13 "And the vine said unto them, 'Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" This is a parable, just as when Jesus said "I am the vine". The "wine" of that vine is representative and symbolic of the blood of Christ. Jesus Christ did not come to earth, born of the virgin Mary, to rule as the King of Kings in His first advent, because He knew that He was to be crucified exactly as prophesied. When Jesus went to the cross He opened not His mouth to complain, for that was His purpose for coming, to pay the price with His blood for the sins of all would by faith believe on Him, and repent to the Father in Jesus name. Judges 9:14 "Then said all the trees unto the bramble, 'Come thou, and reign over us.'" The "bramble'" are thorn bushes, and they are always symbolic of Satan. God uses thorns to drive His own people at times. Judges 9:15 "And the bramble said unto the trees, 'If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon." This is what the thorn bush is saying to all the people, which are all the trees. If you want me to be your king and rule over you, then put your love and knowledge and worship in me. Give everything that you have to me, and come under my shadow and live. The "cedars of Lebanon" have always been symbolic of God children, and the point that the bramble bush is making here is a complete lie. First of all a bramble bush has no shadow because there is not substance to him. When you go under the shadow of the thorn bush there is no comfort from the hot sun. If you come under the shadow of Satan's deception when he arrives, you will not get any relief from the world that he controls. However, you will be deceived, and your prayers will be to a false messiah, once you have sought help under the bramble bush [Satan in the role of the Antichrist]. Jotham is warning the men of Shechem that when they seek the protection from their bramble bush [Abimelech], there will be no protection for them, for in the appointed time of God's will, they come under God's judgment. They will have God's justice on their heads. These men of Shechem are the very type of those that were the first taken in the field, of Matthew 24:41; "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." These men of Shechem were taken by a deceiver, murderer and a liar, and in the end they will pay for their choice. Judges 9:16 "Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;" Jotham is reminding these men of Shechem of the things that Gideon had done for them, and he knew as they did that the men of Shechem took part in the murdering of his sixty nine brothers and sisters. Judges 9:17 "(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:" When all of Israel were hiding in fear of the Midianites, those Bedouins that flooded their land and took all that they could steal, Gideon stood up and made a difference. He killed ran them off, and killed their kings. After all that Gideon has done for you, look what you have done to him. Judges 9:18 "And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of this maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)" Jotham is reminding these men of Shechem that they have killed off all the legitimate sons and daughters of his seed, and made Abimelech, the mamzer or illegitimate what ever the case, king over you. Jotham was telling them that they have been had, and they are to ignorant to know it. Judges 9:19 "If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:" Jotham is stirring their conscience. Judges 9:20 "But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech." This should remind you of Ezekiel 28:18; "Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth fire from the midst of thee. it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee." This is when Satan is shown in his role as the king of Tyre, and God announces with His own lips that Satan shall be devoured by fire from within, and turned to ashes. This shall take place because Satan has already been judged by almighty God and sentenced to perish. This event will not come to pass until after the great day of Judgment, following the Millennium age. Revelation 20:13 "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judges every man according to their works." "The dead" are those that are spiritually dead, that have not believed on Jesus Christ and repented to the Father in His name in this earth age, and those that are judged according to their works are those that did not make it in the age of the flesh nor by their works in the Millennium age, and their works condemned them to hell fire. Revelation 20:15 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death," The first death is the death of the flesh, which all mankind will go through except those that are still living at the close of this age of the flesh when Jesus returns at the seventh and final trump. They are the one that Paul said will be changed into their new incorruptible bodies, to live for one thousand years through the Millennium age. Paul spoke of this in I Corinthians 15:50-52. I Corinthians 15:50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." The kingdom of God is when Jesus Christ the king come to earth to rule over the entire earth. God is saying through Paul the no flesh and blood body can live on the earth at that time. I Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," "Sleep" as stated here is "to die", and this is saying that there is a time coming when not everyone is going to die, but everyone living at that time shall be changed from their flesh body into another body, as the angels have possible, to live in that Millennium age when Jesus Christ is on earth ruling over His kingdom. I Corinthians 15:52 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Faster then you can wink an eye, all flesh will be finish, and the souls of every person living in their flesh and blood body on earth at that moment in time will be changed, not raptured out of here, but changed into their new incorruptible body. This is the body that shall never get sick, and shall have complete memory restored. All mankind will not have to be told who Jesus is, for God will place that knowledge in their hearts or minds. So this change will be a time for all souls to learn discipline with what you have the knowledge of. I Corinthians 15:53 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Satan has already been judged to this fire as we read in Ezekiel 28:18, and the judgment will be carried out as recorded here, along with all other souls and evil that is not found written in the book of Life. There is only one "son of perdition" and that person is "Satan". "Perdition" means to "perish", and Satan has already been judged. So this parable is the type, and the stage is set for both Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and Satan and those that choose to reject God's Word and follow Satan. Paul taught us in I Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our adomonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." Everything that happened in the Old Testament happened as an example whereby you and I would know what would befall us at the end of this earth age. We are to study, learn and live by those examples. I Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Judges 9:21 "And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother." Jotham gave the message that God had given to him, and when Jotham was finished he ran off to Beer, the place of the well. Jotham didn't have to worry to much for God had His hand on him. Judges 9:22 "When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel," Keep in mind that the false messiah is suppose to reign three and one half years, and this then would be shortened to five months from His end. Daniel 12:7 "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by Him That liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished." A supernatural, divine being is responding to Daniel's question as to the period of time God will allow Satan to deceive the world. The angel of God gave the time of three and one half years to allow Satan the Antichrist to scatter the church on earth. The church will be scattered because they are not mentally prepared. Most are Biblically illiterate and have no desire even to try to understand. Figuratively speaking, they are like adults still sucking the bottle and completely unnourished and untrained in the true meaning of God's Word. God will allow this time to separate his elect from those just playing a gave of church. Though Daniel is told three and one half years, it will really be five months, for Christ told us that this time had been shortened for the elects sake. This time has been shortened to five months, the time of the locust as recorded in Revelation 9:5. The first half of the seven year period is for the building of the one world system, and that political system will collapse at the coming of the false messiah, and be rebuilt into world religious system. Revelation 13:3 "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed: and all the would wondered after the beast." Two heads of the beast, or one world system with the first being political and the second head of a religious order. Revelation 13:4 "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" The "dragon" spoken of here is Satan, who gives his power to this religious system, and the system then will worship the beast in return. During this time even Christian churches become part of the religious system. They do it in ignorance because to their traditions and teachings that go against the Word of God. Remember that this time of Abimelech is a type of what shall happen in our generation. Judges 9:23 "Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:" When you think that you are getting away with something, it is only yourself that you are fooling. There are no unsolved mysteries in heaven, and God always makes the cheaters pay for what they do. Abimelech got away with tricking the men of Shechem to take part in the murder of Abimelech's brothers and sisters. Yet, in time the men of Shechem had time to think over what they had done, and it is now pay-back time for Abimelech. God sent an evil spirit down on the men of Shechem. God allowed Satan to use his forces, his evil spirit to move on these men. Satan is more then anxious to destroy any one he can. Judges 9:24 "That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren." Judges 9:25 "And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them and it was told Abimelech." This is the type of men that Abimelech's family and the men of Shchem were. They now are turned against Abimelech and plotting to kill him when he passes by. The way to get Abimelech out of his house and on the road was to become nothing more than a common thief and highway robber. It wouldn't take long to get the word to Abimelech of the treachery that was going on. Judges 9:26 "And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him." When Gaal and his brothers came to Shechem, it wasn't long that the men of Shechem started a rumor against Abimelech, and shared their hatred of Abimelech with these sons of Ebed. Judges 9:27 "And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech." Afterward time went by, the men went to the fields to gather their harvest and trode the grapes. When the harvest time was finished it would be time for the celebration and making of merry, and of course to go to the church, the house of the covenant god Baal-berith. While they are in their church house the men become drunk and cursed Abimelech. Remember however, Abimelech had a covenant with the Baal-berith people, for it was they that put Abimelech in power. This heathen god was also Abimelech's god, and this was the wrong place to be cursing their king Abimelech. Judges 9:28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him: is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him? Gaal knew that Abimelech was the son of Gideon, the man that God used to run off the Midianites. But he and his brothers just could not figure out where the ties were between Abimelech, the men of Shechem, and the heathen god Baal-berith. The whole thing just didn't make sense to them. The people of Shechem were from Hamor, the father of Shechem. They were Canaanites and not of Israel, so this would identify Abimelech as a mamzer, or bastard child. The whole birth of Gideon's son Abimelech was kept a secret, and when he grew up in the household of Gideon, it was assumed that Abimelech was of Israel. So now in a state of drunkenness, Gaal is starting to put the whole thing together, and it all stinks to him. The question Gaal is asking to himself is, if Abimelech is of the Canaanite people, and Shechem is not of Judah, then why should we serve him. They see that Abimelech's covenant is not with the true God, as Gideon's was, but with the heathen god Baal-berith of the Canaanites. Nothing about Abimelech is of God, not even the chief officer Zebul that is by Abimelech's side. This entire area of Shechem is full of these misfits and mongrels, they are not of Israel but Canaanites. They were mixtures of Kenites, and the offspring of the second influx of fallen angels. Truth always comes out in the end, God can allow secrets to be kept, or he can allow people to destroy themselves when the truth is revealed. Judges 9:29 "And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase thine army, and come out." When Gaal finally put all the pieces together as to what went on in Shechem, and the killing of Gideons many sons and daughters, he is ready to go to war with Abimelech and he challenges Abimelech. Everything that Abimelech had was gained by ill-gotten gain and Abimelech was about to lose it all. Judges 9:30 "And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled." Zebul heard the challenge by Gaar, and accepted the challenge. He was mad that anyone would question the authority of Abimelech. Judges 9:31 "And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, and behold, they fortify the city against thee." Zebul has now notified Abimelech of the words of Gaal and the men that stood behind Gaal, and they have come here to fight. Judges 9:32 "Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:" So general Zebul planned to take his people by night into the field and wait there until morning, getting ready for the battle. Judges 9:33 "And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest do to him as thou shalt find occasion." The general moved his troops to the point of their advantage, and placed them in position during the night. Then in the morning before Gaal and his men have time to get organized, hit them and eliminate them. A sound plan for winning a battle. Judges 9:34 "And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. " Zebul and Abimelech divided their men into four companies, and split them up so that they could cover all direction heading out of the city. It is a sound battle plan that will not leave any way of escape. . Judges 9:35 "And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait." The morning had come, and Gaal got up and went out to the gate of the city. Gaal had no idea that Zebul and Abimelech had planned for the battle all night and were now in position and ready to strike. Judges 9:36 "And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains." And Zebul said unto him, "Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men." With the troops in place and now moving against the city, Zebul went into the city and right up to Gaal's side. As Gaal looked out to the mountain he saw many men moving down off the mountain, but Zebul is telling him that he is just seeing things. Your just seeing the shadows on the mountain moving, be gone with you and get the coffee made, there is nothing going on. The men were moving into position for the battle. Judges 9:37 "And Gaal spake again and said, ""See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim." So Gaal now has seen all four companies of men coming towards Shechem, and he knows that something is up. Judges 9:38 "Then said Zebul unto him, "Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?" is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them." At this point the secret of the battle plan is known to Gaal, and Zebul now reveals why his army is not moving in Gaal's direction. Every word that Gaal had spoken, when he questioned the right of Abimelech to rule, the men of Shechem, and the connection between Abimelech and the heathen god Baal-berith, Zebul is reminding him of his words. Gaal and his men are going to be made an example of, to anyone else that might think of questioning Abimelech's right to rule. Zebul reminded Gaal of his challange to fight with Abimelech and his army, and Abimelech has accepted you challenge. Now go get your men and get out there and fight with them. Judges 9:39 "And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech." The battle is on now. Judges 9:40 "And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate." There was quite a slaughter on both sides, and they fought all the way to the gate of the city. Judges 9:41 "And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem." At the end of the battle, Abimelech went to the high ground and waited there, as Zebul and his men chased Gaal and his men out of Shechem. Judges 9:42 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech." Judges 9:43 "And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them." The people of the city of Shechem knew that because of the battle that took place and what was now known, trouble was coming. They did not want any part of Abimelech any more. Abimelech now had to turn on the people of the city of Shechem and his own family, so he divided his army this time into three companies. He had lost men many in the battle with Gaal and his men. Judges 9:44 "And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them." Abimelech is using good strategy in fighting with the people, and he is giving the people of the city a good working over. These are the same people that supported his move to power, and placing Abimelech to the position he was in. It looks like the bad guy is about to win the battle. Judges 9:45 "And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein , and beat down the city and sowed it with salt." This is the first time that such a victory was done in the bible, where a city would be taken and so destroyed by an army that no inhabitance could remain to live in that location. This means that there would be no possibility of any crops, for the soil would not allow anything to grow in the salt. Judges 9:46 "And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith." When the rest of the Canaanite men of Shechem had heard what Abimelech had done to the city of Shechem and to the church house of the heathen god Baal-berith [the heathen god of the covenant], they were ready to fight also. When you are fooling around with false religions, watch out for it will destroy you. Judges 9:47 "And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together." Judges 9:48 "And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all that people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, "What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done." Abimelech has a plan to come against the people of the tower of Shechem, and instead of explaining the plan, Abimelech told his army to do as he is doing; and they all got their axes and cut down their trees, and got their boughs for their shoulders. Judges 9:49 "And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women." Abimelech and his men then set fire to their tree boughs and cast them on the tower and burned the tower down. In so doing the men of Shechem that had accompanied Abimelech to Gideon's house, and murdered all the children of Gideon died exactly as Jotham had said that they would die. They died by fire from within. Their helping the wicked one in gaining his control has backfired on themselves. Judges 9:50 "Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it." Abimelech has his troops in order and they went on to the next city to take it, for Shechem is now destroyed, and he must find another place to rule from. Judges 9:51 "But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower." Abimelech's name and reputation is going before him, and when he arrived at the city of Thebez he found the city all sealed up, and ready for battle. The men women and children are on the strong tower within the city, one that can't be burned, and they, women included are armed and ready to fight. Judges 9:52 "And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire." It appears that Abimelech is about to take the city, when we see God at work. Judges 9:53 "And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull." Did you get that? One of the ladies of the city cast a piece of a millstone down on Abimelech's head, and busted his skull. This time She had the higher ground, and God led the stone right where it was to go. This was a righteous thing to do for she saved the people of the city by cracking his head like an egg. Judges 9:54 "Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, "Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.' " And his young man thrust him through, and he died." It appeared that Abimelech had the victory right up to the final minutes of the battle, and a woman put an end to his entire empire. The armor bearer may have run the sword through a wounded man, but the woman killed him. It was God's hand fulfilling the prophecy. Judges 9:55 "And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place." Judges 9:56 "Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:" Don't miss what this verse is saying. It is God that cause Abimelech and every one that assisted him in the evil that they brought on his father Gideon's house, to be brought right back on their own heads. The fire consumed those that assisted in the act, and the stone was brought on Abimelech's head. In slaying his brethren of Israel, [restoration of Israel, meaning seventy] , God repaid every last one of them. Judges 9:57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal." Lets stop and take a look at what was done here. It may have looked like Abimelech was winning, and he was. However, in the end he was destroying the very people that he made his covenants with. In the beginning he destroyed the true sons and rightful heirs of Israel, but in the end God allowed an evil spirit to cause the friction between Abilelech and his next of kin, and they destroyed each other. All it took was one wicked evil spirit of idle gossip to grow, and in a state of drunkenness, the truth came to the surface. Then all that was necessary was for time and their conscience to do the rest. Hate came into the community, and the community destroyed itself. God allowed it, God engineered it, and evilness did the rest. Though this it is a story from our ancient past, it is given in God's Word to be a warning to us living today. These stories from God's Word are not given just to entertain you, but that they each may be an example of things that we are to be on guard against. What happened once shall happen again, over and over, for there is nothing new under the sun. He was a son of the King, the judge and ruler over all Israel, yet he gave up his position to become just another mamzer, one that would claim something that is not rightfully his. To put this in another way, Be aware of the mamzer that presents himself as the King of kings, for it shall happen within our generation. The end times are here and the one world system is a reality. The spiritual Abimeleck is Satan in his role as the false Christ, and he is going to be cast out onto the earth with his fallen angels, and they will make a covenant with many of God's people that shall cause them to be doomed. There is not going to be a rapture, and those that are preparing for one are making a covenant with a false god. This chapter has enacted the coming of the false christ and given us an example of how he will work within our own church houses, and the families of those calling themselves of Christ. It shall come to pass using these types and analogies. Yet there is documentation throughout the Scripture that it shall come to pass.
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