Judges

Judges 9: God repays violent wickedness

Begin in prayer

Before we listen to how God repays those who shed innocent blood and help others do evil, let us come to Him together. Ask Him to give us humble hearts and to help us see Christ, the righteous King who suffered at the hands of wicked men.

Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. Yahweh has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Nahum 1:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Please help us hear Your warning against violence and shared guilt. Lead us to repent and seek mercy in Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

With support and money from Shechem, Abimelech kills his brothers and becomes king, while Jotham survives and pronounces a curse through a tree story. After three years, God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and Shechem so both will answer for the brothers' blood. Gaal challenges Abimelech, but Zebul warns the king, who defeats him and later destroys Shechem. Abimelech burns its stronghold, killing about a thousand men and women. At Thebez, a woman drops an upper millstone on his head, and he orders his armor bearer to kill him. God repays the wickedness of Abimelech and Shechem, and Jotham's curse comes upon them.

As you read Judges 9, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God repays the wickedness of those who shed innocent blood and help others do evil.

Abimelech gains power by appealing to family loyalty and using money from Baal's temple to hire followers. He kills his brothers, while Shechem makes him king and shares responsibility for their blood. Jotham's story of the trees exposes a rule that promises shelter and brings fire. God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and Shechem, and their alliance turns into treachery. The chapter names God's purpose, that the murderers and their helpers should answer for the brothers' deaths. Abimelech destroys Shechem and burns the people who take refuge in its stronghold. A woman then strikes his head with a millstone, and his armor bearer kills him. God repays both sides, bringing Jotham's curse upon them.

How does Judges 9 show us that God repays the wickedness of those who shed innocent blood and help others do evil?

God sees the blood behind Abimelech's throne.

Shechem funds Abimelech from Baal Berith's temple, and he hires men who follow him. He kills his brothers on one stone, while Jotham survives by hiding (verses 4 and 5). The men who help him become king share responsibility for the violence.

God turns the guilty alliance into judgment.

Jotham warns that Abimelech and Shechem will consume one another like fire. God sends an evil spirit between them, and Shechem deals treacherously with Abimelech (verses 20 to 24). Their rebellion and his revenge bring the bloodshed back upon those who caused it.

God repays the wickedness on both sides.

Abimelech destroys Shechem and burns its stronghold with about a thousand men and women inside. At Thebez a woman breaks his skull with an upper millstone, and he orders his armor bearer to kill him. The chapter ends by naming these events as God's repayment for wickedness (verses 56 and 57).

Memorise

Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers.

Judges 9:56

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I helping someone do wrong, and will I confess it to God?

The final account is plain, “God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech.” Helping a murderer did not leave Shechem innocent. God remembers the blood that powerful people may expect everyone else to forget, and every sinner must answer to Him.

Jesus Christ, the righteous King, suffered at the hands of wicked men without sharing their guilt. At the cross He willingly bore the punishment His sinful people deserved. His completed sacrifice is enough to remove their guilt before God. He rose from the dead, and the living Lord will judge the world in righteousness.

Do not hide behind a group's approval or another person's orders. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus Christ for mercy. All who come to Him receive forgiveness, however shameful their guilt. His pardon also calls them to stop helping evil and to follow their righteous King.

Parent's note

Tell your children to turn from sin and trust Christ, because a Christian home cannot save them. Explain the brothers' murders, the burning stronghold and Abimelech's death in words suited to your children. God sends the evil spirit as judgment, while the murderers remain responsible for their wickedness. Please ask God to give each child a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for His righteous judgment and the mercy found in Christ, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

for true and righteous are his judgments.

Revelation 19:2

Righteous God, thank You for repaying wickedness justly and for the mercy we find in Christ. You see the sins we commit and the wrong we help others do. Please bring us to honest repentance and faith in Jesus. Protect those who suffer violence and teach us to do what is right. Amen.