Judges 9The Rise And

Fall of Abimelech

Themes

God knows the course

that evil takes and

at the right time

puts an end to it.

God gives us the rulers

we need

to both reveal and develop

our character.

Is God in control?• In bad times it seems the world is in turmoil and

God seems far off.•  We have questionable leadership among the

people.• The economics of the nation are in disarray.• The moral virtues of many are supplanted by

their opposite.• There is quarreling and a lack of civil discourse

-- people are talking over each other• And the spiritual people are too often intimidated

and either silent or foolish.

A Lesson In Detecting Evil

The story of

A wicked

Foolish

leader,

Abimelech

I. His Rise To Power1. It all started with a reasonable concern: Why

Multiple Leaders? Pick me!

2. (Pretentious name: “Ruling father” or “My father is King” or “I am the Father of the King”)

3. Gave him an unearned money from a pagan temple alter (BAAL Berith) (God of the covenants)

4. Hired modern equivalent to Germany’s brown Shirts or Muammar el-Qaddafi’s thugs or the Hell’s Angels

5. The other brothers are murdered – 70 in all

II. His Predicted Fall From Power

1. The remaining brother speaks

2. De 11:29 When the LORD your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.

3. Let fire come out from you to consume 

III. His Spiral Into Defeat And Death1. 3 years an evil spirit between the Shechem and

Abimelech

2. Ga’al son of Ebed Comes to town with his family

3. Questionable leadership leads to people questioning the leaders right to rule. Ga’al was a traitor.

4. Abimelech was told of the traitor Ga’al and tricked him into fighting him. He wiped out hundreds.

5. Went back to Shechem and killed even more burning a thousand deaths.

6. Attacked those in a neighboring town

7. Got bonked with a 20 pound millstone. The woman who killed him? Her name was the same as “Fiery”.

Summary

Jotham’s curse was a prophecy: Fire burned up Shechem and “Fiery” killed Abimelech.

What Have We Learned? God Is At It All The Time!

He deals with the wicked in ways that serve the greatest need.

1. The Evil Heart

• A wicked, foolish leader begins by questioning authority.

• He works hard at grabbing that authority for himself.

• How does he do it?...

2. The Sinful Strategy

• He gathers resources• He gets a hold of money• He recruits likeminded

stooges • He pacifies or eliminates the

competition for his office

3. The Unmasking

• God sends someone to unmask the evil leader

• Predictions of the danger ahead are made but they are ignored

• Revealing the character of the people

• We get the ruler we deserve/need

4. The Struggles With Authority & Power

• Without God’s blessing, authority and control are constant struggles.

• The prophets are scared off• The pretenders to his authority and position are

subdued • Slowly paranoia sets in and even his own people

become enemies. • In the end is shame and disgrace.• The prophecies are fulfilled and there is defeat

and death. 

The Challenge? God says to us…

Identify the progress of sin (rebellion) in your life…

1. Are you grasping for authority and power that is not yours?

2. Are you hoarding resources that should be shared with others?

3. Have you been confronted about things in your life you should address – but are not

4. Are you fighting to hold on to that which is not yours?

5. Are you in a place of shame and disgrace because you wont let God be God?