SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON JANUARY 28, 2018. TOPIC: ABIMELECH'S RISE AND FALL

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, JANUARY 28,2018

TOPIC: Abimelech’s Rise and Fall

Memory Verse: Proverbs 5:22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. ( kjv).

Lesson Text: Judges 9: 1-57

CENTRAL TRUTH: Because sin has dreadful consequences, we should always reject it.

FOCUS: To consider the consequences of wickedness and turn away from sin.

            OUTLINE:

1   1.     Abimelech Seizes Power

A.    An Evil Alliance

B.     Jotham’s Fable

2   2.     Rebellion Against Abimelech

A.    Division Comes

B.     Stopping a Rebellion

3   3.     Abimelech Judged By God

A.    The King is Dead

B.     God is the True King

        LEARNING OBJECTIVES

      At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1       1.     Explain the relationship between sin and its consequences

2       2.     Recognise the sovereignty of God in His rule over their lives

3       3.     Identify areas in which they can establish boundaries to avoid sin.

             INTRODUCING THE LESSON

   Question: It is acceptable to misrepresent yourself on a curriculum vitae to get the Job or position you want?

       Personal gain and personal success are important to many of us. We want a better Job and better pay. We want a better house, a better car. If we are not careful, these kinds of desires can ruin us. We may come to a point where we willingly lie, cheat, or steal to get what we want. We may even choose to emotionally, psychologically, or even physically harm others to get what we want. However, in the long run, sin does not pay.

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1          1.     Abimelech Seizes Power

A.    An Evil Alliance   Judges 9:1-6

           Question: In what ways have you seen people embrace sin for personal gain?

          Personal gain is not wrong in and of itself. How we pursue it can be, however. It’s not wrong to want to be successful. Likewise, it wasn’t necessarily wrong that Abimelech wanted to be ruler ( Judges 9:1-2). However, his complete disregard for God’s rule was a problem. The way in which he became ruler was certainly  detestable, and it became the foundation for the unrest and destruction to follow.

       The previous chapter tells us that Gideon had seventy sons with his wives. Abimelech was the son of a concubine who do not reside with Gideon in Ophrah, but who lived in Shechem ( Judges 8:29-31; see also 6:32). She was a Canaanite. Abimelech had no real place with Shechem as an Israelite.

      Carefully reading Judges  reveal that Abimelech’s story is a continuation of Gideon’s story. The writer did not use any of  the formulaic statements that he had with other individuals. In fact, Abimelech was not treated as a Judge by the author. Rather, Abimelech  was a self-promoting, ambitious individual who booked a position of a King in Shechem and in Israel. Abimelech was about to claim this power for himself without acknowledging God at all.

      Abimelech may have considered the meaning of his name, “my father is king,” as an indication of what he should pursue. Sometime after Gideon’s death, Abimelech went to Shechem to petition his mothers’ relatives to speak to the leaders of Shechem ( Judges 9:1). In his campaign for a monarchy, he appealed to his blood relation with the people of Shechem. After, Gideon’s seventy sons had no blood relation in Shechem. The purpose of Abimelech’s question of which option was more desirable- the unrelated seventy sons or singles half-related son ( verse 2) – was to raise doubt and appeal to pride of the people of Shechem.

Question: Why would the rulers of Shechem accept Abimelech’s request to be their King?

     For them, it was better to have someone who was related than to have Israelites rules over them. This was the first example in Judges of a local town, or tribe, selecting their own ruler. This was Shechem’s first move to throwing off Israel’s  control. Keeping in mind that Shechem belonged to Israel as part of God’s covenant. The city was located near the tribal boundaries of Ephraim and Manasseh.

    In order to help secure Abimelech’s position as King over Shechem, the leaders provided him with seventy pieces of silver from their temple treasury. Abimelech used the money to hire unscrupulous outcasts as mercenaries to kill his half- brothers ( verse 4). This eliminated any potential  challenges to his throne. So Abimelech son of Israelite used fund from pagan temple to fund his sinful act. In addition, the valuation of one shekel per head demonstrated how little regard Abimelech and Shechem had for Gideon’s sons. Even slaves, valued at fifty shekel, were worth more.

   Abimelech went to Ophrah and killed all of the brothers on a single stone ( verse 5). Only the youngest, Jotham, escaped. That he killed them on one stone may demonstrate Abimelech was a calculated murderer . It may also represent a ritualistic slaughter. This would indicate how Abimelech removed himself from his affiliation with Israel’s God.

     Shortly after, the people of Shechem and Beth-Millo (or “House of Millo”) gathered together to make him King ( verse 6). The place where they crowned him King also demonstrated how far Isreal was falling from God. Pillars and trees were common items used in pagan worship. An Israelite who chose Canaanite loyalties, was to be made King over a Canaanite city in a Canaanite place of worship.

B.     Jotham’s   Fable.  Judges 9:7-21

          Question: What is a Fable and what is it intended to do?

           Fables are short stories that teach a moral lesson. Plants, animals, or inanimate objects often portray the characters in fables. They speak and behave as people. We use fables to teach our children important life lessons in a way that they will joyfully accept them.

          When Jotham came out of hiding, he proclaimed a fable to the people of Shechem from Mt. Gerizim and invited them to dialogue with Israel’s God (Judges 9:7). This location was significant for two reasons. First, the sound of his voice would have travelled quite far from the mountains into the valley where Shechem was located. Jotham could address them without jeopardizing his safety. Second, Mt.Gerizim was the mountain of blessing for Israel (Deuteronomy 11:29;27:12).

         In Jothem’s fable, he used three common plants for the ancient world: the Olive trees, fig tree, and grapevine. The olive tree provided olive oil that was used for cooking, medicine, fuel, and worship. When the tress asked for the Olive tree to rule over them, the olive trees’ response demonstrated that civil and religious service to others was more important than power  over others (Joshua 9:8-9).  The fig tree had multiple uses as food and as a sweetener. Like the Olive tree , services to others was better than power over others ( verse 10-11). The grapevine provided its sweet fruit and wine used by men and offered in worship. So, it too favoured service to others rather than power over others ( verse 13).

     Finally, the tall trees of Labanon asked the worthless bramble, the thornbush to rule. The bramble agreed (verse 14-15). Yet, all was not well. The bramble had no shade it could offer the towering trees. Rather, it caused pain to those who touched it. The bramble’s only good use was to start fires. The absurdity of the picture was quite telling as Jotham applied it to Shechem.

      Speaking from Mt. Gerizim, the mountain of blessing, Jotham offered Shechem a blessing on the condition that all of their actions to this point had been conducted with integrity. If they rightly chose Abimelech as king, good. If  they justifiably slaughtered Gideon’s seventy sons, good. If they had repaid Gideon according to what he deserved, good. Then, let Shechem prosper together( verses 16-19).

     Then, speaking from Mt. Gerizim, the mountain of blessing, he offered a cause on the condition of their conduct. If they have not acted in good faith, if they had not acted with integrity, and if they felt they were justified in their actions, let Shechem and Abimelech consume one another ( verses 19-21). 

           2   Rebellion Against Abimelech

A.    Division Comes. Judges 9:22-25

           Question:How important was Shechem in Israel’s History?

From Abraham to Jacob to the criminal seeking refuge, Shechem was important in Israel’s history. This time in Israel’s history was no different because it marked a significant decline in Isreal’s relationship with God. Yet, God would not be forgotten, and He would hold all accountable who opposed Him. He would judge sin, and sin would not go unpunished. Judges 9:22-25 provide a summary of the events that led to the dismise of Shechem and Abimelech. It’s important to note that the writer attributed this to an act of Israel’s God whom Israel had neglected and forgotten.

         God works through people. The “evil spirit” that came in the discord sown by a man named Gaal. Gaal reminded Shechem what they experienced in the hands of Jacob’s sons when they slaughtered the men of the city (see Genesis 34). He called them back to their Shechemite heritage. Throwing aside Abimelech’s Shechemite heritage, he called them to rebel against their Israelite ruler( see Judges 9:26-29).

B.     Stopping a Rebellion, Judges 9:42-49.

Question:How did Shechem’s consequences correspond to their sin?

          Aside from the eternal consequence, sin has natural consequences. Generally speaking, good actions has good result s and positive benefits while bad actions have negative consequences that can linger for an extended period of time. If a person saves money for a future unseen need, he or she will have it when the day comes. If a person spends money without thought of the future, he or she will have nothing when the hard times come. These are natural consequences.

        The people of Shechem should have expected calamity because they had sought to make  a murderous man king. The consequences of their rebellion was Abimelech assertion of his military action. Abimelech answered Gaal ‘s challenge to bring his army against Shechem. Yet, when Abimelech did, he took action to the extreme. He completely destroy the city,killed everyone and made it land useless by covering it with salt ( Judges 9:42-45)

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              3. Abimelech Judged By God

A.    The King is Dead. Judges 9: 50-55

Question: Why is it important to maintain self-control in resisting sin?

     One sin often leads to another. A person steals and then lies to cover up the theft. As time progresses, to cover up a chain of sin, a person sins more. It can become a vicious circle of sin without hope of escape. The relatively small consequences of the initial act now has compound consequences of multiple sins.

     Once Abimelech began his  military rampage there was no stopping him. He left the desolated remains of Shechem and travelled about fifteen miles to Thebez. As he did in Shechem, so he did in Thebez. He throw aside self-control and caution and paid the cost. When he approached the Tower of Thebez to burn it down, a woman throw a upper millstone, used for grinding grain, on Abimelech’s head, critically wounding him. Abimelech would not bear the thought of history recording that he had been killed by a woman. So he called his armour bearer over to end his life (Judges 9:50-54). With Abimelech dead and Shechem destroyed, the men of Israel returned to their homes ( verse 55).

B.     God is the True King, Judges 9: 56-57

Question: In a world where wicked often prevail, how does this story portray God’s justice?

     God has spoken to Shechem through Jotham. Shechem and Abimelech had death treacherously with Gideon’s family. Abimelech’s  plans were done with a complete disregard for God’s sovereign rule, and they were doomed from the beginning.

      God provides overflowing grace and mercy. He is also a God of Justice. He will not leave sin unpunished. He will bring justice for those who are wronged. God repaid Shechem and Abimelech according to their sin (Judges 9:56-57)

DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION.

Sin has natural consequences as well as eternal consequences. Fortunately, the eternal consequence of sin have an answer through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We can experience the forgiveness of God for our sin. This may not do away with all of the natural consequences, however. Provide an opportunity for those who have not experienced the grace of God in salvation to do so at this time. Challenge all students to a new determination to avoid sin, knowing that unrepented sin has consequences.

MINISTRY IN ACTION.

Commit to, pray for leaders and members of your church, that God will keep it free from self-promotion in other to preserve the unity of the church.