What can we learn about God's justice from Judges 9:47? Setting the Scene Abimelech, having murdered his brothers and crowned himself king, is now turning on the very people who helped him seize power. The men and women of Shechem run to their stronghold—a fortified tower—hoping stone walls will protect them. The Verse in Focus “When Abimelech was told that all the people of the Tower of Shechem had gathered there,” (Judges 9:47) Layers of Justice Revealed • God allows human choices but never forfeits control. • The same alliance that empowered Abimelech is now disintegrating; those who shared in his violence now fear his violence. • God is positioning events so that both Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem will reap exactly what they have sown (cf. Galatians 6:7). • The brief report that the people “gathered there” is a hinge: it sets up their judgment (v. 49) and Abimelech’s own downfall (v. 53). God’s justice unfolds step by step, sometimes quietly, always inevitably. Principles We Can Live By – Justice may move slowly, but it never stalls (Judges 9:56-57). – Refuge apart from God proves useless (Psalm 127:1). – Complicity in evil boomerangs; supporting wickedness eventually harms the supporter (Proverbs 11:21). – God’s justice targets both the instigator (Abimelech) and the enablers (Shechem), reminding us He “shows no partiality” (Romans 2:11). Echoes in the Rest of Scripture Deuteronomy 32:4 — “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice.” Psalm 37:12-13 — The Lord “laughs at” the plotting wicked because “their day is coming.” Romans 12:19 — “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Summing It Up Judges 9:47 looks like a simple logistical note, yet it pulses with the certainty of divine justice. God is quietly arranging the pieces so that wrongs are righted, showing that He never overlooks sin and never abandons His righteousness. |
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