How does Judges 9:57 connect with Galatians 6:7 about reaping what we sow? Seeing the Principle in Judges 9 • After Abimelech’s bloody rise to power, God intervenes: “God also brought back on their heads all the evil of the men of Shechem, and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-baal came upon them.” (Judges 9:57) • The men of Shechem had sown betrayal, violence, and idolatry; they reaped destruction by the very hand they empowered. • Abimelech, who “sowed” murder by killing his seventy brothers (Judges 9:5), “reaped” death when a millstone crushed his skull (Judges 9:53-54). • The closing verse is a divine commentary: God personally ensures the harvest matches the seed. Galatians 6:7—The Same Law Stated Plainly “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” (Galatians 6:7) • Paul articulates the universal moral law already illustrated in Judges. • “God is not mocked” echoes the statement in Judges that God Himself “brought back” the evil—He will always answer sin. • The verse addresses individuals and communities alike, just as Shechem’s collective sin met collective judgment. Bridging Judges 9 and Galatians 6 • Judges 9:57 supplies the narrative proof; Galatians 6:7 supplies the doctrinal principle. • Both passages highlight God’s active role—He is not a passive observer but the righteous Judge who balances the scales. • The Old Testament account demonstrates that the harvest may come years later, yet it is certain; Paul’s warning applies that certainty to every believer’s daily choices. • The consistency across Testaments affirms Scripture’s unity and literal reliability. Living Out the Lesson • Sow righteousness: “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of loving devotion” (Hosea 10:12). • Guard motives and actions: “Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8). • Trust God’s timing: “In due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). • Expect God to vindicate truth: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19). Further Scriptural Echoes • Proverbs 22:8—“He who sows injustice will reap disaster.” • Job 4:8—“Those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” • 2 Corinthians 9:6—“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” In both the chilling history of Abimelech and the clear teaching of Paul, God underscores a single, immutable law: we always harvest the crop we plant. |
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