What can we learn from Shechem's decision to follow Abimelech in Judges 9:6? A snapshot of the scene “Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak of the pillar in Shechem and made Abimelech king.” (Judges 9:6) Why Shechem rallied behind Abimelech • Familiar bloodline – Abimelech was “their brother” (v. 18). • Promise of local influence – a king from their own town meant leverage. • Desire for quick security – Gideon was gone, external threats loomed, and Abimelech offered an instant solution. • Disregard for Gideon’s house – they financed Abimelech’s murder of 70 brothers (vv. 5 – 6), shrugging off covenant loyalty (cf. Judges 8:33–35). Fault lines beneath the decision • Leadership chosen for convenience, not calling (Deuteronomy 17:14-15). • Murder funded by idolatrous treasure from Baal-berith’s temple (v. 4) – spiritual compromise sitting at the root. • Forgetting God’s past deliverances (Exodus 15:13; Judges 6–8). • Ignoring the character test: “He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” (2 Samuel 23:3). The harvest that followed • Shechem’s alliance unraveled into civil strife (Judges 9:22-25). • City and citizens destroyed by the very man they crowned (vv. 45-49). • Abimelech himself struck down (vv. 53-54). • The narrator’s verdict: “Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech… and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem” (vv. 56-57). • Principle confirmed: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, he will reap” (Galatians 6:7). Timeless lessons for us • Seek God’s standard, not popularity. 1 Samuel 8:5 shows how demanding a king “like all the other nations” leads to sorrow. • Character outranks charisma. Proverbs 29:2 – “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” • Compromise in small steps births disaster in giant leaps. Judges 9 began with idolatrous funds and ended with fire and sword. • God defends covenant truth. Hosea 8:4 – “They enthroned kings, but not by Me.” • Personal application: weigh every alliance, endorsement, or vote against Scripture’s plumb line (Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 3:5-6). Choosing differently today • Anchor decisions in prayerful dependence (James 1:5). • Measure leaders by fear of God, humility, and justice (Micah 6:8). • Refuse shortcuts; obey even when faithfulness seems slower (Psalm 37:7). • Remember that God sees, records, and repays (Romans 14:12; Hebrews 4:13). Shechem’s story warns that the easy alliance can cost everything. Choosing leaders—and making any major decision—without God’s approval invites the same crushing harvest; doing it God’s way secures blessing and peace. |
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