For forty years after Gideon led the defeat of the Midianites, Israel lived at peace. During that time Gideon commanded a lot of respect. Unfortunately, that high degree of respect can lead one to making poor decisions and temptation, and Gideon fell into that trap as Judges 8:30 tells us. “And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.”
While the Bible never specifically condemns polygamy, Deuteronomy
17:17 is very specific, warning leaders against getting caught up in polygamy
may lead to turning away from God. “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself,
that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself
silver and gold.” Joshua had set
such an example that Judges 2:7 tells us, “And
the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the
elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that
he did for Israel.” Although the
people followed the Lord as long a s Gideon lived, his ephod and marrying so
many women weakened his testimony, and as soon as he was dead, the people
turned away, according to Judges 8:32-35.
“And Gideon the son of Joash died
in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in
Ophrah of the Abiezrites. And it came to
pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and
went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the
LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on
every side: Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely,
Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.
Gideon had refused to become king, realizing that God was
the true king of Israel. When the people
began worshipping other gods after his death, one of his sons decided to
capitalize on his relationship to Gideon and become king, as Judges 9:1-2 tells
us. “And
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and
communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's
father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in
the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all
the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or
that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
Although she was considered his wife, Gideon had never
officially married Abimelech’s mother.
Abimelech was not close to his half-brothers, and did not want to share
authority with them, so he went to his mother’s relatives to get support in
seizing power. With their help, he was
able to hire mercenaries to help him kill his brothers and seize power, as
Judges 9:4-56 describes. “And his mother's brethren spake of him in
the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined
to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of
silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light
persons, which followed him. And he went
unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal,
being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham
the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem gathered together,
and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the
pillar that was in Shechem.”
Desiring the prestige and power being king would bring,
Abimelech had no concern about usurping God’s authority or killing his
brothers. Unfortunately, the more
wealth, power or prestige an organization acquires, the more people want to
take it over, and the more they are willing to do to get control. Many have little interest in the
organization, and once they get control they try to destroy anyone or anything they
see as a threat to their control.
No comments:
Post a Comment