Judges 9
Leaders Prep Section
Watch this video, read these notes, and send the pre-written email (below) to your group 2-3 days before you meet.
Notes
There’s nothing predictable about any of this.
God being in control doesn’t mean things are going to be comfortable. But who knew how far this idea actually goes?
The question now is: how often is he doing things like this?
Group Guide Starts Here
Context of scripture
When we last left Gideon, he had destroyed the altar to Baal, retired into a more or less peaceful life, and fathered seventy sons. Two of these sons—Abimelech and Jotham are about to unleash something Gideon could never have imagined.
Read Judges 9: 1-6
Abimelech translated means “my father is king.”
Did your father have any occupational expectations for you?
What occupational expectations do you have for your kids?
The translation for the reckless fellows Abimelech surrounds himself tells us they are mercenaries and thugs (aka: henchmen).
If you were a high-ranking, political official, would you have henchmen and what would they do?
Read Judges 9: 7-21
Mount Gerizim, the place of Jotham’s speech, is where the law of God was first read aloud, almost 300 years earlier (Deut.11:29). He reiterates the same theme: “don’t follow other Gods.”
Notice Jotham’s personal anger coming out when talking about their father (v 17, 18).
How hard would you fight someone who was undoing the work of one of your parents?
Read Judges 9: 22-41
V. 22 says, “Abimelech ruled over Israel,” The Hebrew word for rule refers to being in charge; like a captain or official…it’s not the word that would be used for a king. It’s the narrator’s way of saying he proclaimed himself king, not God. The people lived under this for 3 years: a long time under an un-chosen leader building a government on murder.
God sent the evil spirit to control the whole thing (v 23).
What’s the longest period of political chaos you can remember in your lifetime?
If you knew God was at work in our current political landscape, and directly using someone you didn’t like, would you feel differently about anything?
Read Judges 9: 42-57
Millstones are heavy, handheld stones used to mill grain on a larger stone. Imagine a skee ball with the heft of a bowling ball.
Notice the ironic justice:
- He rose to power through one woman and then was defeated by another woman.
- The tower he burned held the same people who supported him in the beginning.
- His skull was smashed with a stone after he killed all his brothers “on one stone.”
- One of the men he picked to follow him, kills him.
If you could arrange the removal of one political or cultural character from today’s landscape, who would it be and why?