Judges 9-12
Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Hamilton...
"I have a problem all I have is lima bean seeds, but I really want some strawberries. Strawberries are my favorite! I will just plant the seeds I have and hope for strawberries. Will I get strawberries if I plant these seeds? Why not? The Bible talks about sowing and reaping as well. Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. We have studied 2 men this week one who sowed to his flesh and one who sowed to the Spirit. The first man Abimelech wants to become king of Shechem and he doesn’t want anyone to stand in his way. What does he do? Kills off every living heir except for Jotham. What are some attitudes he sowed? Greed, hate, selfishness. Job 4:8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.
Did Abimelech get what he wanted a nice peaceful kingdom? No it tells us in Judges 9 :23 God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. So the same people that helped him do evil are now turning against him. Why because you reap what you sow. In the end we see that Abimelech kills the people of Shechem and then is killed himself. Not the ending he was expecting. He sowed lima beans hoping for strawberries!
On the other hand we see Jephthah a man who had plenty to be angry about his half brothers kicked him out of the family so they wouldn’t have to share their inheritance with him. Did he get mad and kill all of his brothers? No. Judges 11:3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him. Then when the elders of his hometown come to him what do they ask? Will you fight the Ammonites for us and we will make you our leader? I might have been a bit perturbed at this point. I might have thought, "You kick me out and now want me come and save you?!" But Jephthah once again did the right thing and agreed to help out the people of God. We see in verses 19-27 that Jephthah knew the history of Israel and knew God and relied on Him to win this battle. So what kinds of attitudes do we see Jephthah sowing? Self control, trusting in God, wisdom. Hsa 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. So then we see in verses 29&32 that the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and the Lord gave the enemy into his hands. Why because he reaped what he had sown. He planted strawberries and got strawberries!
We too, have to sow seeds in our lives. Every action and word, we say or do is seed. We have to choose what fruit we want to reap in our love. Are we going to be like Abimelech and so greed, hate, anger, and selfishness or like Jephthah and sow self control, wisdom, and trust in God. You will reap what you sow it is a fact choose to sow the right things in your life. Remember you can’t plant lima beans and get strawberries!
Rom 12:9-19 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. [fn] Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," [fn] says the Lord.
"I have a problem all I have is lima bean seeds, but I really want some strawberries. Strawberries are my favorite! I will just plant the seeds I have and hope for strawberries. Will I get strawberries if I plant these seeds? Why not? The Bible talks about sowing and reaping as well. Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. We have studied 2 men this week one who sowed to his flesh and one who sowed to the Spirit. The first man Abimelech wants to become king of Shechem and he doesn’t want anyone to stand in his way. What does he do? Kills off every living heir except for Jotham. What are some attitudes he sowed? Greed, hate, selfishness. Job 4:8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.
Did Abimelech get what he wanted a nice peaceful kingdom? No it tells us in Judges 9 :23 God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. So the same people that helped him do evil are now turning against him. Why because you reap what you sow. In the end we see that Abimelech kills the people of Shechem and then is killed himself. Not the ending he was expecting. He sowed lima beans hoping for strawberries!
On the other hand we see Jephthah a man who had plenty to be angry about his half brothers kicked him out of the family so they wouldn’t have to share their inheritance with him. Did he get mad and kill all of his brothers? No. Judges 11:3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him. Then when the elders of his hometown come to him what do they ask? Will you fight the Ammonites for us and we will make you our leader? I might have been a bit perturbed at this point. I might have thought, "You kick me out and now want me come and save you?!" But Jephthah once again did the right thing and agreed to help out the people of God. We see in verses 19-27 that Jephthah knew the history of Israel and knew God and relied on Him to win this battle. So what kinds of attitudes do we see Jephthah sowing? Self control, trusting in God, wisdom. Hsa 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. So then we see in verses 29&32 that the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and the Lord gave the enemy into his hands. Why because he reaped what he had sown. He planted strawberries and got strawberries!
We too, have to sow seeds in our lives. Every action and word, we say or do is seed. We have to choose what fruit we want to reap in our love. Are we going to be like Abimelech and so greed, hate, anger, and selfishness or like Jephthah and sow self control, wisdom, and trust in God. You will reap what you sow it is a fact choose to sow the right things in your life. Remember you can’t plant lima beans and get strawberries!
Rom 12:9-19 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. [fn] Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," [fn] says the Lord.
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