I have only a few minutes to write this blog as we drive home from North Carolina to Colorado. So I am asking you to take just an extra minute or two to read Judges 9 and ask yourself how it compares to America today.
Israel's history up to this point in Judges has been based on leaders appointed by God according to God's never-ending love during numerous times when Israel completely forgot God and disobeyed him, especially by worshiping foreign gods. The most recent judge had been Gideon, who delivered a very sinful nation from the hands of Midian. But when Gideon died after many years of peace and harmony, Israel treated Gideon's family very badly and forgot God once again.
Abimelech decided he would become king and he brutally murdered all but one of Gideon's seventy sons who were to judge Israel after Gideon. Then like a modern politician, he duped the people into naming him king. We will see going forward that Israel became jealous of other nations who had kings, and they wanted to become like other nations, regardless of the fact that this was in direct conflict with God's wishes.
Jotham, the one remaining son of Gideon, warned the people of Abimelech's treachery with this parable:
Once upon a time, the trees wanted a king, and they went to the olive tree and demanded he reign over them. But the olive tree said, "Shall I leave the richness of my fruit just to wave over the trees?" Then they demanded that the fig tree reign. But the fig tree said, "Shall I leave the sweetness of my fruit just to wave over the trees?" Then the trees demanded that the vine reign over them. But the vine said, "Shall I leave my new wine just to wave over the trees?" Finally they demanded that the thorn tree reign over them. The thorn tree said, "If you have dealt with integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have treated Gideon's house fairly, very well, I will reign over you. But if you have not done these things properly, let fire come out of Abimelech and consume you all, and let fire come out of all of you to consume Abimelech.
It took several years of Abimelech's rule, during which there was no indication that God was watching Abimelech's evil doings. But then quite suddenly, the judgment of God came on him in the form of a humiliating death at the hands of a woman, and the people who had brought him to power also died violently - by fire!
So, brothers and sisters in Jesus, do not dismay over a stolen election or over the time it takes God to judge, for surely he will.
In American today, it is the rule of law under our Constitution that is being stolen, even if an election was not.
We must not take vengeance into our own hands and thus play God. We must pray, seek God's face, and speak with stout assurance that God will not be mocked. In America, we hope for a Gideon, appointed by God, for our restoration.
Like Israel, we brought most of this upon ourselves through our choices of leaders. We now cry out to God, as Israel did, in unity and repentance for what we have done.
When he hears our cries at last, his love is never-ending. Watch and see!
May God once again bless America. And may we repent of our lack of perfect unity in Jesus.
Israel's history up to this point in Judges has been based on leaders appointed by God according to God's never-ending love during numerous times when Israel completely forgot God and disobeyed him, especially by worshiping foreign gods. The most recent judge had been Gideon, who delivered a very sinful nation from the hands of Midian. But when Gideon died after many years of peace and harmony, Israel treated Gideon's family very badly and forgot God once again.
Abimelech decided he would become king and he brutally murdered all but one of Gideon's seventy sons who were to judge Israel after Gideon. Then like a modern politician, he duped the people into naming him king. We will see going forward that Israel became jealous of other nations who had kings, and they wanted to become like other nations, regardless of the fact that this was in direct conflict with God's wishes.
Jotham, the one remaining son of Gideon, warned the people of Abimelech's treachery with this parable:
Once upon a time, the trees wanted a king, and they went to the olive tree and demanded he reign over them. But the olive tree said, "Shall I leave the richness of my fruit just to wave over the trees?" Then they demanded that the fig tree reign. But the fig tree said, "Shall I leave the sweetness of my fruit just to wave over the trees?" Then the trees demanded that the vine reign over them. But the vine said, "Shall I leave my new wine just to wave over the trees?" Finally they demanded that the thorn tree reign over them. The thorn tree said, "If you have dealt with integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have treated Gideon's house fairly, very well, I will reign over you. But if you have not done these things properly, let fire come out of Abimelech and consume you all, and let fire come out of all of you to consume Abimelech.
It took several years of Abimelech's rule, during which there was no indication that God was watching Abimelech's evil doings. But then quite suddenly, the judgment of God came on him in the form of a humiliating death at the hands of a woman, and the people who had brought him to power also died violently - by fire!
So, brothers and sisters in Jesus, do not dismay over a stolen election or over the time it takes God to judge, for surely he will.
In American today, it is the rule of law under our Constitution that is being stolen, even if an election was not.
We must not take vengeance into our own hands and thus play God. We must pray, seek God's face, and speak with stout assurance that God will not be mocked. In America, we hope for a Gideon, appointed by God, for our restoration.
Like Israel, we brought most of this upon ourselves through our choices of leaders. We now cry out to God, as Israel did, in unity and repentance for what we have done.
When he hears our cries at last, his love is never-ending. Watch and see!
May God once again bless America. And may we repent of our lack of perfect unity in Jesus.
RSS Feed