JUDGES UNITED KINGDOM & PSALMS Quarter Three FROM CONQUEST TO DESTRUCTION Adult Bible Class 2015 October - December
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 2 Lesson Three Day 1-4 Memory Verse: Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. Judges 9:56 Today s Study --- Leadership In Crises In the Absence of Godly Leaders Evil will abound.
Lesson Three Day 1-4 Abimelech was born to Gideon and his concubine. Gideon is primarily remembered for two things: His great victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). His refusal to rule Israel as their king (Judges 8:23). However, Gideon was not all he should have been. It took four signs for him to fight Midian (Judges 6). Named Jerubbaal meaning ``Baal fighter'' (Judges 7:1). 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 3
Lesson Three Day 1-4 Refused to be king, but took earrings and made an Ephod to be hung in ``his'' city, Ophrah. Ephod was a priestly robe. The ephod we find associated with terâphim in Jdg 17:5, Jdg 18:14 ff., Hosea 3:4, and in connection with the Urim and Thummim or sacred lots, 1 Samuel 14:18 cf. 1 Samuel 14:41 LXX; it was carried, not worn, by the priest, 1 Samuel 2:28; 1 Samuel 14:3; 1 Samuel 14:18 LXX (see RVm., but render carried), 1 Samuel 22:18 (omit linen with LXX. cod. B, and render carry), 1 Samuel 23:6, 1 Samuel 30:7; we gather, therefore, that it was used in consulting Jehovah to obtain an oracle. 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 4
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 5 Lesson Three Day 1-4 But what the ephod was itself is not so clear. It may have been a rich vestment or embroidered loin-cloth, such as we see in Egyptian paintings, which the priest put on when he consulted Jehovah; this may explain the amount of gold which Gideon devoted to its making. In the sanctuary at Nob the ephod stood or hung near the wall, but free from it; and here Gideon set or placed his ephod in the sanctuary at Ophrah.
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 6 Lesson Three Day 1-4 The root apparently means to sheathe, and a derivative is used in Isaiah 30:22 for the plating of thy molten images of gold ; hence many suppose that it must have been an image, but it is very doubtful whether the plating of the image could come to mean the image itself. Different in some way from the oracular ephod was the ephod of linen with which Samuel and David were girt when performing religious functions: a closely fitting garment is what the meaning of the root implies.
Lesson Three Day 1-4 A richer development of this was the ephod of the High-Priest described in Exodus 28:6-12 P, shaped like a kind of waistcoat, over which he wore the jewelled pouch or breastplate containing the Urim and Thummim; in its latest development the ephod thus maintained its association with the divine oracle. See esp. Sellin, Orient. Studien Theodor Nöldeke gewidmet 1906, ii. 701 f. and Benzinger, Hebr. Arch.2, 347 f., 359; Driver, Exodus, p. 312. Refused to be king, but seems to accept priesthood! 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 7
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 8 Lesson Three Day 1-4 The one who delivered Israel from bondage, (bondage brought on by their idolatry) now becomes the instrument used to return them to idolatry. This is a dark period in Israel's history. Israel was travelling a vicious circle: Apostasy. Oppression. Repentance. Deliverance. Rest. Back to apostasy to begin the cycle again.
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 9 Lesson Three Day 1-4 They faced primarily three problems: Political problems: Isolated tribes caused them to become tribal, without unity. Social problems: They adopted Canaanite customs, manner of life and even intermarried with them. Religious problems: Baal worship grew out of a dissatisfaction with purity (Judges 2:11-13). Six Lessons we need to learn from Abimelech: Sons are not always like their fathers ; Doom is predicted by the Word of God ; Strife comes between so called friends ; God punishes both those who lead in sin and those who follow. Apostasy can come from within
Lesson Three Day 1-4 SONS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE IMAGES OF THEIR FATHERS. This natural son of Gideon was unlike his father in desiring power (Judges 8:23; 9:1-3). Parents are not always what they appear to be on the surface. Gideon neglected his child-rearing responsibilities. Bearing a son does not make one a father! How could Gideon be a father to Abimelech of Shechem when he was living in Ophrah (Judges 8:29-35)? Fathers are responsible to God for the way their children are reared (Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6). 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 10
Lesson Three Day 1-4 The trees look for a king. They ask the olive tree, fig tree and vine to rule them. - Judges 9:7-21 Ask the fruitful to rule over them. All these refuse to rule. Finally they ask the bramble to rule over them. This is not a tree, but a bush. One hated and despised. Bramble's only fruit is its thorns! It had to be removed before any productive farming could be done. Such removal only came with selfinjury. It was hazardous and harmful to anyone who drew close to it. Bramble gives no shade of consequence its only value was to either keep something in or out of an area. 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 11
Lesson Three Day 1-4 STRIFE COMES BETWEEN ABIMELECH AND THE SHECHEMITES (Judges 9:22-29). There is a difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Knowing someone does not reflect friendship (cf. Prov. 19:6). Friends love at all times (Prov. 17:17). Christ promises friendship to the obedient (John 15:13-15). Christ is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24). Fair weather friends'' (acquaintances) will turn and rend you when their purposes are served. Sadly, elders, deacons, members and fellow-preachers will do this! 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 12
10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 13 Lesson Three Day 1-4 GOD PUNISHES THOSE WHO LEAD IN SIN AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW EQUALLY. When Shechem rose up to rebel against Abimelech God allowed Abimelech a victory in the beginning (Judges 9:30-49). Victory was gained by burning up those in the tower of Shechem. A further victory was won against Thebez (Judges 9:50). The tower of Thebez could have been taken as was the tower of Shechem. A woman cast a millstone upon Abimelech's head and his skull was broken (Judges 9:53)! Abimelech's armourbearer was called upon to kill him lest it be said he was slain by a woman (Judges 9:54). His death brought to an end this dark period in Israel's history an end that only lasted until the next apostasy. The punishment was brought by God upon both Abimelech and the people who followed him (Judges 9:56-57).
Lesson Three Day 1-4 THE APOSTASY CAME FROM WITHIN. Commonly in studying through the Judges one sees a heathen nation being used to punish Israel. Othniel and the Mesopotamians (Judges 3:8-11). Ehud and the Moabites (Judges 3:12-30). Shamgar and the Philistines (Judges 3:31). Deborah and the Canaanites (Judges 4). Gideon and the Midianites (Judges 6-8). However, troubles do not always arise from without, sometimes they come from within (cf. Acts 20:28-32). 10/17/2015 From Conquest to Destruction Slide # 14