The Bramble King (Part C)

Men can give a sermon to preach in the office. Please assume some years you is moved and no moved to the Lord.

You may never know many times you never know who is being impacted by just being a righteous preacher preacher of righteousness. Otherwise, those stories are just depressing and not realistic, realistic factor is that people get saved from hearing people say things that are righteous. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick continues teaching through Judges chapter 9 in his message called the bramble King. Unfortunately Joe famous talking to a wall what you know we don't know their people in the audience of the during these events.

When the righteous stand up and preach that may have genuinely been moved by these things, but their attention is placed on the key characters and so we know that to this day is the case of a man can give a sermon or you can preach in the office place of someone someone overhears you and is moved enough to move to the Lord, and you may never know many times you never know who is being impacted by just being a righteous preacher or preacher of righteousness. Otherwise, those stories are just depressing and not realistic because the realistic factor is that people get saved from hearing people say things that are righteous. Faith comes by hearing hearing by the word of God. Well, verse 21 then Joe them ran away and fled and he went to beer and dwell there for fear of Abimelech's brother. How tragic he ran from his brother because his brother was a mass murderer. Verse 22 and Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years. Again no evidence that his reign really extended. We don't know what beer is. That's mentioned in verse 21 we which have no evidence of his authority really spilling out in the right or just maybe just throwing that out there to say you know nobody contested as king by the be hard to make a case for you Josie or about you and all of the Carnation to the king of Judah came and Ephraim came in the tribe don't have any that you see because when when the Saul and David incarnated well. In fact, when Saul was coordinator. There were those protesters have this kind will rust. 23 God sent the spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech that the crime done to the 70 sons of Zerubbabel might be settled in their blood be laid on Abimelech. There brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who aided him in the killing of his brothers several times three, four times in this chapter we read it brought up the 70 that were killed because this was of course a horrific event, the shielding that Abimelech would've had had he been God anointed and appointed is not there. It's absent and within three years. This, of relative success relative to what's coming is collapsing.

God permitted the natural tendencies of these characters to run their course. He didn't play, but no stops in place to guide his this guy overhears a creep in the sky overhears a crib and let them go together except for those kind of people do birds of a feather flock together and they going to get together and they don't turn on Abimelech and I stop it and that's what's going on. Isaiah 66 verse four God speaking to the prophet so I will choose their delusions and bring their fears on them because when I called. No one answered.

When I spoke they did not hear but they did evil before my eyes and shows that in which I do not delight. They chose that they didn't care about what God says we read these words and when we stumble we say, but Lord, I do care and I don't want to stop all the wicked don't care and will make that prayer then not interested in what offends God unless they think he's going to punish them. Still, they really don't care what God thinks through their relationship with him. Why became a Christian. I didn't care what the Bible said, but now once all know the story.

Verse 25 and the men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along the way and it was told Abimelech men of Shechem set men in ambush against him when you mean him is not Abimelech writing through their being ambushed is his interest. This was a trade route and unrest stirred up in Shechem. Abimelech's not living in Shechem at this time they are hitting the trade routes submitted taking his tariffs. The money he's getting from these caravans going through the trust of the people is being challenged in the coming under the shade of his matches is now working. He's 5 miles from Shechem.

Come out verse 41 in a room, a knot is a rumor, but our room is the name of village where he is and so the bramble King is losing money is losing control is not protecting is not offering relief. The shade that he promised. Verse 26 Gail the son of the ebb and will repeat that enough times just for me to just did it came with his brothers and went over to Shechem in the manner Shechem put their confidence in him. So here is an upstart going to come on the scene now gal another opportunist, but he's not as successful as Abimelech and is on principle ways him in his buddies there probably the ones robbing all who passed by. Along the way. He's probably got his hands in it anyway. Verse 27 so they went out into the field and gathered grapes from their vineyards and trod them and made Mary and they went into the house of their God and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech so there vine yard says some pronouncement produces fruit for them. This is now July June July, the great harvest time when armies go out to war. Also, again, alcohol is influencing these individuals. They have their harvest. They've made their grapes that wait for the ferment and do it. It does, then they start drinking it and the inhibitors are gone and they start vocalizing there resentment towards Abimelech and they do it publicly. The railing against him.

And now that's the beginning of the end for them. Verse 28 then Gail, the son of the ebb said who his family was Shechem that we should serve him is not the son of Jerome Bell and his is not there.

Bull.

His officer serve the men of Haim or the father of Shechem.

Why should we serve him and so gal, he argues that these guys are not Canaanites to not from Shechem. Did they don't belong here. Their outsiders they get here. Who is this guy and good morning mentioned, you know, Simeon, and Levi hundreds of years ago and what happened here. The history there there still mindful of these things, you know, folks still no arguing the Civil War of humanity will another 2000 positions still be arguing and that's every Civil War probably still have their people just not forget. So there there railing against Abimelech and they also go against his deputies. The bull and he's in Shechem.

There, he's going to get word of this is gonna come back to bite them. Instead of saying you know Abimelech is incompetent doesn't care about us to go with his ancestry. He does either one of us that says all messed up.

Verse 29.

If only is that only this people were under my authority.

Here we go. Just roll your eyes when you is this Absalom at the gate. Those people that come into a church that steel phlox steel people over to their Bible studies say they do this, believe, and I had no shame in doing as you know these to hang horse thieves for reason is that some things are very important and you shouldn't mess with what he is doing these guys is stealing their own fate.

He says if only this people were under my authority then I would remove Abimelech and so he said to Abimelech, and increase your army and come out you don't mean that.

Do you know the words. He sent the message to Abimelech I'm challenging you authority on the battlefield to fight this out.

Verse 30 then the bold ruler of the city heard the words of Dale, son of EM's anger was aroused. It is the 20 cursed him to and he sent messengers to Abimelech, secretly saying, take note gal, the son of Eva and his brothers have come to Shechem and here they are fortifying the city against you. I am so glad that they don't name gal's brothers and behind each brother say the son of the ebb but verse 32. Now therefore jet up by night you and the people who are with you and lie in wait in the field so the example is in the in Shechem is the governor of the Lord.

The deputy of Abimelech.

He hears all this he sends a note to Abimelech for challenging you to fight. You need to get here quickly you'll move at night and lay low until sunrise and then pounce. That's his advice in verse 33 and it shall be as soon as the sun is up in the morning that you shall rise early and rush upon the city and when he and the people who are with him come out against you. You may do to them as you find opportunity so the informant blows the whistle and he also notably a four minute music season, an official of Abimelech, but he blows the whistle and he gives instruction and again Abimelech is in a rumor so he's not too far 5 miles verse 34 so Abimelech and all the people who were with him. Rose by night, and lay in wait again Shechem and for companies to Abimelech, verse 34.

All the people were with him arose by night and lay in wait again Shechem and for companies then gal the son of EM went out and stood in the entrance to the city gate Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from lying in wait and when gal saw the people he said is a bowl look people are coming down from the tops of the mountains and see bull said to him you see the shadows of the of the mountains as if they were men will he's deliberately stalling, giving more time to Abimelech should stick to to converge in the city before gal rings the alarm verse 37 so gal spoke again as it see people are coming down from the center of the land and another company is coming down from the diviners timber tree verse 38 in Zabul said to him, where indeed is your mouth. Now, with which you said, who is Abimelech that we should serve him and not these people whom you despise.

Go out if you will, and fight with them now so Z bull take the Southlake or it becomes thing you know the bull. See below.

Anyway, he's taunting gal and he say what you been talking all this and I'll talk now's your chance to put your put up or shut up. You have a choice you gotta fight or just be killed. You can't run that you got it. The two closely gotta do something.

Verse 39 so gal went out, leading the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech and Abimelech chased him and he fled from him and many fell wounded to the very entrance of the gate at the gate of Shechem. Then Abimelech dwelled in our room a and Isabel drove out gal and his brothers so that they would not dwell in Shechem. Verse 42 came about when the next day that the people went out into the field and they told Abimelech. These us to Abimelech's troops, so he took his people divided them into three companies and lay in wait in the field. He looked, and there were the people coming out of the city and he rose against them and attack them so the Shechem ISA launching a counterattack and Abimelech got word of it.

So he put people in place for this and he's ready for them was 44 then Abimelech in the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city and the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed them so that's the end of that battle. Verse 45. So Abimelech fought against the city all day. He took the city and kill the people who were in it to demolish the city and sewed it was Saul.

It's hard to source.

Saul fabrics didn't stay together so this spreading salt over the land is symbolic because you needed excavator and dump trucks to come in and's actually put salt all over the place. So much so that nothing could ever go there again is a symbolic gesture be just.

According to its is not practical. I know some commentators will say they they put put this think about a good.

How much salt would how much gnocchi sport would it take to put in your backyard if you ever tried that. So it's and you know I got a minus. Saul be a waste of salt. Just not practical. So it's a symbolic gesture that I condemned the city nobodies to come back here. That is the idea in this case of doing it again is one of those not so important points that if you want to argue is not worth arguing. But as I'm reading his Bible student. I'm in my head trying to picture this, how much salt would it take to really ruin the soil so the north and would grow there lots, Saul, and anyway, so we move on to verse 46 now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that they entered the stronghold of the temple of the God beer with verse 47 and was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

Perhaps they were thinking unit runs a strong tower this a fortified position went to stalls make this elevated structure and they feel relatively safe there and it's a temple so they feel that he's not going to but maybe he won't bother them because it's a religious shrine. Of course he's going to turn into a furnace and kill them all.

Verse 48 Abimelech went up to Mount Salomon.

He and all the people who were with him and Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bow of the tree intricate and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him what you have seen me do make haste and do as I have done so. Some believe the soul is covered over three days or so. It is little bit more than that, but not very much more and that would not into you know you can bring the carts assaulting also. So what he does is he takes the people in it by leading by example chops down about he drags to instead is saying giving the order to chop chop up some branches bring up some.

You set the stuff on fire skunk and dramatic what he says what you see me do you do it, let's hurry up and get it done so that the pile this brush around the tower and when he set it on fire and they going to smoke out and burn up those inside this tower. Verse 49. So each of the people, likewise, cut down his own bow and followed Abimelech put them against stronghold and set the stronghold far above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died about a thousand men and women pretty intense bed packed in that place to begin with, and in no way to get out and whoever did not burn up. Died from lack of oxygen, inhaling the smoke and this is the parable just as Joe sums parable prophesy, let fire come from Abimelech. In verse 20 the bramble King. The bramble is good for nothing but kindling fires, that's just what he doth. The parable was so spot on and he destroys those who supported the coup the curses is partly fulfilled remaining is the death of Abimelech. Verse 50 and Abimelech went to the Bears and camped against the Bears and took it.

Apparently the Bears would join the rebellion.

Shechem and we just have to connect that.verse 51. There was a strong tower in the city and all the men and women, all the people of the city fled their and shut themselves in. Then they went up to the top of the tower females had to have heard the story Sophia Bears does a little something a little differently. They going to take a millstone and they gonna break it up again.

You have to think through this millstone's even the upper millstones did not light and I just seeing somebody target of the tower and insulating pick it up and throw it over the side is not realistic and got evidence for that. But as you look at this. What's a millstone doing the top of the tower, not hiding out new milling stuff up there on the north significance a piece of the millstone and again I will get that out.

My point is, they heard about what happened there. Planning if he comes up the debts of this wall will be throwing stuff down on his head like that about these the busy and's billing with any thespians in the beds. I don't know. Anyway, the horn acting verse 51. But there was a strong tower in the city and all the men and women in all the people of the city fled there and shut themselves in. Then they went up to the top of the tower verse 52 so Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire so he says look I just just working Shechem. This is going over like a child guys watch this is writing the military manual of the Jews to and how not to fight against fortified position. Verse 53 but a certain woman dropped an upper millstones on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull well if it were the whole millstone he would not have survived likely to say to somebody, anything, just killed but she throws off this piece of a millstone. It clunks him. He knows he's going to die. This will again find his way into the military manual of Israel's tactics against fortifications was David.

David and his shameful execution of Uriah tells Joab pull closer the tower into the city wall to the fortification, but leave Uriah there were Joab sends the message back to David that Uriah was killed detectable in Davis's body while I misread second Samuel 11 verse 21 says who struck Abimelech, the son of Jerusha Thatcher variation Drupal was another woman who cast a piece of a millstone. You see, there is the glue. Because of this bugged me you mean how do you get a millstone who takes it up there that that's like you know mostly taken a wheelbarrow on an airplane just doesn't belong there. Clunking into the people in first class and not a good start. Anyhow, who cast a piece of the millstone on him from the wall so that he died it the best.

That's what it says in second Samuel 1121 you may say this really doesn't do anything for me. Sorry, I like it. I got to see the realities because that's where the lessons are is how we learn and when we you know makeup things are see things are just unpractical. I think we get into trouble and so if something is you no pressing when you when you read this, I need to find the answer out the nest is not bad. Verse 54 in a call quickly to young man, his armor bearer and said to him, draw your sword kill me. Less men say of me. A woman killed him. So the young men thrust him through any died while again he said to young, they must drag him away because I would on the coming near you this by having millstone pieces of the hair growth. Next, you when he says draw your sword.

I would've said this is no time for artwork. I liked out anyway. What a wasted life. Here's the thing. The bramble King. Nothing good recorded about him the triple disgrace of his day is not killed in battle.

Technically, I mean he was but not by a sword. He was in the sword fight regarded and the fact that in his society for being killed by will have to me being killed by anybody is not good that anyhow there was a disgrace as a soldier.

It was killed by piece millstone, a farmers tool and not even the whole thing so you know he calculated all this very quickly with his dying breath just kill me okay and the armor bearer. Unlike Saul's armor bearer, who hesitated, is not listen this to be an honor, because I never liked you. Verse 55 and when the men of Israel saw Abimelech was dead. They departed every man to his place know was probably not court it is the song they were singing something to the tune of dingdong Abimelech state that the first 56 God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech which he had done to his father by killing his 70 brothers and all the evil of the men of Shechem, God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Joe, the son of Zerubbabel, so the person verse 20 chapter 9 is fulfilled, and both Abimelech and the people of Shechem dealt with in the tragedy of that cell story move.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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