You are Risen Against My Father’s House - Judges 9:18

In the book of Judges we learned how Jotham told the men of Shechem a story about “trees” searching for a king, and after soliciting the olive and fig trees as well as the vine to rule over them, “then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come you, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands. (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian”, and in chapter nine and verse eighteen of Judges, we learn how Jotham said, “you are risen up against my father's house this day”  where we read,

And you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

The verse reads, “And you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, …” The writer began with the words, “are you are risen up” which means “and you, the men of Shechem, have stood up, become powerful and been established” “against my father’s house this day” which means “in opposition to my, Jotham’s, immediate male progenitor’s, Gideon’s, habitation, abode, dwelling place and family this particular sunrise to sunset or time period”, “and have slain his sons” or “and have killed, murdered and destroyed his, Jotham’s father’s male offspring and progeny”, “threescore and ten persons” which means “seventy human beings”, “upon one stone” or “on a single rock”. The writer shared how “Jotham” continued his parenthetical sentence by speaking to the men of “Shechem” about their ascending in opposition to his father, Gideon, and his male offspring by killing all seventy of them on a single rock. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)” The writer continued with the words “and have made Abimelech” which means “and have consulted, chosen and caused Abimelech whose name means ‘"Melek is father or my father is king’”, “the son of his maidservant” which means “the male offspring and progeny belonging to his, Gideon’s, female slave or concubine”,  “king over the men of Shechem” or “royal ruler and leader higher and above the male human beings belonging to “Shechem” whose name means ‘back or shoulder’ and was a city in Manasseh; located in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, 34 miles (54 km) north of Jerusalem and 7 miles (10.5 km) southeast of Samaria”, “because he is your brother” which means “since and on account that he, Abimelech, exists as your, the men of Shechem’s, male sibling or family member”). The writer shared how “Jotham” continue to refer to how the “men of Shechem” chose “Abimelech” to be their royal ruler who was the male offspring of his father “Gideon” through his concubine and only selected him on account that he was related to them. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how “Jotham” went to the source of his story and gave the background for them choosing “Abimelech” to be their royal ruler. “Jotham” knew the men of “Shechem” rose up against his father Gideon’s household and murdered his seventy sons afterward. The reason the men of “Shechem” chose “Abimelech” was because he was related to them, and this reason alone will come back to haunt them. The men of “Shechem” were wrong, and “Jotham” called them out for it. We shall see what happens in our next verses, but for now let us consider that Jehovah God was watching all these events. (See Luke 8:17) God knows we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (See Romans 3:23) and those sins lead to death. (See Romans 6:23) For this reason God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and rose from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so when our errors and wrongs are revealed, we will repent and ask for His forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. (See 1 John 1:9)

Next time we learn how Jotham shares what the men of Shechem are to do, “if you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".