Read: Judges 9:22-10:18; Luke 24:13-53; Psalm 100:1-5; Proverbs 14:11-12
Blood must be satisfied with blood. Abimelech and the men of Shechem killed 70 of his brothers and in the end, Abimelech and the people had to pay with his own blood.
God stirred up dissension between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. The citizens robbed everyone traveling through their land, making Abimelech a target for revenge. A new family of Gael came to town and the people started trusting in him instead of Abimelech. Zebul was the governor of Shechem and loyal to Abimelech. He learned of Gael’s plan to usurp the government and warned Abimelech. Abimelech took his army and divided them into four parts. When Gael came into the city that day, they ambushed him and the citizens of Shechem that had joined Gael. They drove them out of town and scattered salt over the city then burned it to the ground. Some the citizens had run to the temple of El-Berith where they had worshipped the ephod that Gideon had made. Abimelech and his men burned the tower with the people in it…about a thousand people.
They went to the next town, Thebez and the people had hid in another tower. When Abimelech went to burn this one, a woman dropped a millstone on his head and killed him.
After Abimelech died, Tola ruled Israel for 23 years. If you look at the meaning of his father’s names you understand that he was a humble man who was willing to suffer and lay down his life for his country. He must have had peace during his lifetime because nothing is recorded about his reign. Next was Jair who led Israel for 22 years. He had 30 sons who had 30 donkeys and ruled over 30 cities. Meditate on that!
After he died, Israel went back to worshipping Baal’s and Ashtorahs. God sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites who shattered and crushed them for 18 years. Israel repented and got rid of their false gods. Then they were ready to defend themselves against the Ammonites. They promised that the one who lead their attack would be their leader.
In Luke, Jesus appeared and walked with two men who were his followers. They were leaving Jerusalem after the feast was over. They had seen Jesus die on the cross but also heard that he might have resurrected. Jesus explainsed from Moses to John the Baptist all the prophecies about his first coming and how he had to suffer and die before he rose to glory. They walked all day until they got to the next town. They begged Jesus to eat with them and when he broke the bread, they recognized him for who he was. He disappeared and they got up and ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples what they had seen. As they were telling them, Jesus appeared to them also and opened their minds so they could understand the words of the the prophets about his first coming.
I feel like that is what God is doing and going to do for us concerning his second coming. He is going to open our minds, when the time is right and reveal to us mysteries about his second coming that we have not been able to see.
Jesus pronounced a blessing on the people and sent them out to witness the good news of salvation.
Lord, let us be awake and ready to witness your salvation to those we meet today.
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