Wed.’s Devo - Injustice

Read: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10 Gideon asked the two Midianite kings (Zebah and Zalmunna) what the men were like that they killed at Tabor. When they told them they looked like him, he told the kings that they had killed his brothers. He told his own son to kill the two kings but he was too afraid because he was only a boy. The kings told Gideon to kill them himself so he did. The Israelites asked Gideon to be their king since he had been so heroic and led them into battle. Gideon refused and said that the Lord would be their king and yet he asked them each for an earring. This is beginning to sound like what Aaron did when Moses was up on the mountain. He took the earrings and made a sacred ephod from the gold and set it up in Ophrah. It soon became a token of idolatry and became a trap for Gideon and his family. The land of Israel experienced peace throughout Gideon’s lifetime which was 40 years. As soon as he died, the children of Israel began worshipping the god of the covenant - Baal-berith and forgot God and all that Gideon had done for them. Gideon he had had many wives and they had born him 70 sons. He also had a concubine in Shechem who had a son named Abimelech. One day, Abimelech went to visit his brothers in Shechem and asked them if they would rather he rule them than the 70 sons of Gideon. He reminded them that he was their flesh and blood. The people of Shechem decided to fund Abimelech and support him as their king. They gave him 70 silver coins from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech went to Ophrah and killed all of Gideon’s son but the youngest, Jotham, who escaped and hid. The leaders of Shechem all met and proclaimed Abimelech to be their king but when Jotham heard what they had done he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and gave a speech. Mt. Gerizim is not a mountain but more like a hill that overlooked the town of Shechem. He rebuked them for forgetting all that his father Gideon had done for them and for letting Abimelech kill all of his sons and choose him just because he was their relative. Then Jotham escaped and left Abimelech to fall on his own. In Luke, the sky went dark from noon till three. I wonder how they continued the sacrifices at the Temple. The veil in the Temple was rent exposing the ark of the covenant for all to see and inviting everyone into God’s presence. Jesus gave his spirit to the Lord and breathed his last breath. The Roman officer who had seen everything believed that Jesus was the son of God. Joseph of Arimathea who was a member of the Jewish high council went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He took Jesus’ body down from the cross and laid him in his tomb that had been carved out of a rock. He did this quickly because the Sabbath was about to begin. The women followed Joseph to see where he was taking the body. They went him to spread the spices and ointments to anoint his body. They had to wait until the Sabbath was over before they could go to the tomb. When the arrived early that morning, they found the stone rolled away and the body got. Suddenly two angels appeared in glory. The women were terrified and bowed to the ground. The angels explained that Jesus was alive just as he told them he would rise on the third day. They ran to tell the eleven disciples. The story sounded crazy to them but Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. He saw the empty tomb and went home wondering what had happened. Lord, there is one word I have for both of these stories and it is “injustice”. It was unjust that Abmelech would kill all of Gideon’s sons and it was unjust that Jesus had to die such a cruel death, but I know that You see everything that happens and You have the last say. Resurrection happened and we are so grateful!