April 28- A Thorn Bush Will Be King

April 28, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12
Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10

A prince never lacks legitimate reason to break his promise.  ~Machiavelli

Judges 8:18-9:21

In Machiavelli's The Prince, Machiavelli gives strategies on how to gain and keep power within an empire by being duplicitous and manipulative.  This classic work, written in the 1500's, influenced many dictators to come.  Mussolini, Stalin, and Napoleon Bonaparte are just some of the world leaders who shaped their own philosophies by using the principles found in  The Prince.  In today's reading, Israel crowns a king who methods to gain power would make him a good candidate for "Machiavellian of the Year."

As our reading begins, Gideon has captured the kings of Midian named Zebah and Zalmunna.  When he finds that these two kings have killed his brothers, he demands that his own son kill these men.  The son is young and hesitant to kill.  Both Zebah and Zalmunna taunt Gideon and tell him that he (Gideon) should be willing to kill them, instead of a young boy having to do it.  Gideon does not come off looking too good here.  He does kill the kings in the end.  The nation of Israel attempts to make Gideon their king.  He rebukes them and reminds them that the Lord is their King.

Israel has been a reluctant player in this theocracy.  We will see them begin to move towards demanding their own earthly king appointed by God, but first they take matters into their own hands.  Gideon gets wealthy from the booty of the Midianite victory.  He takes some of the gold earrings worn by the Midianites, melts them down and creates a sacred ephod.  Unfortunately, the Israelites begin to prostitute themselves to the ephod by worshiping it.  The Bible indicates that even Gideon and his family fell prey to this practice.

Gideon had many wives who produced seventy sons.  One of his sons was from a prostitute.  Gideon faltered in this behavior.  He intermarried with the local people, married more than one wife, and also used prostitutes.  Are you surprised that the Bible shows us this man's weaknesses and sins?  God never allows us to elevate people.  All people are flawed and consequences of sin are felt by all people. Gideon is no exception to this rule. 

Gideon dies, but his evil son from a prostitute whose name is Abimilech, takes advantage of the faithless behavior of the Israelites and starts his Machiavellian tactics in order to gain power.  He starts by going to his mother's relatives in the town of Shechem and getting them to request that he become their ruler.  The relatives give Abimilech silver from the temple of Baal with which he hires soldiers to go with him to kill his seventy half-brothers. Dastardly deed, indeed!  The youngest brother named Jotham escapes the mayhem and calls out from the mountain top that Israel is choosing a thorn bush to be their king.  He indicts them for not acting honorably towards his father, Gideon, and their family and pronounces a curse on them.  Then, he escapes.

Lesson:  Although God used Gideon to defeat the Midianites, the Israelites are going to suffer the consequences of Gideon's personal sin.  The Israelites are also suffering the consequences of their own denial of God as their Lord and King.  How have your suffered the consequences of your own personal sins?  What about suffering because of the sins of the nation in which you live?  Or your leaders' sins?

Luke 23:44-24:12

Today, as Jesus dies on the cross at noon, the land is dark for three hours.  Let me take a moment to comment on the use of the number three in this story by God.  As a means of proclaiming Himself and His triune nature, God implants three's all over the story.  Here are some that I have noticed:

• Jesus enters Jerusalem three times before the Passover supper.
• Jesus presents three items at the Passover supper that represent his new covenant (the wine, the bread, and the last cup of wine)
• Jesus prays three times for the cup to pass from him, if possible, in the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Peter denies the Lord three times during his trials and beatings.
• Jesus is brought before three types of leaders, the High Priest, Pilate, and Herod.
• All three leaders condemn him.
• Pilate makes three attempts to release Jesus.
• Three men are hung on crosses to die that day. They are Jesus, a believer in Jesus, and an unbeliever in Jesus.
• The sun was darkened for three hours at his suffering (from noon to 3 pm).
• He was in the grave for three days and three nights (like Jonah in the fish).
• Three women came to the tomb to discover that Jesus had risen from the dead.

God loves to symbolize things with numbers. These are not coincidences. They are confirmations of God's complete work on the Cross.  God's hand was throughout every detail of making sure that you and I would be saved from our sins through the work of God, alone. Our triune God, who is seen in the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is in all things and through Him all things come to pass.

Jesus dies, is buried in Joseph of Arimathea's borrowed tomb, and then rises again on the first day of the week.  Faithful women coming to his empty tomb begin to paint the picture of who will comprise the early Church.  We see right away that upon Jesus' resurrection that women are given a featured role.

Psalm 99:1-9

This psalm speaks of the Lord being king!  This is a picture of Jesus in His millennial reign on earth.

Proverbs 14:9-10

I love this, "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy."

What did you see today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton
© 2011