Jotham's messaGE To those who kill his brothers

 

December 31, 2020

 

Judges 9:16-21

 

 “Now, therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian,  and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative—if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.   But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.”   And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech, his brother.

Lessons you and I who are followers of Christ can learn from Jotham's message to the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo.  No threats of retaliation or revenge, no Jotham just laid out the fact, and reminded them of the mighty acts and risk his dad had done for them, setting them free from the hands of the Midian.  He explained in a very clear and understandable way how the action they had been part of in the death of his 70 brothers.  Jotham also said, “if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.”?

 

How in this upside-down world we live in of evil being called good and good called evil, many in leadership in this country would have no problem being part of returning evil for good, and the words of Jotham would have no effect on them.  How do I know this to be true, I like you if you live in the USA, have watched the evil of these people, in Washington D.C., also governors, mayors, and others, all over our nation do as their evil hearts and their Father the devil has directed them to do.  I have no doubt these words of Jotham fell on empty ears, for their hearts were evil.

 

I believe Jotham's actions were pleasing to God, in fact, his actions sound more like a prophet of God, for they came too past, just as he said.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice