Post by Woody Williams on Mar 27, 2007 6:39:32 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Judges 9:6-11, 14-15
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Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and
they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at
Shechem.
When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount
Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you lords
of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
The trees once went out
to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
'Reign over us.'
The olive tree answered them,
'Shall I stop producing my rich oil
by which gods and mortals are honored,
and go to sway over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the fig tree,
'You come and reign over us.'
But the fig tree answered them,
'Shall I stop producing my sweetness
and my delicious fruit,
and go to sway over the trees?'"
"So all the trees said to the bramble,
'You come and reign over us.'
And the bramble said to the trees,
'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade;
but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'"
Devotional
----------
Abimelech killed all rivals and became king. Jotham, his youngest
brother, survived the purge and stood before the people and told this
parable. Abimelech did not last long as king. There is no mention of
God in his rise to power. He was not called and consecrated by God.
He was self appointed. It does not work that way.
Prayer
------------------
Give the church true discernment in calling its leaders, gracious
God. Amen
----------
Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and
they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at
Shechem.
When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount
Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you lords
of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
The trees once went out
to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
'Reign over us.'
The olive tree answered them,
'Shall I stop producing my rich oil
by which gods and mortals are honored,
and go to sway over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the fig tree,
'You come and reign over us.'
But the fig tree answered them,
'Shall I stop producing my sweetness
and my delicious fruit,
and go to sway over the trees?'"
"So all the trees said to the bramble,
'You come and reign over us.'
And the bramble said to the trees,
'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade;
but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'"
Devotional
----------
Abimelech killed all rivals and became king. Jotham, his youngest
brother, survived the purge and stood before the people and told this
parable. Abimelech did not last long as king. There is no mention of
God in his rise to power. He was not called and consecrated by God.
He was self appointed. It does not work that way.
Prayer
------------------
Give the church true discernment in calling its leaders, gracious
God. Amen