Then Gaal spoke up again, "Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming by way of the Diviners' Oak." Then Gaal spoke up againGaal, son of Ebed, is a central figure in this narrative, representing opposition to Abimelech, the son of Gideon. His speaking up signifies a moment of tension and impending conflict. This reflects the recurring theme in Judges of Israel's internal strife and the consequences of turning away from God. Gaal's boldness can be seen as both a challenge to Abimelech's authority and a fulfillment of the cycle of rebellion and deliverance that characterizes the book. “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land
The "center of the land" likely refers to the strategic and elevated position of Shechem, a significant city in Israel's history. This phrase indicates a military movement, suggesting an impending attack or confrontation. The geographical reference underscores the importance of Shechem as a central hub in the tribal confederation of Israel, often associated with covenant renewal and conflict resolution, as seen in Joshua 24. and one company is coming by way of the Diviners’ Oak.”
The "Diviners’ Oak" is a notable landmark, possibly a site associated with pagan practices or local traditions of divination. This reference highlights the syncretism present in Israel during the time of the Judges, where Canaanite religious practices often infiltrated Israelite worship. The oak's mention may also serve as a reminder of the spiritual decline and the need for Israel to return to exclusive worship of Yahweh. The use of such landmarks for orientation in military strategy reflects the practical and spiritual dimensions of the narrative. Persons / Places / Events 1. GaalA leader who opposed Abimelech, the son of Gideon, and sought to incite the people of Shechem against him. 2. AbimelechThe son of Gideon who declared himself king over Shechem and ruled with tyranny. 3. ShechemAn ancient city in Israel, significant for its historical and religious importance, and the setting for the conflict between Gaal and Abimelech. 4. Diviners’ OakA notable landmark mentioned in the passage, possibly a place associated with pagan practices or a significant meeting point. 5. The Center of the LandRefers to a strategic location from which Abimelech's forces were advancing, indicating a tactical maneuver in the conflict. Teaching Points The Dangers of Ambition and PrideGaal's and Abimelech's accounts serve as warnings about the destructive nature of unchecked ambition and pride. Believers are encouraged to seek humility and God's guidance in their pursuits. The Consequences of IdolatryThe events in Shechem remind us of the consequences of turning away from God. Idolatry leads to chaos and conflict, urging Christians to remain steadfast in their faith. The Importance of Godly LeadershipThe account highlights the need for leaders who are guided by God's principles. Christians are called to pray for and support leaders who uphold biblical values. Recognizing God's SovereigntyDespite human schemes, God's sovereignty prevails. This encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate plan, even when circumstances seem dire. The Role of Landmarks in Spiritual LifeThe mention of the Diviners’ Oak prompts reflection on the spiritual landmarks in our lives. Christians are encouraged to establish and remember places and moments of divine encounter. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the account of Gaal and Abimelech illustrate the dangers of pride and ambition? Can you identify similar warnings in other parts of the Bible? 2. In what ways does the history of Shechem provide a backdrop for understanding the events in Judges 9? How does this context enhance your understanding of the passage? 3. How can the consequences faced by the people of Shechem serve as a warning against idolatry in our own lives today? 4. What qualities should we look for in godly leaders, based on the failures of Abimelech and Gaal? How can we apply these qualities in our communities? 5. Reflect on a "spiritual landmark" in your life. How does this help you remember God's faithfulness, and how can you use it to encourage others in their faith journey? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 12:6Shechem is first mentioned as a place where Abram built an altar to the Lord, highlighting its longstanding significance in Israel's history. Judges 8:33-35Provides context for Abimelech's rise to power, showing the Israelites' return to idolatry after Gideon's death, which set the stage for the events in Judges 9. 1 Samuel 8:4-7The Israelites' desire for a king, similar to Abimelech's self-appointment, reflects the recurring theme of Israel's struggle with leadership and faithfulness to God. Proverbs 16:18The pride and ambition of Gaal and Abimelech can be related to the proverb about pride leading to destruction, illustrating the moral lessons in their account. People Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, ZebulPlaces Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of ShechemTopics Addeth, Along, Band, Behold, Center, Company, Detachment, Direction, Diviners, Elon-meonenim, Gaal, Ga'al, Highest, Meonenim, Middle, Oak, Oak-tree, Plain, Seers, Soothsayers, Spake, Speak, Spoke, Tree, YetDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:26-41 5575 talk, idle Library Here, by Way of Objection, Several Questions are Raised. ...
Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised. Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge (Judges 9:20); and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervour …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of FaithTrials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan Hence is Also that which Thou Hast Mentioned that they Speak Of...
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, "But He Himself feigned that He would go further," [2435] hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned is a lie, whereas in a truthful …
St. Augustine—Against Lying The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God, …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 9:37 NIVJudges 9:37 NLTJudges 9:37 ESVJudges 9:37 NASBJudges 9:37 KJV
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