Judges 9: Integrity Lost
A MOTTO ON the wall of a German school read:
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost;
When health is lost, something is lost;
When character is lost, all is lost!
The people of Shechem serve as an illustration of this motto. By failing to stand up for what was right, they soon found their lives ruled by evil. Once character was gone, they lost freedom. All of the choices presented to them were merely different paths through a vile maze which led inexorably to a final death trap.
Warming Up to God
When have you felt pressured to make a decision you were uncomfortable with?
Read Judges 9. »
Discovering the Word
- If you were assigned the task of writing an obituary for Abimelech, what would you say about him?
- When the people offered to make Gideon their king, he turned them down (8:22-23). His children apparently didn't feel the same way. What dilemmas did this present for the people of Shechem (vv. 1-6)?
- What truths was Jotham attempting to illustrate by his fable (vv. 7-15)?
- Jotham had shouted, "If then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too!" (v. 19). What prevented this blessing of joy from occurring?
- How was Jotham's prophecy in verse 20 fulfilled?
Applying the Word
- The story ends by stating, "Thus God repaid the wickedness" (v. 56). What does this passage teach you about God's justice and integrity?
- What do you as a citizen learn from this passage about the importance of choosing leaders who have integrity?
Responding in Prayer
Pray that your spiritual leaders and elected officials would be people of character and integrity.
For Further Study
Integrity by Carolyn Nystrom