Ridge And Rampart Of Abimelech

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you promoted because of your abilities?

No. GOD promoted me because of His Grace and Mercy.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD is the Source of all promotion not violence.

IV. TEXT:

Judges 9:6 (Amplified Bible)

And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all of Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak (terebinth) of the pillar at Shechem.

Judges 9:6 (King James Version)

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You are the Judge sitting on the throne and You put one down and You lift up another. My goal is to please only You.

Psalms 75:6-7 (Amplified Bible)

For not from the east nor from the west nor from the south come promotion and lifting up.

But God is the Judge! He puts down one and lifts up another.

VI. TITLE:

Ridge and rampart of Abimelech

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: unknown, tradition attributes authorship to Samuel

B. Date written: 1086 - 1035 B.C.

C. Purpose: To review Israel's history following the conquest and prior to the Monarchy.

D. To whom written: Israel

E. Main theme: History of Israel during the time of the fifteen judges.

F. Keyword: apostasy

G. Key verse: Judges 17:6 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

Judges 9:6 (Amplified Bible)

And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all of Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king by the oak (terebinth) of the pillar at Shechem.

Judges 9:6 (King James Version)

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

A. Ridge and rampart of Abimelech, reason for his kingship

"And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all of Beth-millo

Shechem or "shekem" in Hebrew meaning: ridge. Ridge [Source: Webster's dictionary] means A long or continued range of hills or mountains; or the upper part of such a range. The back or top of the back.

Beth-millo or "bayth mil-lo" in Hebrew meaning: rampart. Rampart [Source: Webster's dictionary] means that which fortifies and defends from assault; that which secures safety.

Ridge and rampart sums up violence and temporal reign of evil king like Abimelech.

Psalms 12:8 (Amplified Bible)

The wicked walk or prowl about on every side, as vileness is exalted [and baseness is rated high] among the sons of men.

Proverbs 19:10 (Amplified Bible)

Luxury is not fitting for a [self-confident] fool—much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Proverbs 26:1 (Amplified Bible)

LIKE SNOW in summer and like rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a [self-confident] fool.

Isaiah 32:6 (Amplified Bible)

For the fool speaks folly and his mind plans iniquity: practicing profane ungodliness and speaking error concerning the Lord, leaving the craving of the hungry unsatisfied and causing the drink of the thirsty to fail.

Proverbs 3:35 (Amplified Bible)

The wise shall inherit glory (all honor and good) but shame is the highest rank conferred on [self-confident] fools.

Yes, it's the promotion of evil people into power. And why would the LORD JESUS will allow it to happen especially this election? It's because the LORD JESUS wants to put to shame these evil people, to put them to death eventually after they experience a worldwide shame. How terrible it is to be an enemy of GOD.

Proverbs 30:22 (Amplified Bible)

Under a servant when he reigns, a [empty-headed] fool when he is filled with food,

Ecclesiastes 10:7 (Amplified Bible)

I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth.

Proverbs 28:28 (Amplified Bible)

When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves; but when they perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become many.

Proverbs 28:12 (Amplified Bible)

When the [uncompromisingly] righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration; but when the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves.

We all know that Abimelech became king by murdering the 70 sons of Gideon of whom one of them is next in line to be the king after Gideon. Abimelech is not afraid to kill the LORD's anointed just unlike King David. There will be consequence of course after this murder. Even King David, a man after GOD's own heart will suffer the consequences if he had killed King Saul.

1 Samuel 24:10 (Amplified Bible)

Behold, your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.