Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Judges 8-9.
This photograph shows what may be the actual stone where Abimelech killed his 70 brothers.
As I am reading through the book of Judges, a couple things are jumping out at me:
- seemingly gone are those who have a deep, and close relationship with God.
- there is no talk of God's sanctuary.
- there is more, and more talk of Israel's desire for a king.
In this ninth chapter of the book of Judges we can see the self-absorbed Abimelech's desire to become a king, and that the people of Shechem seem to desire to have such a king.
History demonstrates that being a king can be a dangerous proposition. Today is Good Friday, and it was only last Sunday (Palm Sunday) that the Israelites were shouting hosannas for Jesus to become their king. Yet, today (Good Friday) those same Israelites were shouting for the crucifixion of Jesus.
So today, we have before our eyes an evil would-be king whom God chose to kill with a woman's falling stone, and the King of Kings whom God chose to kill through the hands of his chosen Israel as a final living sacrifice to save mankind from his final day of wrath.
Do you believe that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah)?
If not, perhaps you believe in God. If so, why not ask God if Jesus was his (God's) prophesied Messiah?
If this is the case, it is certain that God desires for you to know this, and the Scriptures tell us that Yahweh will reveal this to any who ask.