Ends and Means

Judges 9:22-24, 26-28

"After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers...Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his brothers into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech. Then Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should be subject to him? Isn't he Jerub-Baal's son, and isn't Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem's father! Why should we serve Abimelech?"

Here we see again, in the downfall of Abimelech, the interplay between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. It is a paradox that is kept in tension in the bible. The perceived oppression seems to have turned inwards in one of the nation's critical regions. God sent a spirit of animosity between the colluding parties of Abimelech and the Shechemites as payment for the responsibility of killing the 70 sons of Jerub-Baal and the usurpation of power. We see here, as a sidenote too that, God has reasons for that applies to the hardening of hearts, spirits of deception akin to Pharaoh, Saul, Judas etc. But at our level we can see how we tend to turn to just about anything (Gaal), to keep us from that which we desire to get rid of or evade (Abimelech —interestingly, usually problems we've created ourselves; another vicious cycle). Especially 'just about anything' that we "put confidence in", tends to be things that separate us from the desire to abide with God.

Acts 2:22-23

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death."

Almighty Father, keep us from the downward spiral of deceiving ourselves in our narrowview. Holy spirit stay close in our daily living, that we may continue to walk with our Lord Jesus through this life. Help us to understand that the ends never justify the means in Your Kingdom, empower us to take righteous steps at every way in our journey, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

~23.09.2013