Selfish Ambition (Judges 9:1-2)

1/21/2010 9:32 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Selfish ambition

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Judges 9:1-2

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2  ‘Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ’Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.’”

            As I move into the ninth chapter of the book of Judges, which is the longest chapter of the book of Judges, I also move into the seventh chapter of “Be Available,” which is Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on the book of Judges.  He entitles this chapter “My Kingdom Come,” and the first of three main divisions in the book is entitled “Seizing the kingdom.”  Today’s lesson is on the first sub-point of the first section:  “Selfish Ambition.”

            I think that one of the problems in this chapter goes all the way back to when Israel first entered the land, and were given the orders to kill all of the Canaanites, which of course they did not do and they had become a thorn in the side of Israel ever since.  Abimelech was the son of slave woman from Shechem who was a Canaanite. 

            I want to quote a paragraph from Dr. Wiersbe that I have highlighted in his book:  “You shall not covet’ is the last of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:17, NKJV), but breaking it is the first step toward breaking the other nine.  Of itself ambition isn’t an evil thing, provided it’s mixed with genuine humility and is controlled by the will of God.  If it’s God’s wind that lifts you and you’re soaring on wings that He’s given you, then fly as high as He takes you.  But if you manufacture both the wind and the wings, you’re heading for a terrible fall.”

            From the very beginning of this chapter nine in Judges one can see that Abimelech is headed for a great fall, and will eventually be killed by a woman, which was certainly a disgrace in that era, and that culture.

            Dr. Wiersbe in one of his note on this chapter says that Abimelech did not rule over all of Israel, only a very small portion.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I truly believes that the rewards that one gets in heaven are for how well one follows the leading of the Holy Spirit as He leads one through the Word of God.  Things that are thought up on oneself and not controlled by the Holy Spirit will get a person in trouble.  This goes back to the quote that is from Dr. Wiersbe’s book that is copied above. 

            I want to sore on the wings of God, and do the things that he has given me to do:  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  I personally believe that the Lord has prepared work for me to do for Him, and the cause of Jesus Christ in eternity past, and that His Spirit will lead me to do this work, however if I am in sin and do not fulfill this work for Him then someone else will do this work and I will not receive the reward for doing it, and that is why I must keep my life clean and pure and finish the race strong.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Do the work that the Lord has given me to do humbly and faithfully without pride.

 

1/21/2010 10:38 AM