The rebellion gets worse. Gideon’s son by a foreign concubine becomes jealouse of his 70 brothers who rule once his father dies. He organises his mother’s relatives against his brothers, and slaughters all except one.

The one who survives, the youngest, then makes a beautiful speech about Abimelech’s treachery:

“The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, “Rule over us.”
But the olive tree said: “Should I stop giving my oil, with which they honor God and men, and go to sway over trees.”

Jotham, the surviving son goes on to curse his half brother. God eventually sends an ill will against Abimelech and his conspirators, and of course it all ends up in everyone killing each other.

Abimelech is forced to get his servant to kill him after a woman drops a millstone on his head “So that no-one can say of me, he was killed by a woman.”

Eventually the infighting gets so low and awful that the Israelites call to God, who is by this stage so furious that He tells them: Go and cry out to the gods which you ahve chosen, let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

The Israelites wail and put away their foreign gods, and God can stand it no more. So He returns to them.

Such a treacherouse story on our behalf.

Dear God, please help me to stay true to you each day. Thank you for the reminders of yourself you give me – the feeling of light and hope that stirs in me when I pray with fellow believers, the way you work through those around me when I need to feel Your love, the way you give me such loving and lovely gifts each day. Thank you mostly for my family -my husband and children and all the rest of the mob. Help me to be your hands to them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.