Judges 9:1-6 The Rejected King: A Warning About Self-Appointed Rule

Judges 9:1-6 The Rejected King: A Warning About Self-Appointed Rule

Introduction

Some people ignore instructions when building something—whether it’s furniture or a major project—preferring intuition over order. Now imagine a competitive race team builds a vehicle for a national event. They complete the car with care, but on inspection day, they’re disqualified. Why? They used last year’s outdated guidelines. All their effort was wasted because they didn’t follow the authority currently in place.

Israel faced a similar crisis. Rather than submitting to the authority of the true King—the LORD—they followed a man named Abimelech, who made himself king without divine calling or covenant purpose. Like a race team using the wrong blueprint, they ignored the specifications of their covenant with God. The results were tragic. This passage exposes what happens when we build our lives and communities on the wrong foundation.

1. The Plan to Become King (Judges 9:1–2)

Abimelech begins with a manipulative pitch to his mother’s family in Shechem, appealing to their loyalty and self-interest. He proposes a false choice: "Wouldn’t it be better if one man ruled over you instead of seventy?" (Judges 9:2). But none of Gideon’s seventy sons were kings. This wasn’t a real concern—it was a deceitful strategy cloaked in family language to secure power.

Israel’s government under God was a theocracy. The LORD alone was King (Deuteronomy 33:5), and the judges He raised were deliverers, not monarchs. Abimelech's pitch to rule was not rooted in calling but in ambition. He played to tribal ties ("I am your bone and your flesh"), using relational influence to justify rebellion against God’s authority.

This type of language is powerful. When truth is distorted and cloaked in familiarity, it becomes persuasive. We must be cautious not to let our affections or backgrounds override what God has declared (2 Corinthians 11:13–15). Just because someone is “close” to us doesn’t mean they speak truth.

2. Influence of Private Conversations (Judges 9:3–4)

Abimelech’s relatives repeat his words “in the ears of all the leaders” (Judges 9:3), and their hearts are swayed. That phrase matters—what enters the ears shapes the heart. Influence often begins in private whispers, off-the-record chats, or subtle framing. Scripture is clear: “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends” (Proverbs 16:28).

The people’s affections are won by proximity, not principle. They give Abimelech seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith—money from a pagan temple (Judges 9:4). From the beginning, this kingship is funded by idolatry and spiritual adultery. He uses it to hire “worthless and reckless fellows”—mercenaries, not men of character.

What we support, endorse, or remain silent about has consequences. The voices we listen to, the movements we align with, and the conversations we allow to shape our understanding reveal what kingdom we’re really building.

3. An Ungodly Man Obtains the Throne (Judges 9:5–6)

With hired thugs, Abimelech travels to Ophrah and kills his seventy brothers—on one stone, a detail suggesting this was ceremonial, perhaps even religiously symbolic. Only Jotham escapes. Abimelech commits mass fratricide to secure his crown. And what does Israel do? They anoint him king at the very oak where covenant reminders once stood (Judges 9:6; see Joshua 24:26).

It’s a horrific irony: the place once marked by covenant faithfulness becomes the site where a faithless king is enthroned. There is no divine call, no act of repentance, no acknowledgment of the LORD. This is self-made kingship fueled by power and blood.

It should sober us. There are many “Abimelechs” still today—those who build their own platforms, seek influence through manipulation, and trample others on the way up. But even more importantly, we must ask: Are we like the leaders of Shechem, too easily influenced by charm, shared background, or power? Have we enthroned someone—or something—that has no right to rule over us?

Christ-Centered Reflection

Abimelech sought a crown by shedding the blood of his brothers. Christ received a crown by shedding His own blood for His brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11–12). Where Abimelech sought to exalt himself by murdering others, Jesus humbled Himself by laying down His life (Philippians 2:6–8).

Abimelech’s kingship was self-appointed. Jesus was appointed by the Father to be King over a kingdom that cannot be shaken (John 5:22–23; Revelation 19:16). Abimelech ruled through fear and force. Jesus rules by grace and truth (John 1:14).

The throne that Jesus now occupies is not supported by lies or manipulation. It is upheld by righteousness, justice, mercy, and self-sacrifice (Isaiah 9:6–7). Will we continue supporting false kings in our lives—our careers, our comfort, our image—or will we bow to the true King?

Contemplation

  • What voices are shaping your heart?
  • Have you ever supported something because it made you feel safe, not because it was true?
  • Do your daily choices reflect a life governed by Christ, or by a self-made set of values and goals?
  • Are you building your life on the specifications of God’s Word or your own assumptions?

Conclusion

Abimelech’s story begins with a lie and ends in disaster—but along the way, God gives us a mirror. We see what it looks like to reject the LORD as King. We also see what happens when truth is bent, when spiritual compromise is funded, and when false rulers are enthroned in our lives.

There is only one true King, and His name is Jesus. He was rejected, but He is risen. His rule is not dependent on human approval, but divine appointment. The question remains: Who is the King of your life?

Scripture References

  • Judges 9:1–6 – The rise of Abimelech through manipulation and murder
  • Deuteronomy 33:5 – The LORD as King in Israel
  • 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 – False teachers disguise themselves as apostles
  • Proverbs 16:28; 17:4; 18:8; 18:15 – Warnings about gossip, slander, and wise hearing
  • Matthew 4:1–11 – Jesus resists the temptation to rule apart from God
  • Matthew 27:32–37 – Jesus’ kingship revealed through suffering
  • Revelation 22:1–5 – The Lamb on the throne forever
  • John 8:52–54 – Jesus does not glorify Himself
  • Philippians 2:6–8 – Christ’s humility and exaltation
  • Hebrews 2:11–12 – Jesus calls His people brothers

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