How does God fit in to the troubles in this world?

Judges 9; Jeremiah 22; Mark 8; Acts 13

Generally, when conflict happens we blame selfishness and a desire for power or revenge on both sides of the fight. I’m thinking of political battles as well as physical and raging tribal skirmishes and infighting in organizations and families. I cannot say that I have ever thought God had His hand in these struggles and disagreements, but Judges 9 adds a fascinating dimension to disputes.

After Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal) died, his seventy sons were challenged. One of them, Abimelech, wanted to rule so he killed his brothers, all seventy of them except Jotham who managed to escape. This younger brother challenged Abimelech and the people who put him in power by questioning the motives behind their actions and announcing a curse on all of them. Then the Word of God says this:

Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. (Judges 9:22–24)

This morning, before reading this, I was praying. I told God that I sometimes imagined Him seated at an executive desk say words that produced action. He spoke creation into existence. Jesus spoke forgiveness and healing. He said a word and the dead were raised, storms ceased, truth flowed out. He spoke to angels and sent them on their missions. He also spoke to demons and they fled. Now I must consider that He speaks to evil spirits and allows them to stir up trouble — and to the end that His will is done!

The will of God is a huge topic wrought with contradicting ideas. Most Christians that I know think that anything that feels good is God’s will and any discomfort is not. If conflict happens, most of God’s people blame the devil and never consider that God’s hand is in it for reasons no one understands.

In the case of Abimelech, he won a few battles against the leaders and people of Shechem but eventually was killed by a woman who dropped a big rock on his head. Not the most noble ending.

The last verses of this chapter tell the rest of the story:

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. (Judges 9:55–57)

In our world of conflict I still tend to think that selfishness and a desire for personal gain is behind most of it. However, when I look at what is going on in our governments and with the people who are striving for power and trying to destroy those who are in power, I wonder about the hand of God. I’m certain that He is not sitting idle and merely watching.

APPLY: There has never been a more important time in my history to consider God’s will, especially regarding prayer. I pray for peace and there is no peace; the conflicts seem to escalate. So instead of peace, at least as I define it, I’m more often praying for His will to be done, His Son to be honored and His name to be glorified. What do I know about the mind of God? For certain He calls me to trust Him!