Harmony or Disharmony

 DEVOTION

JUDGES

HARMONY OR DISHARMONY

Judges 9:22-25

22 After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, 23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. 25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelech.

NIV

God is not pleased with Abimelech or the people of Shechem. When people do evil, they cannot expect to go unpunished, and here we see God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the people of Shechem. What we first should explore is this evil spirit that was between Abimelech and the people. There are many uses of this Hebrew word, ruwach, including the Spirit of God and the spirit of men, as in a living, breathing being. But in this context, it is used as a spirit of anger, impatience, or a disposition such as trouble, bitterness, or discontentment, and it could imply an uncontrollable impulse. We would think it is not uncommon to have those kinds of feelings when people lose sight of God and worship false gods; after all, they all killed the seventy-two sons of Gideon and crowned Abimelech king of Israel. Now there was this unrest between the king and his subjects, and that will never end until God makes things right. When men do not live according to the will of God, he will judge their evil deeds. When we live according to the will of God, there will be harmony in the church, for his Spirit who dwells within us is the one who manifests first his gift of love, followed by joy and peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and finally the control of self. When God sends His Spirit, all that harmony happens between all the people who live in His kingdom, where He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords. The people of Shechem began to do even more evil by ambushing travelers, robbing them of their goods. This would also ambush the reputation of the king of Israel, although here he is often called king of Shechem, yet in Hebrew, the word Yisra'el is Israel, equal to “God prevails”. Nevertheless, this spirit of hate, or uncontrollable impulses, caused damage between the people and Abimelech. We are so blessed that this does not happen in the church, and we live in perfect harmony with one another, or at least we know that is how we should live. Yet, we have witnessed some miscues within the church in the working of the spirit of love, harmony, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and peace. In other words, we as people can miss the mark. But the point is we know the mark, and as believers should be pressing toward it, not ignoring it and living by our own emotions, feelings, passions, or controlled by self, rather than the Spirit. Let us always listen to His voice, worship only the one True God living within His will. Jesus told us that he gives us His peace. We have a choice to live in peace or war, harmony or disharmony.  We should live in peace and harmony with God and man.