“The Peril of Ambition”
“And he
(Abimelech) went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers the
sons of Jerubbaal, being three score and ten persons, on one stone:
notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid
himself.” (v.5)
This
is the first mention in Scripture of the hideous custom of anticipating
conspiracies by destroying all brothers and near kinsmen – no brother near the
throne. Abimelech by this vile wickedness set a fatal precedent, which was
followed again and again in the kingdom of Israel by Baasha (1 Kings 15:29),
Zimri 1 Kings 16:11), Jehu (2 Kings 10:7) and probably by other kings (2 Kings
15). Herod also put to death most of his kinsmen, and some of his sons.
Here
we see the power of ambition and what power it has over men. How it will break
through all the ties of natural affection, and natural conscience, and sacrifice
what is most sacred, dear, and valuable. We see also the peril attending high
birth and honour. It was their being the sons of so great a man as Gideon that
made Abimelech jealous of them, and exposed them thus to danger and to death.
The
Bible says, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians
6:7). Abimelech sowed a seed when he put
the heads of his seventy brothers upon the chopping block, for a stone fell
upon his own head. His desire was to be crowned, and he was – with a millstone
thrown from the top of a stone to tower (v.51-53).
Be
careful with your ambitions and the methods used to acquire them, as they will come back around on your own head.
The
Truth
“God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
