When I read difficult passages like those in Judges 9, I feel darkness creeping in. The darkness of a world without the light that can only come from God guiding us. The thing is, we need to want His light guiding us.

We meet Abimelek, son of Gideon (Jerub-Baal) by his concubine who lived in Shechem (8:31). Gideon had a total of 70 sons from many wives. After Gideon died, Abimelek went to his mother’s family in Shechem to ask for their support in becoming a ruler. With that support, he then went back to Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king. v. 5-6.

The youngest surviving son ends up shouting a parable to the people from the top of Mount Gerizim and then flees for his life. The parable involves the trees who desire a king for themselves and go to different trees that are busy producing good fruits and refuse kingship until the trees go to the thornbush who agrees but warns them they can take refuge in its shade but if not, let fire come out and consume the cedars of Lebanon. v. 7-15. A parable of the darkness of the the way of the world.

Do we see that today? Do other people living in other lands see that today? We encounter gangs in this chapter. We encounter crimes against humanity in this chapter when Abimelek set fire to a tower holding a thousand men and women killing them. He had the same intent in a second city but a woman at the top of that tower dropped an upper millstone on his head and he died after his armor-bearer ran his sword into him per his request so he wouldn’t die by the hand of a woman.

I hate reading about darkness in any age and seeing it played out in our times. I hate the feeling of helplessness and being fearful of the darkness. How do we come out of darkness? Not by taking up darkness ourselves. What did He remind me of this morning? I have overcome the way of this world lost in darkness. Keep your eyes on Me. Whisper My name. I am doing a good work and it begins small and grows. Trust my faithful work producing fruit that no darkness can overcome. I am your shelter and shield always. Rest in Me and I will strengthen you.

From Hearing God this morning right after reading Scripture: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18.

Out of the darkness…But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10.

God is leading me to pray for every heart…how can I not? When the light of God’s love touches your heart, how can you not pray for that love for everyone? We have all of us lived in darkness and so many people live there still. I know that God is doing a good and vital work in this world because He is doing that in me and I am not special. He is. His wonderful light is the only way out of the darkness of this world in every age.

We are so blessed to have the example of perfect obedience to God in love. People today don’t much like that word…obedience. I love that word as it relates to God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9) When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” (Romans 6:2) in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins, and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” (Isaiah 53:4,5,6) but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 3:21-25.

When we turn to God in trust and love, obeying Him, we find the Beatitudes (Matthew 5, Luke 6), we find the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). All else is of this world…a world in darkness. We can’t make the darkness go away with more darkness; we can trust the One who overcomes all darkness, banishing it forever. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7.