Judges 9 tells an intriguing story. I will let you venture upon that event at your own discretion, but it is a powerful story, loaded with meaning. Hindsight is such a wonderful thing!
Whilst Zebul is trying to deceive Gaal that what he can see on the mountains is something less threatening, the actual phraseology used in the advice of Zebul is a powerful one. We need to know and be convinced about what we see God doing in our midst. Clear of confusion, (after all God is not one who brings confusion) trusting God, and walking in obedience.
But sometimes we give up, because we mistake the shadow of the mountains for men. The only thing we are told in 66 challenging and altogether awesome books of the Bible to fear is God. God never tells His covenant people to fear anything else other than Him. In fact He argues against it telling us not to worry about what we shall eat, wear, live – because He will take care of it. Himself. He even goes as far as telling us that if we can’t even add an hour to our life, such a simple thing, why do we worry about the other things?
Our fear of loss makes us take and make bad decisions. The realisation that the God who was with you in the past, who provided magnificently and was so faithful, and still remains faithful at this very minute, can be wholeheartedly trusted to continue to be kind, gracious, generous and a delight to our feeble heart in the future.
Don’t mistake, especially in these days of recession, the shadows of the mountains for men. The ten commandments of Exodus remind us that while God punishes sin, He also shows steadfast love to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments. In Christ, that is exactly what you do. Radical. And it is all Christ.
Jdg 9:35-37 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men.” Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the centre of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.”
