Read:
Sinful people do sinful things. Maybe you’ve been on the receiving end: someone betrayed you, took credit for your work, abandoned the family, or stole from you. No doubt you felt hurt, angry, and sad. Perhaps you wanted to get back at the person who hurt you. It’s a natural response, but God promises to bring justice.
God used Gideon to lead the people of Israel and rescue them from the Midianites. After the victory, the people wanted to make Gideon their king, but he wisely turned them down.. However, he asked them for gold and used that gold to create a symbol that represented an ephod, a piece of clothing worn by priests. It wasn’t a golden calf, but it became something the people worshipped instead of God.
Gideon had 70 sons—yes, you’re reading that right!—and like any royal tradition, another son would take his place. Abimelech wanted the throne bad, and instead of waiting his turn, he killed all his brothers so he would be the only remaining choice. He managed to kill all but one, who escaped. But the only living brother cursed Abimelech and the Israelites for how they betrayed his family.
It was three years before God acted. Gideon had sinned against God in establishing the ephod as a symbol to worship, but in this case, God’s discipline came in the form of internal strife rather than from external attacks or oppression.He “sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers.”
Sometimes when we’ve been hurt, we want God to act on our behalf—and we want it right now! The pain is fresh. The memories haven’t faded yet. We certainly don’t want God to take three years to impart his justice. But God’s timing is perfect, and he will act.
In the meantime, we can pray for healing for ourselves, the ability to forgive those who hurt us, and for God to work in their lives and our own. God can bring restoration and reconciliation to broken relationships. If the people who hurt us do not yet know God, he can offer them the same grace and forgiveness he has offered us, and perhaps he wants to use you to bring that message.
Prayer: Dear God, you have been gracious to forgive me. Help me to forgive those who have hurt me. Heal my heart and restore what they have stolen. Use this situation to bring more people into a relationship with you. Amen.