Polygamy and mistresses didn't work out too well for Gideon and his family.

1. God used Gideon to tear down the altars unto Baal in Israel and to deliver them from oppression. June 6, 2010 But when Gideon died, they returned to their sins.

2. Judges 8:33-35 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead , that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely , Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

3. And the downward spiral continues. Backsliding into more and more sin. Every time that God delivers them, the Israelites soon forget and become like their pagan neighbors. It is little wonder that people who turn from God would also turn from their friends.

4. Their initial disobedience is still haunting them. God said to kill these people and drive them out. They had a better idea : Tax and enslave them. Now they are living among them, intermarrying with them, worshipping their false gods, and walking in their sins.

5. Not only did they forget God and turn from worshipping Him unto false gods. 8:35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely , Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. Is ungrateful about everything and toward everybody . Ungrateful

6. Judges 9 1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, … Abimelech was Gideon's son by a concubine that he had in Shechem. Gideon's sins of polygamy and fornication are about to be reaped by his descendants.

7. Someone may say, "It was the custom of the day." Are all customs of our day . We must not be sucked in.

8. 2 Corinthians 6 17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate , saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. We no longer live in a Christian nation, but we must live as Christian people within it. (Jesus) I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17:15-16

9. The backsliding started in Gideon's own family. So, Abimelech went to his mama's people , saying:

10. 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. Gideon had said that neither he nor his sons would rule over the people. God was supposed to be their ruler.

11. Ambition run amuck is a terrible sin. Matthew 23 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himsel f shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 1 John 2 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life , is not of the Father, but is of the world.

12. There is nothing to indicate that any of Gideon's other sons had any ambition to be kings . Abimelech is planting fear with lies. That is a common tactic of evil men. Ambition will lead us into many other sins . That's why we are warned against it.

13. 1 Timothy 6 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Abimelech wanted to be king. Kings have wealth and power, and he wanted that wealth and power. He led others into sins.

14. 3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. They were deceived. They gave him money. He hired followers.

15. Abimelech hired vain and light persons , which followed him. Vain = empty or worthless Light = to bubble up; to be unimportant. Nobody of wisdom and substance followed Abimelech.

16. 5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. Bim murdered all of his brothers but one , who was able to hide from him. God would use the youngest and least brave to bring down the evil one .

17. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king , by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. First of all, God was to be their king. Secondly when men raise up a man, and God does not raise him up, He will not be a worthy leader .

18. Be careful who you hang with. Proverbs 2 11-13 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man , from the man that speaketh froward (perverse; lies) things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Abimelech turned from the Lord, And he led many others with him.