Acting in “Good Faith”...

When you act in “good faith” (as it’s called here in this passage) towards God, it results in joy. If what you do is not in “good faith”, then fire will come and devour you. Fire here represents the punishment you deserve. Here in Judges chapter 9, we read about Abimelech. He is one of the seventy sons of Gideon. Once Gideon had died, Abimelech wanted to rule the land. He went to Shechem and made a proposal to become their king. The citizens agreed and paid him money to be their king. Abimelech then went and killed all but one of the 70 sons of Gideon. God was angry, so He spoke a curse through the only remaining son of Gideon (Jotham). It pronounced judgement (fire) on Abimelech and the citizens that made him their king. If they had acted in ”good faith”, none of this would’ve happen. And Abimelech wouldn’t have had to beg to be killed by his armour bearer, when a women dropped a millstone on his head. He wouldn’t have died in embarrassment, in a humiliating, non-warfare manner. Acting in “good faith” is what Paul calls a clear-conscience. God gave us a conscience. We should listen to it more often. Don’t you think?

19 “If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you. 20 But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and devour Abimelech!” Judges 9:19-20

52 Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, 53 a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.54 He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died. 55 When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.56 In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. 57 God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled. Judges 9:52-57