In 1939 the Nazis and Communist hated each other. Hitler and Stalin did not trust each other, and yet in spite of this. they signed a non-aggression pact and reached an agreement upon splitting Poland and Eastern Europe between Russia and Germany. Less than two years later, on June 22, 1941, Adolf Hitler launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union. Historians debate why Hitler chose to break the non-aggression pact, but almost all agree that this action was a crucial turning point of World War II and ultimately led to the defeat of Germany.

Abimelek was hoping to get rich by taxing the caravans traveled through the region stopping at Shechem. By ambushing the caravans the citizens of Shechem betrayed Abimelek and enriched themselves at his expense. Because of the robberies, the caravan traffic dried up, and the whole region suffered economically. Neither Abimelek nor the people of Shechem cared about the welfare of the other people in the region; in their wickedness they cared only for themselves. The story continues with a series of betrayals, counter betrayals, false saviors, espionage, ambushes, and battles with both victories and defeats. In the end, their wickedness and greed destroyed both themselves, their enemies and their cities.

Reading about these events after the fact, and from the outside looking in, it is easy to see how these men’s wickedness sparked a flame of destruction that destroyed everything including themselves. Scholars can discuss why the citizens of Shechem betrayed Abimelek, or why they trusted Gaal son of Ebed when events revealed he was obviously unqualified to protect them, but we do not have to speculate; the writer of Judges gives us the answer. “After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek.” (NIV)

Humanity’s freewill, God’s sovereignty, the power of prayer, and sin’s power of evil are all at work creating human history. Sometimes that will include God fanning evil into a self-consuming flame.