Day: July 8, 2020

This morning I want to tell you the parable that Jotham the only surviving son of Gideion told to Abimelek after all of his other brothers were murdered. This parable came to fruition even though it took three years, Starting in Judges 9: 7-21 “7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’
14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? 17 Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. 18 But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. 19 So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.
If you notice in this parable Each tree is asked if it wants to be king and each tree declines. Finally a thorn bush is asked if it wants to be king and the thorn bush accepts. When Jotham finished the parable he asks a very pertintant question- he asks if the people had acted honorable by making Abimelek king? He reminded the people that his father Gideon fought for them and risked his life for them and they repaid him in kind by revolting against his father’s family, killing his brothers on a single stone. He stated that if indeed they acted honorably then may they all find joy in each other – but if not, then may fire come out of Abimelek and consume all of them. Now, three years later, the parable begins to come true, In Verse 26-29 Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan to Shechem and all the people put their confidence in him. They went out into a field gathered the grapes pressed them into wine and held a festival in his honor in the temple of his god. While they were in the thros of eating and drinking they began to curse Abimelek. Gaal became very interested and wanted to know who this Abimelek was. Then he wanted to know why they should bend a knee to him. Then he makes this statement. Verse 29 “If only his peple were under my command. Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek , “Call our your whole Army.”
When the Governor of the city heard this news he went stright to Abimelek and told him. There ensued a battle where Gaal and many of the people died. Then when the people fled to a stronghold of the temple Abimelek set it on fire with the people in it. Now, you may think that the parable is not coming true, however, there is more. Abimelek became even more revengeful. He left that smoking mess and moved on to Thebez and captured it. However, the tower there was stronger and the people were able to lock themselves in and race to the roof. And this ladies and gentlemen is where God’s power and the parable come together. Verse 52-53 “Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. .But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
Not wanting to be killed by a woman in Verse 54 he does this. “Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so they can’t say, “A woman killed him.” So his servant ran him through and he died.”
There are two lessons here. One, even though it took three years for the parable to come true, it did. Jotham stated that if Abimelek was not honorable, that fire would consume those who not only followed him, but was complicent in the murder of his brothers. Also that fire would consume Abimelek. Which it did. Because Abimelek was the one who attempted to tourch the entrance to the tower, he was struck down by a millstone. A millstone is not just some little rock ( Millstones come in pairs. The base or bedstone is stationary. Above the bedstone is the turning runner stone which actually does the grinding. The runner stone spins above the stationary bedstone creating the “scissoring” or grinding action of the stones. A runner stone is generally slightly concave, while the bedstone is slightly convex. This helps to channel the ground flour to the outer edges of the stones where it can be gathered up.) A millstone is heavy enough to kill someone.
Now, the second lesson is this, a woman, yes a woman, picked up that heavy millstone, and tossed it over the tower on to the head of Abimelek. Where were the men? Why didn’t they have the forthought to do that? Who knows, maybe that was God’s plan as well. When Abimelek saw it was a woman who did that, he was embarrassed. Here was this mighty warrior and “king” with an army behind him, reeking havoc throughout the land and he is taken out by a woman. And then this foolish man thought he could re-write history by having his armour-bearer run him through with a sword. The lesson here is this, one cannot re-write history- no matter how one tries. It always comes to the surface – The mighty who matter who big they think they are- how strong they believe they are and now matter what size army they have behind them, will fall in God’s time. And in God’s way. God uses people that are unassuming, defective, and flawed to bring his plan to fruition. He does not use the mighty, the strong or the invincible. God is not slack concerning his promise. He will fulfill it and in ways we never see coming. God’s history does not change and cannot be rewritten. God’s message never changes. So, I ask each of you this are you willing to be an Abimelek? Are you willing to tempt God? #God,#Godsmessage,#awoman

If we pay attention to history we learn many things. If we pay attention to the history of the Bible, we not only learn many things we understand why God does what he does. I have been writing about the Judges in the Old Testament. The past two days have been about Gideon. A humble man of God who did as he was asked after testing God. We are told in Judges that with God leading Gideon he struck down and killed the Midianites. And then when he died, the Israelites again turned from God and once again prostituted themselves to the idols (Judges 8:33) And God knowing they would do this allowed it to happen. Because he does give free will. However, there were consequences to those decisions. Gideon’s son Abimelek rose up and against all that he had been taught. Judges 9:1-26
” Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, 2 “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”
3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” 4 They gave him seventy shekels[a] of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers. 5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.
7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’
14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? 17 Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. 18 But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. 19 So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”
21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.
22 After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, 23 God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. 25 In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.
26 Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. 27 After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. 28 Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!”
Abemelek’s hunger for power caused him to committ even more sin, he murdered all but one of his seventy brothers. Once he stole the power, it was not enough, he had to have more and more. He became consumed by the mistress of power. When a person is so consumed by power he no longer controls it – the power controls him. When the lust for power became so strong he could not longer control it- he wiped out his brothers and any cities that did not bend the knee.
Abimelek was not the standard of man that God wanted for a judge. But God is patient. He allowed Abimelek to judge for three years using his terroristic ways before he stopped him.
While we think that God does not see all – know all or hear all- we are fools – God does. He may not act on things immediatly but he will act. He fulfill his plan. Evil will never win. For ever move the Devil plays, God has a counter move that he puts into play. While we may try to change the message, it never changes, we do.
It is way past time to stop being an Abimelek and to turn back to God. It is way past time to try to make it work our way and turn back to God. His plan will be fulfilled, his message will be received. #God,#message,#plans