Jotham's curse fulfilled

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 30-57

Gaal, son of Ebed, was riling up the people of Shechem to attack Abimelech and his warriors. But when Zebul, leader of the city, heard what Gaal was saying, he sent messengers to Abimelech and warned him of the possible rebellion and to come at night with an army and hide in the fields. Then in the morning, they could fight the rebels.

So Abimelech and his men went by night and split into four groups around the city. Gaal saw them coming in the morning and told Zebul that people were coming down from the hilltops. But Zebul said it looked to him like shadows of the hill, not men. When Gaal realized another group was coming down the road past the Diviners' Oak, Zebul said to him, "Now, where is that big mouth of yours. Wasn't it you that asked why we should be the servants of Abimelech? The men you mocked are outside the city, go and fight them."

Gaal led the men of Shechem to fight against Abimelech, but was defeated and ran away. Many of Shechem's warriors were killed and the ground covered with bodies. Abimelech stayed in Arumah and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.

The next day, when the people of Shechem went to the battlefield, Abimelech and his men ambushed them and stormed the city gate to prevent the people from re-entering the city. The battle raged all day and the city was captured, the city leveled and salt poured over the ground. The people living in the tower of Shechem took refuge in the temple, but Abimelech soon found them and he and his men chopped branches from Mount Zalmon and stacked them up against the temple and set it afire and the people inside died.

Then Abimelech attacked Thebez and captured it, but there was a strong tower there and the entire population fled to it. Abimelech prepared to set fire to the tower, but a woman on the roof threw down a millstone that crushed his skull. Abimelech asked one of his young warriors to kill him with a sword, because he did not want it to be said that a woman on the roof did it. So the young man complied and stabbed Abimelech to death. When his men saw him die, they disbanded and returned to their homes. Thus God punished Abimelech for the evil against his father and murdering his brothers. God also punished the men of Shechem for their evil. So the curse of Jotham, son of Gideon came true.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: To scatter salt over a conquered city was a ritual to symbolize the perpetual desolation of the city. It would not be rebuilt for 150 years.
In times of battle, women joined ther men at the city wall to drop heavy objects on the soldiers below. A millstone would have been 18 inches in diameter with a hole in the center and very heavy. Abimelech's death would have been humiliating because he was killed by a woman, he was killed by a farm implement, and he did not die fighting, so he asked his own soldier to stab him.

How does this Chapter relate to us today? Gideon did much good in his life, but we can learn from his mistakes that no matter how much good we do for God, our sins can produce damaging consequences.
The Old Testament seems unforgiving and very different from the love and foregiveness we receive from the Lord Jesus in the New Testament. However, we need to read and learn from the Old Testament. These lessons from God are most important to know in how to lead our lives. Sin doesn't change. It is still damaging.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, Arlene’s nephew David, Logan and the newly born Stella who is taking mother’s milk now and Lori (who suffered a terrible accident)and her family. Update on Stella: She has good days, but is far from out of the woods. Pray for her, please and her parents too.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.