Stone Thrown From Your Strong Tower

Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women – all the people of the city – had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 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. Judges 9: 50 – 53.  

Who is Abimelek? He is the son of Jerub-Baal, who murdered all his brothers, in order to sit on the throne as king of Israel. When he was made king by the citizens of Shechem and given the seventy shekels of silver from the temple, he used it to hire reckless scoundrels who became his followers. Judges 9: 4b. With his wild, terrible posse, he committed a gruesomely treacherous act. 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. Judges 9: 5b.

Later, when Jotham was told about all the events that had taken place, and how treacherous Abimelek, was made ruler, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted prophetic words to all the people of Shechem. He spoke many words, tugging at the consciences of his people. So have you acted honorably and in good faith towards Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 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. Judges 9: 19 – 20. 

Just three years into Abimelek’s rule, God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem, so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. Judges 9: 23. We are told that God brought this awful thing upon them so 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. Chaos reigned and fighting ruled.

Abimelek went on a rampage, killing people, indiscriminately. He and his men even set fire to the stronghold where the people of Shechem ran for safety. He burnt them all up in that tower and thousands of people died that day. Gaining momentum with his successes, Abimelek goes to Thebez, besieges it and captures it. Inside the city however, was a tower, to which all the people of the city, ran for safety. They locked themselves in and ran to the topmost part of the tower, its tower roof. Here, Abimelek met his demise. Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. Judges 9: 52b - 53

He knows that he has been taken down. He knows that it is no soldier before him, who has defeated him. He knows that it is but a mere woman, who has won victory for her people. Abimelek cannot die with this shame to his name, so he asks his armour-bearer to kill him.  Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, A woman killed him. The armour-bearer does as he is commanded. He runs his sword through Abimelek and kills him. This brings peace, no more fighting, for when the people hear that Abimelek is dead, they all go home.

Note, one stone was used by Abimelek and his helpers to kill innocent people. One stone, a millstone, is used by a woman to kill Abimelek. The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them. Judges 9: 57b.

The story of this woman and the stone is not farfetched for you. It is an encouragement and a catalyst to you to know that in your strong tower, you have the power and means to end some very treacherous situation. You hold the power and wisdom to get rid of the enemy and by doing so, you get rid of all the wickedness of the enemy. You have run to your strong tower of prayer. The people have seen the wicked hand approaching and have all gone into prayer.  It is very serious indeed, for the enemy is not relenting. You all have climbed to the highest point in your strong tower of prayer, for you are at the top, on the roof.

The enemy is not relenting and has even got as far as the entrance, to storm the walls of your tower. It is while you all are in the sanctuary of prayer, that the vicious enemy storms your tower, about to unleash his final attack of fire. But you have the power to do something. Yes, prayer is being battered and besieged by the relentless enemy, who is about to set the fire of fear upon you all. The enemy is poised to take you all down from your strong, high tower, as he has done to many in their towers. But you can do something.

You are not the strongest person present. You are not the wisest person present. You are not the bravest person present. But you have before you that which you can use to throw down on the head of the enemy. The upper millstone is what the woman sees and throws down on Abimelek’s head, cracking his skull. But what do you have? You have a Stone also that can be thrown down. If you believe that Jesus is your Strong Tower in prayer, then Jesus is the Stone which you will throw down from your place of prayer. Your Living Stone will fall on the head of the enemy, bringing peace and victory to all in prayer. As the woman’s stone never missed the target, as it cracked the skull of the enemy, it will be the same for you.

  Jesus, the Stone, thrown down on the enemy, will never miss the target. Victory is yours.