Thursday 19th June Judges 9.42-57

Qn. 3

 …And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said… (48): In the ancient world, the cities fenced all around could never be defeated, unless their towers were destructed in the first place. Abimelech and his army chose to cut the branches of trees with which to put the towers on fire, so that all people could die there. What a cruel being Satan is! Whereas other people cut the branches of trees in receiving Jesus (Mar. 11.8), Abimelech is using them to burn people up. Even as Abimelech is talked about in the book of Judges, the Bible doesn’t mention him among the judges; probably because all his battles were not for the good of God’s people. Christians do not solely live for themselves and their close relatives, but also for other people elsewhere. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull (53): A millstone which women of the ancient years used to mill flour is what was used to kill Abimelech. Somewhere near Mount Gilboa is the same place Saul committed suicide (1 Sam. 31.4). Consider: The life and death of those who don’t honor God are demeaning. Song 77 (Praises).