The Tower & The Stone

Judges 8:22–23 NKJV

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” 23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

Judges 8:32–35 NKJV

32 Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their god. 34 Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; 35 nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

Abimelech, son of Gideon (Born of a concubine), goes to his hometown of Shechem and convinces his mom's family that he ought to be king of Israel. The only people standing in his way are his 70 brothers. They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith (their god) with which, Abimelech hired “worthless and reckless fellows”. Abimelech goes to his father's house (Gideon) and massacres his 70 brothers. But one brother escapes! Jotham, the youngest, & he hides himself and avoids the slaughter. With his brothers out of the picture (or so he thinks), Abimelech is made king of Israel. When Jotham hears about this, he goes and stands atop a mountain, where the men of Shechem can hear him. He tells them a story (Judges 9:8-15): “Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’

“But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness with which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’

“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’

“But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?’

“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’

“But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?’

“Finally all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’

“The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

Jotham then gives the interpretation of his story: You men of Shechem have destroyed Gideon's family, even after all he did for you. Abimelech is not the rightful king, and a fire will come out from him to destroy you (Judges 9:16-20). Jotham decides story time is over and goes back to hiding from Abimelech, who never finds him. After 3 years, the men of Shechem are sick of Abimelech, and come up with a plan to get rid of him. After failing to get him killed by robbers in the mountains, they team up with Gaal, who gathers an army in Shechem and challenges Abimelech to come and get them. But Zebul, the ruler of Shechem, doesn't like Gaal, so he secretly tells Abimelech to come and hide his armies in the fields surrounding the city until morning. Abimelech does just that, and in the morning Gaal looks out of the city gates and thinks he sees them hiding. But Zebul convinces him that he's just seeing things, allowing Abimelech to stage a surprise attack against Gaal's army. Abimelech chases them until they retreat back into Shechem. Zebul throws Gaal out of the city, but his army remains there. The next day, Abimelech overruns Shechem, destroys their crops, and kills everyone except those that barricade themselves inside a temple of the god Baal-berith. Abimelech and his men go to the mountains and chop down a bunch of tree branches, which they use to set the temple on fire, killing 1,000 men and women (this might be a good time to remember Jotham's tree story). Next, Abimelech takes his army to another city, Thebez, and this is where we pick up the story

Judges 9:50–57 NKJV

50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place. 56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

God doesn't save us because we are righteous and other people are not.

He saves us because He is righteous and just in His judgment.

Proverbs 18:10 NKJV

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Psalm 61:3 NKJV

3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.

Micah 7:8 NKJV

8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.

Psalm 62:2 NKJV

2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

Psalm 62:6–8 NKJV

6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 94:22 NKJV

22 But the Lord has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge.

Psalm 18:2 NKJV

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 144:2 NKJV

2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.

Isaiah 26:4 NKJV

4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

God doesn't save us because we are righteous and other people are not

He saves us because He is righteous and just in His judgment

Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV)

25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.