The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Judges 9:50-56, “Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it.
51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower.
52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
54 Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman slew him.'” So the young man pierced him through, and he died.
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each departed to his home.
56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers.”

There’s an old saying, “You cannot do wrong and get by.” Long before the occasion of these
verses above, Abimelech had murdered 70 of his brothers (Jud. 9:5). And for a short while it looked as if he was going to get away with it. Yet, there was indeed a payday coming. The word is true:
“For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings
will return on your own head” (Obad. 1:15).

The death that befell Abimelech repaid the wickedness he had dealt to his brothers. In fact,
it was more humiliating because of the way he died: that unknown woman who threw a
millstone from the tower and “crushed his skull.” It was not a warrior that hit him; it was not a
crew of brave young men; it was a woman –possibly a grandmother!– but too lowly for her
name to be included in the text. What a way for an egotistical young man to be remembered!

All of this is a stark lesson for us. It may be that we’ve not physically murdered anyone; yet we
have discolored someone’s reputation by the things we’ve said and the attitude we have conveyed. May the LORD enable us to escape the footsteps of Abimelech. We cannot do wrong and get by!

Have you done wrong to someone? It would be wise to confess that wrong. The LORD stands ready always to forgive.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom