Hard Heads Get Crushed | Judges 9:50-57

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Our text today is Judges 9:50-57.

Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. — Judges 9:50-57

After burning Shechem’s tower with men and women inside, Abimelech attempts the same strategy at Thebez. But as he approaches the tower, a nameless woman lifts a millstone and hurls it down. It crashes into his skull, crushing the head of the tyrant who once slaughtered his own brothers.

In desperation, Abimelech pleads for his armor-bearer to kill him so no one can say he died by a woman’s hand. Yet the irony lingers louder than his pride: the man who exalted himself above all is remembered for humiliation, not greatness. There is no doubt Jotham's words have become his judgment, “Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech … and the curse of Jotham.” He is stoned by his pride.

Abimelech’s life should be a case study in what happens when pride consumes a leader. He clawed for power, torched his enemies, and trusted his own strength. But the very pride that lifted him up was the pride that took him down.

Pride always ends this way. Sometimes God lets pride run its course to show us just how destructive it is. It looks confident at first, but it always turns violent, always spirals out of control, and always collapses in shame.

Be careful—if you stay hardheaded with God, you may end up with a crushed head.

This is why we can’t play games with pride. We can’t excuse selfish ambition or stubborn rebellion. Pride is never harmless—it’s a ticking time bomb. So we must humble ourselves now before God humbles us later. Pride ends in ruin, but humility under God’s hand leads to life.

ASK THIS:
Where am I being hardheaded with God right now?
How have I seen pride come full circle in destructive ways?
Do I believe God really does repay evil in His timing?
What step of humility can I take today to soften my heart before Him?
DO THIS:
Write down one area where you’ve been hardheaded with God—resisting, delaying, or excusing. Pray over it and surrender it. Don’t wait for the millstone moment to break you.

PRAY THIS:
Lord, break my pride before it breaks me. Keep me from being hardheaded with You, and teach me the humility that brings life under Your hand. Amen.

PLAY THIS:
"I Surrender All."