Judges 9:7 – 21 “When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you. One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves.
They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’
Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have done to him as he deserves— for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian, but you have risen up against my father’s house this day and killed his seventy sons on a single stone, and you have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the leaders of Shechem because he is your brother— if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you. But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.”
Jotham was Gideon’s youngest son and the only survivor of Abimelech’s massacre. Mount Gerizim is roughly 2.6 miles from the original site of Shechem. Evidently there must have been something about the configuration of Mount Gerizim that would allow sound to travel long distances. At any rate, Jotham bravely confronted the men of Shechem and Beth – millo with their perfidy and then escaped.
To whom was Jotham referring when he mentioned the olive tree, the fig tree, the grape vine, and the bramble? In some rabbinic traditions, the olive tree represented Othniel, Caleb’s son – in – law, who delivered Israel and who judged them for forty years. The fig tree represented Deborah, who together with Barak defeated the Canaanites, while the fruitful grapevine represented Gideon. The bramble obviously represented Abimelech. The men of Shechem and Beth – millo were willing to ignore Gideon’s refusal to rule in hopes that they would gain wealth and power by supporting Abimelech. Eventually, Abimelech truly proved to be a bramble tree, tearing and wounding those around him.
One telling statement Jotham made was the description of Abimelech as “the son of his (Gideon’s) maidservant. Generally, the offspring of concubines did not enjoy the same status as that of sons born into a marriage. Jotham was reminding Abimelech’s supporters that the men they murdered had far better claims to be rulers than did Abimelech.
APPLICATION: Gideon became a leader because God called him and then empowered him. Gideon risked his life on the battlefield and still refused to become king. Abimelech wanted everything to be handed to him and had done nothing to earn anyone’s respect.
Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Through the years, we have had experience with a number of chiefs and elders in various places in Ghana. Those chiefs who have cared about their people work for their good.
The question for each of us is this: how do we handle leadership positions when we are thrust into them? If we humble ourselves and ask God for help, He will inspire us and give us the grace and the courage to do the right thing. But if we become petty tyrants bent on our own wants and desires, we are failing God. We can grimace at Abimelech, but we must find good role models of leadership if we are to leave a blessed legacy behind us.
PRAYER: Father God, help us to follow You and to seek You in all the work to which You call us. Help us to take Jesus as our Example and to follow in His footsteps and not in those of greedy self – aggrandizing leaders. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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