TREES CHOOSING A KING

Gideon delivered Israel from the Midianites, and thereafter refused to accept a position as their king, Judg. 8. 23. After his departure, his son Abimelech arrived on the scene; his name means ‘whose father is king’. Abimelech used this falsehood to lay claim to succession, and ruthlessly eliminated all of his breth­ren. Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, his name means ‘Jehovah is perfect’, escaped the slaughter, and related a parable against Abimelech and his rule.

Trees symbolize rule and authority in scripture as seen, for example, in Daniel chapter 4 verses 19-22. Jotham takes up a parable about trees to demonstrate the character of godly rule and the true nature of Abimelech’s rule. The trees that Jotham depicts are the olive, the fig, the vine and the bramble. When the olive, fig and vine were given the offer to reign, they declined on the basis that they wished only to be what God had made them and to be of service to others. The bramble, however, was quick to take up the offer and said that if they would not make it king, it would send out fire that would destroy the cedars of Lebanon.

There is a very sober lesson in this parable for the days in which we live. First, it is important that each should be content with the gift that God has given them and not to covet the gifts that He has granted to others, 1 Cor. 12. 14-25. Secondly, it is important that leadership should arise from the spirit of service. The Lord, speaking to His disciples when some were seeking prominence, said, ‘But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister’, Matt. 20. 26. He then showed that He was the example when He said, ‘Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister’, Matt. 20. 28.

The spirit of the bramble is seen in the character of Diotrephes. John wrote, ‘who loveth to have the preeminence’, 3 John 9. John also refers to his refusal to accept him or his associ­ates, his malicious words, and his casting people out of the church who acted contrary to him.

May the Lord raise up men of humility and service to lead the people of God and save us from the spirit of Abimelech.