Jotham was a young man, probably a teenager. He was the youngest son of the valiant Gideon who had freed Israel from the Midianites, and now Gideon was dead. Jotham had many brothers and one half-brother who was the proudest and most selfish of them all.
Abimelech, the proud and selfish half-brother, said that he wanted to be king. And to make sure that none of his brothers would be king, he set out to murder all his brothers at once. Jotham heard of this and escaped, but all the others were killed.
The young man did not stay in hiding. He came, not to fight for his rights, but to show the mistake of those who had followed Abimelech and made him king. Listen to Jotham’s message. There is a lesson in it for you and me.
Jotham climbed to the top of the mountain where the blessings on Israel were proclaimed. It was a blessing for Israel that he wanted and not his own personal vengeance that took him up there. And from the mountaintop he shouted this story: The trees decided to choose a king over them, so they invited the olive tree to be their ruler. But the olive tree was an oil-producer, used for both lighting and food. The olive tree questioned if it should leave its oil producing, which honors God and man, to be king over the trees.
What would you say if you were offered a promotion like that? Did you know that if you are a real Christian, the Holy Spirit is like the oil within you, and it is far more important to be shining for Jesus than to be high and important among people? The olive tree gave a wise answer.
Then the trees said to the fig tree, “Come . . . and reign over us.” But the fig tree’s business was to grow sweet, juicy fruit, and it was not wise to leave this job to take top place as king over the trees.
Is this your choice too? God wants you to grow sweet fruit for Him and for others for His sake. He tells us that the fruit He values is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. That fruit is love, joy and peace. Don’t leave this opportunity and take the top place to be important.
Then the trees asked the grapevine to be king, but the grapevine had been chosen to make wine to cheer God and man. The grapevine refused to leave its job of producing wine.
Would this be your choice too? It is more important to bring joy to the heart of God and of others than it is to have everyone cheer for you.
Finally, the trees asked the bramble bush to be king, but even the scratchy bramble had a better choice. If it were chosen to be king over the trees, they would all have to come and put their trust in its shadow. And if not, fire would come from the bramble bush and destroy the tallest cedars.
Which choice of a king over the trees was successful? Not one of them. Every choice they suggested was unwise. Choosing someone for the place of importance and power belongs to God. Jotham knew this. And it seems that the trees in our parable knew this better than some of us do. God gives places of authority to some of us too, but this is not to be snatched away from others. If God has placed you in a position of authority over others, ask Him for wisdom to use this power wisely for Him and for others. “Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all” (1 Chronicles 29:1111Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)).