Judges 9:7-16
A very wicked man wanted to be king in Israel. He was not chosen by God as the Judges were, and he did not help, free Israel from their enemies. But with money, he hired men to follow him, and did most cruelly to his brothers for fear they would hinder him. One brother, the youngest, named Dothan, escaped and hid himself.
The day the men of Shechem gathered together to make this wicked man their king, Dothan climbed up on the mountain above them and called to them to listen to him. There is a great rock which is still called “Jothan’s Rock”, and it is said a man’s voice can be heard very plainly in the valley below. It was from the same mountain that Joshua had the blessings read to all the big company of Israel (Joshua 8:32-35).
The story Jothan told was what is called a fable, because trees which cannot talk are told of as though they could, to teach a lesson. This was the story:
Once the trees wanted a king over them: First, they asked the olive tree, saying, “Rule thou over us.” But the olive tree said it would not be well for it to leave the growing of its good fruit and oil to be the king.
Next, they asked the fig tree. But the fig tree said it did not want to stop growing its sweet fruit to serve as king.
Then, they asked the grape vine. But the vine did not want to stop growing its nice fruit, either. So, at last, they asked the bramble bush to be their king. A bramble bush is full of prickers, and of no good use for anything. It was very willing to be king over the trees, and said all must come under its shadow, and if any would not do so it would send fire to destroy them, even the great cedar tree! What a cruel, boastful ruler the bramble bush would be!
Jothan wanted to show the people that they were making as bad a choice of a king, as if the good trees would choose a thorny bramble bush to rule them. He told them to refuse the wicked king, and God would help them.
Yet they did not take Jothan’s good advice, and he had to run away.
Three years after, the wicked king was killed in a battle.
God has always sent warning to His people, as he did by Jothan. He again gave. Israel judges to save them from the enemies. But there were many sad, evil deeds done, because the people worshiped idols more and more, instead of obeying the Lord.
ML 08/07/1938