Judges Chapter 9 Verse 7

• So I don’t know that they heard Jotham but rather Jotham has run to the Lord and he now is dealing with the heavy sorrow and rage as a result of what has happened and so he cries out to the Lord and in that he pronounces this prophecy of sorts over the men of Shechem…and this “listen to me so God will listen to you,” translation is troublesome to me…in the Hebrew, looking at this closely, it appears to me to be better translated, “Hearken unto me such that God will be regarded,” or “Listen to me men of Shechem and God, hear my cries…”

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 8 – 15

• Olive tree – “You were supposed to reign and proliferate righteousness under My authority unto the entire world, but you refused.” Fig tree – “You were supposed to be My nation, (as the fig tree always speaks nationally of Israel), but you refused.” Vine – “You were supposed to bear fruit and cover the entire earth with it…but you refused.”

• What’s interesting is that all three of the excuses are the rejection of personal sacrifice and proliferation of religiousity! The Olive tree says, “But shall I stop giving my oil which honors both God and men.” The Fig tree says, “Should I stop producing my sweetness and good fruit?” And finally the Vine says, “Should I stop creating new wine which cheers both God and men.” “Should we stop all that we do just to go sway over trees?” YES!

• So very interesting and relevant to each of us in terms of caring for others and serving others. There’s always something else to do! I mean how successful could you be in your career if you just worked an extra 2, 3, 4 or 6 hours a day? But at what cost? Your kids call out for the bramble!
• How many more projects you could perfect and complete and how much more could you grow your business if you spent your weekend planning harder for your week or even extend your week into your weekend! Man you’d grow your clientele so fast! But at what cost? Your wife would call out for the bramble. Or your husband would call out for the bramble! Or your church!
• You could grow this ministry so quickly and so much more effectively if you just went to this convention and spoke at this conference or visited these churches for their services. Fostered relationships with these organizations and went to these classes. But at what cost? Your church would lack oil, identify and fruit and they’d be susceptible to the bramble!

• Bramble is usesless! (iphone at bedtime) It looks like messed up hair lying on the ground! It’s filled with thorns and it is the plant that resulted from the curse pronounced upon mankind after man chose man over God! It is a bush that sits almost entirely flush on the ground to the point that one would have to stoop to the dirt in order to get into its shade! It doesn’t grow up, it doesn’t bear fruit, it’s not pleasant to behold and it pricks you when you get near it…Poole in his commentary refers to it as, “mean, barren and hurtful…”

• Although it fully resembles un-regenerate man, those features are sometimes seen in the lives of Christians! Why? Rejection of the oil…the work of the Holy Spirit. Rejection of the fig…the call to lead in selflessness and become a nation of disciples. Rejection of the vine…Jesus is embraced in belief and rejected in practical application…and the most tragic part is that bramble just spreads and spreads…

• Jotham could also be talking about three of his righteous brothers who refused to rule the people similar to what their father, Gideon, did…we don’t know that for sure. But what we do know is that Abimelech and his worthless and reckless men represent the bramble and Jotham says, “If it was of God, then so be it…but if not, it will eventually come after the cedars…the fathers of the nation…”

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 16 – 24

• Understand what God did here, what is translated for us here that “He sent a spirit of ill will,” literally in the Hebrew that word for “sent” is “shalach” and can be thought of this way…, “God let go.” He gave them over to what all men are without Him…ill…And here’s the deal. When men’s sin becomes their punishment we are so quick to question God…why? They would not turn, they would not repent…three years has gone by…God says in Numbers 32, “Be sure, your sin will find you out…” And so tonight, think upon how you have erred and seek God’s heart in the matter lest you risk a lesson of correction that you don’t want and as a child of God, in your word and in fellowship, should not be necessary…

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 25 – 34

• Who are the men with Abimelech? Men of Shechem! Who are they laying in wait to get? The men of Shechem! This is what sin does! It divides and once division begins…if there is no humility and repentance, and if there is no strong leadership in that, then ultimately, civil war…the house will fall.

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 35 – 36

• Man there is treachery everywhere! This is like Biblical 90210! Zebul is in the city with Gaal yet strategizing with Abimelech and right here he fools Gaal. Folks sit back wide-eyed like oooooooooh!

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 37 – 45

• Notice, Abimelech eventually did to his own people what he did to his enemies. That’s usually the case by the way. Especially as we are all surrounded by imperfect people. Watch what someone does to their enemy. Given enough time and offense, they’ll do it to their friends as well. And Abimelech here takes out his rage against Gaal on all of the people of the city and even salts the soil…ruins the dirt even. The ruins of this destruction can still be seen today in Shechem.

Judges Chapter 9 Verses 46 – 57

• Proud even in death. You kill me so it won’t be said of me that a woman did it…dude, you’re still dead. What a fool. Him and all of the men that got behind him. Jotham had warned them and yet they had rejected the warning of God through Jotham, specifically Abimelech, and notice what happens, he and thousands others come to ruin!
• Rather than have to heed the warning of God, I’d rather hear the calling of God…and reject the bramble…