Portion for Reading Judges 9-12Msg Judges 9
INTRODUCTION
Last week May 6th, 2005 marked the 60th. Year anniversary since the Second World War ended in 1945. World Jewry gathered together on May 5th, to remember one of the most evil and darkest times in world history the tragedy of the holocaust when over 6 million Jewish people perished at the hands of Nazi Germany under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. Many in our congregation gathered together at Beth Tzedec Synagogue to demonstrate our solidarity with the Jewish community and to remember many of those who perished but also to honour many who were willing to stand up for righteousness and were instrumental in saving the lives of thousands of Jewish people.
Sixty years have passed since the Second World War. Mans' memory may have faded but God’s does not. He remembers every evil deed, every thought and action performed by man not only against the Jewish people but all those who perished during this time. There were far more than 6 million Jewish people who died during the Second World War. There were countless millions of others who died in Europe, Russia and other nations, not even counting the number of soldiers and army personnel, who died fighting against Nazi Germany.
Four thousand years later it was out of the slavery, oppression and savagery of the Nazis and out of the literal ashes of the Holocaust that Israel was re-birthed as a modern day nation. On May 14th the 5th of Iyar (today) just three years after the Holocaust, Israel was once again joined the community of nations after 2,000 years of being scattered among the nations. A 20th century miracle that is unprecedented in world history.
The timing of Israel’s birth as a modern day nation in May of 1948 was no coincidence. It is in the springtime when Fig trees are blossoming and bearing fruit in Israel. The Fig tree is one of the trees that symbolise Israel as a nation and this is what I want to speak on today.
In Matthew 24, Yeshua spoke about the parable of the Fig tree in Matthew 24:32-35. A parable is a short story that is often used in a figurative, poetic, symbolic or allegorical manner to illustrate or convey a truth. Yeshua used this way of teaching on many occasions. He taught 30 parables in the gospels to illustrate truths about the kingdom of God.
The reason He taught in parables was to conceal the mysteries of the kingdom to those who are truly seeking for the truth. Those who have ears to hear, eyes to see and hearts that are not dull. Mt. 13: 10-13. There are eleven parables found in the Tenach. A total of 41 in the Bible. I want to speak on one of them from the Tenach because it is a prophetic picture what Yeshua taught in Mt. 24 about the budding of the fig tree.
In the scriptures, trees are often used as symbols or examples of nations. In the book of Judges chapter 9 we read about a parable of four types of trees. The Olive tree, the Fig Tree, the Vine and the Bramble or Briar tree commonly know as a thorn bush.
The Olive, Fig and Vine trees were considered to be an indication of the fruitfulness of the Promised Land Deuteronomy 8:6-10. In scripture these trees are also symbols of Israel. The Olive Tree is mentioned in Romans 11 and is clearly identified as a picture of Israel. The Fig tree and the vine tree are also mentioned in several places in the scriptures as speaking of Israel. Jer.6 says the Vine tree is the remnant of Israel. Hosea called Israel an Empty vine.
Joel 2:6 says “For a nation has come up against my land, strong and without number; His teeth are the teeth of a lion and he has the fangs of a fierce lion. He has laid waste my vine, and ruined my Fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white.”
In the context of Judges 9 what is the meaning of this parable of the four trees? There is an historical and prophetic meaning. We must always be true to the text. This chapter contains the account of the cruelty of Abimelech. He had himself appointed as a prince of Israel as a self appointed king of Shechem; Abimelech was so hungry for power that he killed 70 of his own brothers from the house of Gideon. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon survived. Judges 9:1,2,5,6 Made him king to rule over us. Notice Judges 8:22,23. This is an important point what Gideon said, because what Abimilech did was a sin of rebellion to have himself appointed to be ruler over the people of God, instead of God ruling over them.
That is why Jotham stood on Mt. Gerizim to bring a curse upon Abimelech for all the evil he had done. Mount Gerizim was known from Deut. 28 as the mountain from which blessings for obedience were to be pronounced. Mt. Ebal was known as the Mount where the curses for disobedience were pronounced. Jotham reversed the process. From the Mt. of blessing he pronounced a curse. He believed Abimelech and Shechem had forfeited their right of blessings by their sinful actions. Jotham pronounced the parable of the trees as a means to expose the sin of the people of Shechem in making Abimelech their king. It was a false anointing. Jotham was cursing them for wanting to have a man as ruler over Israel instead of God. Three years after Jotham pronounced this curse it was fulfilled in the entire ruin of the city and its inhabitants, and the death of Abimelech. Judges 9:22-24.
Let’s understand the meaning of this parable. Jotham begins his pronouncement by saying, ‘Listen to me – that God may listen to you.’ Jothams words were intended as a warning to them. If they listened and responded perhaps God would listen to their prayers once again. But if they would not listen then God would judge their actions accordingly.
This parable uses figurative language to make it sound as though the trees were talking among themselves. Judges 9:8-9. “The trees went forth at one time to anoint a king over them, and they said to the Olive tree, ‘You reign over us.’ But the Olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, with which by me they honour God and men, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?” These words were a direct mockery of kingship. They had no right to appoint a king and anoint him without Gods blessing. Judges 9:10-11. “And the trees then said to the Fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ And the Fig tree said to them, ‘Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit and go to wave to and fro over the trees?’” The Fig tree's reply was the same. Judges 9:12-13. “Then the trees said to the Vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ And the Vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?’ ” Wine was offered as a drink offering to Adonai (Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:5-10) and gave men great joy and pleasure (see Psalm 104:15). Thus the vine also would not leave it useful function to vainly and uselessly lord it over the trees.
Jotham chose three fruitful trees, in his parable. Each one of them were vital and represented a major part of the blessings of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 8:8). He stressed their usefulness both to God and man, but compared them with the futility of self appointed kingship.
Notice in Judges 9:14 “Then all the trees said to the Bramble bush, ‘You come and reign over us.’ Judges 9:15 “And the Bramble bush said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow and if not let fire come out of the bramble bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”
In this parable the trees are pictured as foolishly longing for a king to rule over them. Jotham pictured Abimelech as a thorn bush, as useless and prickly, who was only offered the position because no one better would take it. They went to the lowest tree of all, the thorn bush which could not be used for timber, bore no edible fruit and hurt men with its thorns. It was renowned for its thorniness (Psalm 58.9). This bush could be seen clinging to rocks. This dry thorn was usually the starting point for destructive fires.
The picture of the Thorn bush providing shade for the Olive, the Fig and the Vine tree was ludicrous. Large trees 15-20 feet high coming and putting themselves under the shadow of a lowly thorn bush. The thorn bush was good for one thing. It burns easily. Thus it could easily be ignited in hot weather causing a forest fire, and destroy the mightiest of the trees. The cedars of Lebanon, would be devoured by thorn bushes. Jotham pictured Abimelech’s kingship as one that would demean them and eventually result in a blaze of fire that would destroy them all. He devoured like fire 70 of his own brothers.
There is a prophetic truth that we can understand from this parable. The first tree that was approached with the offer of the kingdom was the Olive Tree symbolic of Spiritual Israel under the reign of the Judges, the olive tree was unwilling or unable to fulfill its calling and appointment. The book of Judges describes a time in Israel’s history when they rebelled against Gods laws and did what was right in their own eyes. During the 400 years God raised up military champions like Gideon, Samson, Deborah to return the nation back to God.
Next the Fig tree was offered to accept this position to bring in the kingdom. After the era of the Judges, Israel said, Anoint us a King to rule over us. The Fig tree represented the national Israel under the era of the Kings. However the Fig tree was unwilling to serve as ruler over the nations representative of the Kingdom age.
Next the tree asked the Grape vine to be ruler over the nations but the Vine tree would not serve in this kingdom position either. This vine is symbolic of the messianic kingdom that spoke of the Messiah who would come and be the true BRANCH.
Zech. 6:12 says “Thus says the Lord of hosts saying behold the man whose name is BRANCH. For His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory. And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne. And the counsel of peace shall between them both.”
When the appointed time had come Yeshua came to Israel as the branch as the true vine. In John 15 Yeshua said “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.”
The irony of it was that Yeshua was the true vine. He was the Melech Yisrael. He came to the very people who were praying for a King to come to rule over them but when He came the people said, “We will not have this man reign over us.” Luke 19:14.
Yeshua came to establish His kingdom on the earth and they were unwilling to receive Him as their King. In vs. Luke 19:41-43 Yeshua wept over Jerusalem because He was grieved in His heart that they did not know the time of His visitation. John 19:12-15 When Pilate said shall I crucify your King. The Jewish leaders said, We have no King but Caesar. How these words must have stung Yeshua’s heart. The Jewish nation hated Caesar and the Roman Empire. They were wanting to be set free from their cruel oppression. This has been the condition of Israel for the past 2000 years. They did not recognize the time of their Messiahs visitation. Instead our people throughout history have chosen to put their trust in bramble bushes, in thorn bushes.
Jeremiah 17: “Thus says the Lord, cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength. Whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when the good comes. But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness. But blessed is the man who trust in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the river, and will not fear when the heat comes but its leaf will be green. And will not be anxious in the year of drought nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
This is a picture of what has happened to Israel. The bramble bush also represents the false messiahs that Israel and the Jewish people have been deceived into following throughout the ages. Rather than recognising the day of their visitation when the Messiah came who fulfilled all the messianic prophecies and proved Himself to be the true vine they rejected Him. “This man shall not rule over us.”
Yeshua warned them. “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying I am the Messiah and will deceive many. Many false prophets and false messiahs will rise up and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible the very elect. See I have told you beforehand.
The scriptures speak of another False Messiah who will come at the end of the age. He will be known as the Anti-messiah. He will be the total embodiment of evil and will deceive Israel and the nations. Israel will trust in this thorn bush.
In the parable in Judges 9 it said all the trees said to the thorn bush, you come and reign over us. The thorn bush said, If you anoint me as king over you, then come and take shelter in my shade but if not let fire come down and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
How can a 15-20 foot tree find shade under a thorn bush? Yet Israel would rather trust in a thorn bush then trust in the true vine of Israel and come under the shadow of His wings.
There was a time towards the end of Yeshua’s ministry that he cursed a fig tree. Mark 9:12,20 What Yeshua did was an illustration of what would happen to Israel. It was an object lesson to teach the disciples that Israel was lacking in spiritual maturity to bring the Kingdom of God to the nations. The fig leaves was a picture of their pride and self-righteousness. This was Israel’s downfall.
This is in total contrast to Israel before 1948. It was literally a barren wasteland.
Today the Fig tree is blossoming again throughout Israel. It is growing on the mountains of Samaria, on the mountains of Judea, on the Mount of Olives, just about everywhere in the land fig trees are growing and producing fruit. Yeshua’s parable of the fig tree has come to pass. When you see the budding of fig tree blossoming and bearing fruit in Israel then you know the time is near at the doors. The day of my visitation is once again drawing near. Yet we know that it will be through a time of great tribulation and suffering before Gods people will come under the shade of the true Vine and partake of the blessing of the Olive tree and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 36:24-28
Are you trusting in the True vine or in the Bramble bush? John 15:5-8
Source: Cal Goldberg, Messianic Leader, Beth Shechinah