Jotham’s Parable, Judges 8-9

This post concerns Jotham’s parable stated after the murder of all but one of his brothers by Abimelech.

‘Jotham’s Parable’ describes what happened after the end of forty years of peace under the leadership of Gideon.

Although the people asked Gidion to rule them, he refused. But he asked for the earrings taken among the spoils of war. From the earrings, he fashioned an ephod. Then, idiolatry began using the ephod, Judges 8:27. “And all Israel whored after it there.”

That idolatry continued, Judges 8:33. “As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.”

After that, Abimelech, the son of Gideon’s concubine, killed all but one of Gideon’s sons. The local leaders made Abimelech king.

Jotham, the one son left alive, proclaimed a public parable:

The trees sought a king and asked the olive tree. But the olive declined. Next, they asked the fig tree. But he would not. Then the vine refused. So, they asked the bramble. This caused trouble between the bramble and the trees.

Jotham made application of the parable as to how Gideon and his household had been treated, Judges 9:19. “if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.

Abimelech reigned three years before an evil spirit came between him and the Shechem leaders as punishment for Abimelech killing sixty-nine sons of Gideon. Abimelech was subsequently killed by a woman dropping a millstone on his head.

The lesson for us today from the parable concerns times when good men will not serve as leaders of the people to do right. Instead, as with Abimelech and the bramble, the wicked will lead and encourage sin.

So, what did we learn?

1.If good people will not lead, then the wicked will step forward and lead into sin.

2.Leadership by the ungodly can destroy the righteous.

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