But the thornbush replied, 'If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.' But the thornbush repliedThe thornbush, or bramble, represents Abimelech in Jotham's parable. In the context of Judges 9, Jotham uses this parable to criticize the people of Shechem for choosing Abimelech as king. The thornbush is a lowly and unworthy plant, symbolizing Abimelech's unworthiness to rule. This reflects the biblical theme of God’s disapproval of leaders who do not follow His ways, as seen in 1 Samuel 8 when Israel demands a king. ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you
The act of anointing signifies a formal and divine appointment to leadership, often associated with God's chosen leaders like Saul and David. However, Abimelech's anointing lacks divine approval, contrasting with the anointing of kings in Israel who were chosen by God. This highlights the dangers of self-appointed leadership and the importance of divine guidance in leadership roles. come and find refuge in my shade
The thornbush offers shade, which is ironic because a thornbush provides little protection or comfort. This reflects the false security and protection that Abimelech offers. In biblical symbolism, true refuge is found in God, as seen in Psalms 91:1-2, where God is described as a shelter and refuge. The inadequacy of the thornbush's shade underscores the futility of seeking security in anything other than God. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush
Fire symbolizes judgment and destruction throughout the Bible, such as in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) and the consuming fire of God's presence (Deuteronomy 4:24). The fire from the thornbush represents the destructive consequences of Abimelech's rule, foreshadowing the eventual downfall and chaos that result from his leadership, as seen later in Judges 9. and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
The cedars of Lebanon are known for their strength and majesty, often symbolizing powerful leaders or nations in biblical literature (Ezekiel 31:3). The imagery of a thornbush consuming the cedars highlights the unnatural and destructive nature of Abimelech's reign. It serves as a warning of how corrupt leadership can bring down even the mightiest, emphasizing the biblical principle that pride and ungodly ambition lead to downfall, as echoed in Proverbs 16:18. Persons / Places / Events 1. Thornbush (Bramble)Represents Abimelech in Jotham's parable, symbolizing a worthless and dangerous leader. 2. JothamThe youngest son of Gideon, who delivers the parable to warn the people of Shechem about Abimelech. 3. AbimelechThe son of Gideon who seeks to become king through treachery and violence. 4. ShechemThe city where Abimelech is made king, and where Jotham delivers his parable. 5. Cedars of LebanonSymbolize the noble and powerful leaders of Israel, contrasted with the lowly thornbush. Teaching Points The Danger of Ungodly LeadershipChoosing leaders based on selfish ambition or convenience can lead to destruction and chaos. Discernment in LeadershipBelievers must seek God's wisdom and discernment when selecting leaders, ensuring they align with biblical principles. Consequences of RebellionIgnoring God's guidance and pursuing personal agendas can lead to severe consequences, as seen in the parable's warning. Symbolism of the ThornbushThe thornbush represents leaders who offer false security and ultimately bring harm, reminding us to evaluate the true character of those we follow. God's Sovereignty in JudgmentDespite human choices, God's justice prevails, and He will hold leaders accountable for their actions. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the parable of the thornbush in Judges 9:15 reflect the character and leadership style of Abimelech? 2. In what ways can we apply the lessons from Jotham's parable to our current political or spiritual leadership choices? 3. How does the imagery of the thornbush and the cedars of Lebanon help us understand the contrast between godly and ungodly leadership? 4. What are some modern examples of leaders who, like the thornbush, offer false security and ultimately cause harm? 5. How can we ensure that our choices in leadership align with biblical principles and God's will, as opposed to personal or cultural preferences? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 8The Israelites demand a king, paralleling the desire for leadership seen in Judges 9. This highlights the dangers of choosing leaders based on human desires rather than God's guidance. Matthew 7:15-20Jesus warns about false prophets, likening them to trees that bear bad fruit, similar to the thornbush's destructive potential. Isaiah 10:17-19God's judgment is described as a consuming fire, akin to the fire from the thornbush that threatens the cedars. | Abimelech, the Adventurer | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Ambition Destroys the Finer Feelings of Men | H. E. Channing. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Bramble Rule; Or, the People and Their Leaders | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Forms of Usefulness in Life | Marcus Dods, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Jotham's Parable | R. A. Watson, M. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | King Bramble and His Subjects | A. F. Vedder. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Misleading Self-Judgments | A. Rowland, B. A. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Pulpit Brambles | Homilist | Judges 9:1-22 | | Self-Fulfilment | E. G. Murphy. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Bramble | H. Whittaker. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Election of the Usurper to be King | J. P. Millar. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Faithful Olive-Tree | Spurgeon, Charles Haddon | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of Jotham | A London Minister | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | J. Bayley, Ph. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Parable of the Trees | A. Raleigh, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | The Refusing of Leadership | W. Morison, D. D. | Judges 9:1-22 | | Jotham's Fable; Or, Popular Election, its Dangers and Abuses | A.F. Muir | Judges 9:7-20 | | Jotham's Parable | W.F. Adeney | Judges 9:8-15 |
People Abimelech, Ebed, Gaal, Hamor, Jerubbaal, Jotham, Ophrah, Zalmon, ZebulPlaces Arumah, Beer, Beth-millo, Diviners' Oak, Lebanon, Midian, Mount Gerizim, Mount Zalmon, Ophrah, Shechem, Thebez, Tower of ShechemTopics Anoint, Anointing, Bramble, Burning, Cedars, Consume, Desire, Devour, Devoureth, Faith, Fire, Lebanon, Really, Refuge, Shade, Shadow, Thorn, Thornbush, Trees, Truly, Trust, TruthDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 9:15 4424 cedar
4846 shadow Judges 9:1-21 5356 irony Judges 9:7-15 2230 Messiah, coming of
5935 riddles Judges 9:7-20 5438 parables Library Here, by Way of Objection, Several Questions are Raised. ...
Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised. Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge (Judges 9:20); and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervour …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of FaithTrials of the Christian
AFFLICTION--ITS NATURE AND BENEFITS. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's mind. Out of dark afflictions comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of that, to bring us to a Saviour. Doth not God ofttimes even take occasion, by the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan Hence is Also that which Thou Hast Mentioned that they Speak Of...
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, "But He Himself feigned that He would go further," [2435] hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned is a lie, whereas in a truthful …
St. Augustine—Against Lying The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
[Sidenote: Role of the sages in Israel's life] In the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. xviii. 18; Ezek. vii. 26) three distinct classes of religious teachers were recognized by the people: the prophets, the priests, and the wise men or sages. From their lips and pens have come practically all the writings of the Old Testament. Of these three classes the wise men or sages are far less prominent or well known. They wrote no history of Israel, they preached no public sermons, nor do they appear …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God, …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 9:15 NIVJudges 9:15 NLTJudges 9:15 ESVJudges 9:15 NASBJudges 9:15 KJV
Judges 9:15 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
