Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Bible Lesson: Parables Of The Old Testament: Jotham Tells A Parable Of Trees Choosing A King.
Bible Lesson: Parables Of The Old
Testament: Jotham Tells A Parable Of Trees Choosing A King.
Bible Text:
Judges 9:7-15 NLT (Jotham’s
Parable) (Be sure to read the whole story verse 1-57)
7 When Jotham heard about this, he
climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted, “Listen to me,
citizens of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!
8 Once upon a time the trees
decided to choose a king. First they said to the olive tree,
‘Be our king!’
9 But the olive tree refused,
saying,‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God
and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
10 “Then they said to the fig
tree,‘You be our king!’
11 But the fig tree also refused,
saying,‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back
and forth over the trees?’
12 “Then they said to the
grapevine,‘You be our king!’
13 But the grapevine also refused,
saying,‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and
people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
14 “Then all the trees finally
turned to the thorn bush and said,‘Come, you be our king!’
15 And the thorn bush replied to the
trees,‘If you truly want to make me your king, come and take
shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the
cedars of Lebanon.’”
Gideon
(5th
Judge of Israel) was dead, and his son Abimelech (by Gideon's
Shechemite concubine) took rule by slaying all 70 of Gideon's other
sons, except the youngest son, Jotham, who escaped.
Jotham, persuaded
the Schechemites to make him their rightful king, and he did so
because the people were tired of the ways of Abimelech, and were convinced
by Jotham, Abimelech (The Thorn bush -Judges 9:5 NLT a wicked ½
brother), was not a son, so as to be an actual heir.
Abimelech returned
to Schechem to quell the insurrection. Coming to thebez, he found the
people all gathered in a strong tower. Thinking that he would set it
afire as he had successfully done at the tower of Shechem, he went
near to set it ablaze, where upon a woman at the top of the tower
dropped down a portion of a millstone upon the head of Abimelech, and
thus the parable of Jotham had come to pass.
Judges 9:16-20
NLT
16 Jotham continued, “Now make
sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech
your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his
descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all
he accomplished?
17 For he fought for you and risked
his life when he rescued you from the Midianites.
18 But today you have revolted
against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on
one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimelech, to
be your king just because he is your relative.
19 “If you have acted honorably
and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may
you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you.
20 But if you have not acted in
good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the
leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out
from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and devour Abimelech!”
Judgment befell
Abimelech (The Thorn Bush), and the wicked people of Shechem.
If the leader of
the people is himself evil, so to will be the people who follow him,
only judgment will be their reward.
Jeremiah 17:10
KJV
The Lord search the heart, I try the
reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to
the fruit of his doings.
Matthew 12:36,37
KJV
36 But I say unto you, That every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in
the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Matthew 16:27
KJV
For The Son Of Man shall come in the
glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every
man according to his works.
Luke 12:48 KJV
"...For unto whomsoever much is
given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed
much, of him they will ask the more.
John 3:19 KJV
And this is the condemnation, that
Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
Light, because their deeds were evil.
Romans 1:18-22
KJV
18 For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold The Truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain
in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools,
Romans 14:12 KJV
So then every one of us shall give
account of himself to God.
II Corinthians
5:10 KJV
For we must all appear before The
Judgment Seat Of Christ; that every one may receive the things done
in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad.
I Peter 1:17 NLT
And remember that The Heavenly
Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you
according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him
during your time here as “temporary residents.”
Revelation
20:11-13 KJV
11 And I saw a Great White throne,
and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and
the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were
in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 22:12
KJV
And, behold, I come quickly; and My
reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.