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Judges 9:8-15

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. [9] But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? [10] And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. [11] But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? [12] Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. [13] And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? [14] Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. [15] And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

Jotham was the youngest of Gideon’s sons. This scripture is Jotham’s allegory as a parable and a prophecy. This prophecy would have an immediate fulfillment, for they would elect the bramble to rule over them and the end of the matter was destruction.

Gideon brought revival, whereas his son, Abilimelech’s calling was a work of the flesh. One brought life; and the other death. In Judg. 8-9 we have a picture of the spiritual church and the carnal church.

Abimelech murdered his seventy brothers. Gideon had leadership ability on the battlefield, but not in the home. But, God, on the other hand, places a great importance on the family. Under the new covenant He commands that no one be appointed as an overseer of God’s people who cannot manage himself or his family well (I Tim. 3:1-5).

At first glance, Abimelech might seem like an ideal candidate for leadership. He was a gifted communicator and skilled and he had a passion to lead. But passion does not mean fitness. He was arrogant, disobedient, dishonest, and self-willed and these things should have disqualified him to lead God’s people, yet he reigned for three years. But, In the end, this self-promoting power-seeker and his men all died with God’s disapproval upon them.

Self-promotion may work in the short run, but over the long haul God makes sure that it fails. Godly leaders must remind themselves of the Lord’s instruction: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (I Pet. 5:6)

Godly leaders are motivated by service; not power.

This allegory of the trees has a wider significance, too, as it speaks of Israel portrayed as a fig tree; an olive tree; and a vine. The bramble is speaking of the Antichrist who will rule during the Tribulation period, with destruction as a result.

But, I want to present to you a personal approach to this parable of the trees. What kind of a tree are you and I?

1. Olive tree: Symbol of peace, prosperity, and wealth. - Beauty, fruitfulness, usefulness. It’s chief value is in the rich and abundant oil that comes from the berry. The olive berries must be subjected to the olive press to bring forth the rich oil. It is the symbol of the anointing in our lives.

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Jesus was saying these things. But, what does He say to us today?

John 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Many people will be set free by the anointing. For without the anointing, people are in bondage.

Isaiah 10:27

….. the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

How is the oil extracted from the olive berry? By the olive press!

2 Cor. 1:8

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

The more we have been tested and tried, and we remain faithful, the more of the anointing will come from our lives.

2. Fig tree: Token of peace and divine favor - Its fruit is green and inconspicuous, hidden among leaves until near the time of ripening.

Those who serve God inconspicuously or for His glory alone, will be the ones who will produce fruit at His coming.

Matthew 24:32-34

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: [33] So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. [34] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Matthew 21:19

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

We are to be fruit producing believers so that we will be ready for His coming.

Jesus cursed the fig tree because it had no early fruit on it; therefore, He knew that it would have none later, either. All it had was leaves, which typifies profession without possession.

They used to sing a song some years ago about, “Nothing but leaves for the Master” which said that instead of the fruit we should give Him, we offer him nothing but leaves.

Many in churches today are offering Him leaves, such as the scribes and Pharisees did in Jesus’ day, but He is looking for the fruit of His Holy Spirit in our lives.

3. Vine (or the Grapevine): Wine comes from this. The Heb. Word for wine here is tirosh, meaning “new wine” - the unfermented fruit of the vine. Fermented wine stands for false teaching; whereas unfermented wine stands for true teaching. Wine is a type of teaching and unfermented wine is good teaching and blessing.

The “new wine” is the anointing of the Holy Ghost that God is desiring to pour out upon His people.

Luke 5:37-38

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. [38] But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.(39) No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Some people today think the old wine is better (tradition). I knew of a large church that experienced the renewal of the Holy Spirit. But, later a new pastor came in who did not go along with this and went back to the old traditional ways of the church. Some people who had left when the anointing came, returned when they heard it had returned to tradition. This is sad when they think the old is better! Because God is doing a new thing!

In Bible days, they used to put oil on the old, dry wineskins to make them flexible and soft. God is taking His people in His hands and applying the oil of the Holy Ghost which is making them pliable in His hands and able to hold the new oil that is being poured forth in revival.

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Joel 3:18

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord…

Joel 2:28-29

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

4. Bramble Bush: If the weary traveler to the Holy Land sits on a grassy bank by the wayside, he is sure to rise more quickly than he sat down, happy if he is able to extract the thorns which are often broken off in his flesh.

It is like the verse that is found in Hezekiah 7:14: “Whosoever sitteth on a tack shall surely rise again!”

One time Pastor Mophat asked his people to turn to the book of Abraham and many of the people started flipping the pages of their Bibles - until he announced that there was no book of Abraham! He was testing to see how many really knew their Bibles!

The bramble bush spreads all over the place and gets in the way of everything else and tries to take over.

Luke 6:43-44

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. [44] For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

In other words, those who try to take over and make themselves known are like sharp thistles that will be noticed by people but not in a good way! They will get in the way of everyone and seek their own importance or seek attention to themselves. They need to learn their place and stay there and function and produce good fruit.

The verse we just read said that grapes are not produced from a bramble bush. Grapes means “the anointing“.

God wants us to learn to keep our place in the body and in body ministry so that others also have a chance to function and share. And, we should always remember that the leader is not to be over run by anyone - even if they think God is saying something.

I have had people say that God told them they were to have a prominent place in our ministry and I told them that when God told me, too, then we would do it!

And, when we have a meeting with body ministry, the leader is to have the final say - no one is to take over and call the shots. The leader is the one who is to do this. You may even feel that the leader should extend the meeting or do something different, but it is their choice and not yours. God has various ways of touching people and accomplishing His will.

In Benny Hinn’s meetings, for example, many come who travel a great distance with serious physical needs. So, he cannot minister personally to each of these people. When he stops the meeting, there are many who have not had personal prayer. But, he is the one who is to state when the meeting is over as he is the leader. The pastors who work with him do not supercede what he says. The good part of all of this is that the anointing of God is able to touch every person in the building and even in the overflow areas, as many have even been healed in there.

In body ministry, there is still to be order. A person never supercedes the leader. Rodney Browne used to say if people tried to do this: “Go and have your own meeting!”

But, many times people do these things because they are not yet mature in the Lord and need to be taught. They don’t mean any harm but just need help in these areas. It is important to be teachable when you are advancing in the gifts of the Spirit and body ministry. Otherwise, you will wear your feelings on your sleeves and maybe even drop out and go backwards instead of growing.

Many times, people don’t understand what freedom is in a meeting. It is not having man’s order but having God’s order. God says to do all things decently and in order.

1 Cor. 14:40

Let all things be done decently and in order.

But, some churches have taken that to mean that there should not be any gifts of the Holy Spirit or freedom to dance in the Spirit and so forth. That is not what true freedom is! It is yielding to the Spirit of God but being subject to those who are over you in the Lord. For that is God’s order.

If your leader asks you not to give a “gift” or a “word” than you need to not do it. For you will not be responsible before God for not giving it, if your leader says not to. They will take responsibility before God for it.

Too many people have dropped out of the highest will of God for their lives because they wanted to do their own thing. When they come away from their God-given authority, they are making a statement that they do not want to be under anyone, but they want to do their own thing. And, they always live to regret that decision.

The spirit of Jezebel wants her own way and refuses to listen and come under authority. She lifts herself up with pride and commands attention to herself. She always desires to take over.

God is desiring for such a revival to sweep his church that every Jezebel spirit will be put down and only Jesus will be lifted up by His people! No longer will the bramble bush desire to be in control and to be seen, but every knee of God’s people will bow in surrender to Him and His glory will fill the house in a marvelous way!

Haggai 2:9

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

2 Chron. 5:13-14

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; [14] So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

CONCLUSION:

What kind of a tree are we?

Are we an olive tree that, though, we have been pressed and hurt and suffered - yet, we have allowed the oil to come forth even greater through the trials?

Are we a fig tree that is not just producing leaves but that has fruit ripening behind them? Are we offering God more than just leaves?

Are we like the grape vine that is filled with the “new wine”? Have we been pressed and it only caused us to produce more wine? Do we have an oiled wineskin that is pliable in the Master’s hands so that He can fill us fully with His Spirit?

Or, are we like the bramble bush - Going in the wrong way and being a distraction to the people of God, rather than a blessing.

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We need to be like a tree planted by the rivers of living water that brings forth its fruit in its season - its leaf also shall not whither and whatsoever we do shall prosper.

The river is flowing today and all are invited to come in!

Ezekial 47 tells us that Ezekial saw a river flowing out from the throne of God. He went in and this is the teaching I have shared on this:

Ankles: Salvation

Knees: Baptism of the Holy Spirit & Prayer (Intercession)

Loins: Reproductive area - producing fruit for the kingdom of God

John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Then Ezekial was led so deep that he had to swim - no man to cross it, it was so deep.

And, he saw that everywhere the river went, there was life - an abundance of trees were growing! Where the river flows - everything will live!

But the swamps and marshes will not be healed but will be given over to salt. Do you remember Lot’s wife - that because of her disobedience she was turned to a pillar of salt?

Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither; nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

God wants us tonight to determine that we are going to go out deep in the river to where we will have to swim - to where we will have to have faith to move on. He wants us to be planted as a tree by the living waters, bearing much fruit. He wants His Spirit to fill us to full and overflowing with all that He has for us.

Many churches that have been like “the Dead Sea” - no life can be found in them. But, He is bringing the living water into the house of the Lord once again - even greater than ever before! He is calling His bride to come and those who are thirst, let them come without money and without price and take of the water of life freely!

Isaiah 55:1-3

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. [2] Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. [3] Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live…

The church is in a period of transition and God wants each one of us to come into a new authority in Him that we have never known before! For, this is our last and final "fruit-producing" period of time!

Let us let our light shine!!

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

I speak a fresh blessing and anointing on each one of your work for God!

In His Service With Love,

Esther

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Global Evangelism Fellowship, Inc.

Rev. Esther Thornton

(503)728-3388

(503)728-2834 (Fax)

22974 Shepard Rd.

Clatskanie, OR 97016

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