Should I Leave My Wine? - Judges 9:13

In the book of Judges we learned how Jotham told the men of Shechem, “Hearken unto me, you men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign you over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come you, and reign over us.” and in chapter nine and verse thirteen of Judges, we learn how the vine said, “should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man” where we read,

And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, 

and go to be promoted over the trees?

The verse reads, “And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, …” The writer began with the words, “and the vine” which means “and the bending and twining vine especially of the grape” “said unto them” which means “uttered, declared and proclaimed to them, the trees”, “should I leave my wine” or “ought I, the vine, to depart and proceed away from my, the vine’s, freshly pressed and fermented sweet wine”, “which cheers God and man” which means “that rejoices, exults and makes glad both the Supreme Deity and human beings”. The writer shared how the “vine” asked the “trees” why it ought to depart from it’s sweet fermented “wine” that make both the Supreme Deity and people glad. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and go to be promoted over the trees?” The writer continued with the words “and go to be promoted” which means “and depart and proceed to exist as a quivering, shaking and staggering leader” “over the trees” which means “higher and above the trees”? The writer shared how the “vine” questioned why it should depart and become elevated to a shaking and quivering exalted position higher and above the “trees”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how the “vine” also refused to take the position of ruler over the “trees”. It questioned why it ought to depart from it’s sweet fermented “wine” to have a quivering dominion above the “trees”. In other words, it was satisfied with it’s position and did not want to depart from it. God knows we need a ruler in our lives, and anything or anyone other than Him is an unreliable substitute. God alone sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He rose from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and filled with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us the ability and determination to keep Him and Him alone as our ruling authority. (See Matthew 28:18)

Next time we learn how Jotham says, “then said all the trees unto the bramble”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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