DON’T DEMOTE AND ENSLAVE YOURSELF: Lessons from Jotham’s parable
Introduction:
Hi! Many Christians do not realise how highly God has placed them. The Bible says He has seated us together with Christ in the heavenly realms, far above all principalities, powers, dominions “and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 2:6, 1:21 – KJV). Why then, child of God, would you demote and enslave yourself to what should rightly be under your feet?
I just learnt some things along these lines from the last part of Jotham’s parable in Judges 9:14-15. This parable is properly called Jotham’s curse in v. 57 of the same chapter. I hereby share what I learnt with you.
14 “Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said,
‘Come, you be our king!’
15 And the thornbush 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.’”
Backstory:
Gideon had been a judge of Israel for 40 years but upon his death, one of his sons (from his concubine) killed off his 70 brothers (from the wives) in a bid to become king. The youngest son, Jotham, survived the massacre and spoke the parable to the wannabe king.
My concern is this last part which would be the punchline if this were a joke. Jotham said the trees were looking for a king and couldn’t find any takers. In desperation, they went to the bramble or thornbush.
Interpretation:
This is the position some people have put themselves in today. The regular thornbush can’t even be properly called a tree. It’s just a shrub. But the oaks, pines, cedars, and all those great trees were begging the thornbush to rule over them.
This is what desperation can lead to. First, you convince yourself you must absolutely have something. I wonder what made the trees think they needed a king. Then you lower yourself in your crazed pursuit of that thing like those stately trees were willing to give sovereignty to the thornbush.
But it’s a lose-lose situation from the start, this relationship with the thornbush the trees are pining for.
Look at the terms:
1. Take shelter under my shade!
Since most thornbushes are very shrubby, they may not have enough space for you to get under. Also, they may not be leafy enough to provide any shade. And oh, the thorns! What a painful experience it would be if you tried pushing through and sitting among them!
2. If you refuse to come under my shade, fire will come from me and “devour” the best of you!
What? You came of your own accord and now you’re obligated to go through or suffer heavy loss.
So this wretched thornbush that you thought would be great for you is threatening your life and planning to take away what’s most precious to you?
Lessons:
***This is the lot of those who consult native doctors, witches, water spirits and occult priests. You can’t get light out of darkness, you can’t get good out of evil.
***Don’t be deceived! You don’t need money that much! You don’t need power that much! You don’t need a husband that much! You don’t need a child that much!
Do not go to powers beneath you for anything. Do not demote and ensnare yourself to them. Believe me, the cost will eventually be more than you’re willing to pay. You see, the trees were told what they had got themselves into immediately, but the powers you consult may not immediately reveal everything to you.
***When you find out how bad the deal you’ve made is, you may not be able to walk away as easily as you walked in to make your petitions. Backing out may cost you much of what you count dear and even your life.
Conclusion:
Trust God, serve Him only and He will bless you with the things you really need in His own time.
💖
The first version of this article was posted on my Facebook page, Aunty Edith on May 19, 2022.
This was a very interesting and motivating piece. As Christians we need to believe in God.
Yes, because nothing good comes from the evil one.
Deep insights here. Desperation could lead us to do things that have heavy costs later in life. We need to be careful when we are desperate, and ultimately, confide and be patient in God to provide our desperate needs.
Right. May the Lord answer your prayers even before you express them and save you from every form of desperation in Jesus’ name.
This is so true but it’s a big shame people fail to realize.
They take reckless decisions without thinking of the consequences.
Waiting on God’s time is a phrase many detest with their might.
I pray God works on them and gives us all wisdom to act.
Amen to your lovely prayer.
Trust in God always.
Patience is the key, your own time will come.
Very true.
Inspiring ,
I learnt about need to be patient with yourself and with your God. Bravaicimma, madame!
I shouldn’t be desperate to want too much of everything. Thank you ma, for this reminder.
What an interesting piece, God’s timing is always the best. We should always be patient for God’s answers and not seek answers through dubious means cause the devil must collect something if he is to answer your request while the Almighty God doesn’t have to request anything from us before he grants our wishes.
Exactly. God bless you splendidly in Jesus’ name. Amen.
As I was just going through this write up, I received an intuition that paints the picture of a devil giving you a cap and demanding for your head in return… So sad.
I pray each and everyone of us realize that we are heirs of the kingdom and not slaves.
Keep writing more Ma❤… Am being loaded!
I love that! Thank you for sharing.
Know you place in Christ ND evil people will flee. Thank you for this.
This piece tells us more of what happens in the world today. As Christians, the things we have from God are enough. We shouldn’t succumb to powers beneath us as God is everything.
Wow! Most times we get too desperate that we go beneath our faith to seek our wants.
So as my father is that is who am meant to be
Glorrrrrrry 🙌
This is a great piece. Many Christians most times believe the lies of the devil thereby ending up in traps that are difficult to get out of. May God help us, Amen.
May I never be pushed to seek help from powers beneath me. Amen.
As Christians will should know that God is our source,we must never be desperate because God knows our needs and he will bless us.
This is true ma I just wonder why people find it difficult to accept the truth
Have learnt to always wait on God for He will perfect His work in my life at His own time and not to succumb to dubious means of satisfying my desperate needs. Thank you so much ma.
Imagine a shrub demanding the trees to take shelter under it. Hmmm!! May we we never allow situations to be in control when we should be.
As christians, we should always run to the right source for help. We already have dominion, authority and power over snakes and serpents and over demons, why go to them again for help. It means we don’t really know the value of what we have. We need to know the value of the power that God has vested in us and not loose it out of desperation or lack of patience.
Thank you for this insight ma.
God knows what we need even before we ask. As God’s children, we should learn to be patient and confident in him.
I love this write up in particular. People often stoop so low because of desperation. I pray many will see this post and follow the right path
As Christians we don’t have to be desperate… Because desperation leads us to doing things we might later regret in life. Believe in God’s timing and he will surprise you. Thank you ma’am.
As a Christian you should know your place in Christ. Yes there are times when the devil tries to bring options your way but always remember that there is a God who has placed you far above principalities and powers.
We sometimes becomes so desperate in our pursuit for things that we end up forgetting our identity in Christ and doing things the wrong way.
When you are deep rooted in Christ, nothing can faze you because you are willing to wait to receive that which God had promised you at the right time.
The gifts of the enemy doesn’t last long and always comes with a heavy price to pay. He gives you with his right hand and collects with his left hand, unlike God who gives you all, asking for nothing in return.
Do not be too desperate and in that way belittling oneself for the evil ones, the evil ones doesn’t give for free.
Christ has the power to deliver us to n turbulent times. It’s unwise to seek demonic powers
Most people tend to waver in the faith in God and then fall into temptation because of desperation
We are bigger and better than those bad decisions we make in desperation.
Wow! It is either you are in Christ or not. You can’t claim to be a Christian and at the same time a worshipper of darkness. Who serves two masters at a time?
Atimes we are better than those people we surrender ourselves to. Instead of trusting in ourselves and God we go to lesser people in desperation just like the trees in the jungles.
This is truth all good and perfect gift comes from the Lord nothing good can come out of evil
I have and will always put my trust in my maker.Thank you for this!
I have to wait for God’s Time for things to fall in place
It is only one who doesn’t know his position as a true Christian that will be swayed by the whims of the enemy. Just as it is only one who doesn’t know the light he possesses that will be swayed by the darkness around him. This post has reassured me that I lack nothing because I have Christ and he knows all of my heart’s desires
Trusting God in every situation is the best thing one can experience in life because it’s has no side effects or down side.
As Christians we are Kings and not beggers, we should be ruling and therefore not decend so low to become slaves to what should bow for us, because God has given us the power to dominate.
Thanks ma.
At some point in one’s life we feel that our potential is not good effort, it takes the grace of God and one’s zeal to be confident about their worth
This is a beautiful read! I honestly pray people come to realize and understand how worthless darkness and powers gotten from devil is.
Such a wonderful write-up. 👏
It is just the nature of our world today. People don’t get to know the power they possess write from their tongue! That, they can actually command the power they go to seek things from.
He that is in you and he that is in me, is greater than that of the world. 🥰
Thank you ma for this powerful post. 🙏
In the world we live in today, we chase after material things that stays only for a few moment, enslaving ourselves to the preys of the devil, and forgetting that He Who made you will surely give you all and more of your needs at His due time. May God help us all…! Amen.
I learnt that we should not be desperate because, desperation can cause you to make mistakes.
There is no rush in life
Patience is key
It is human to desire many material things but getting it the right way matters the most. Waiting on God is everything.
This is a very interesting piece, it is an eye opener. Desperation is a bad thing and must not be acted on. People these days are very desperate to be rich,to marry,to have a child. And in the process of being desperate, they go through the wrong ways to get what they want,and these wrong decisions will later backfire on them later in the future
No matter what we claim we need at every point in time, God remains the final answer to it; looking left or right for help won’t really pay good.
Wow, an interesting write up
To much desperation could cost our faith in Christ lord
Trust in God is not easy but it is something we should always do even when the situation seems bleak. A full faith and trust.
One cannot serve God and mammon.
Don’t allow desperation lead you into something you’ll regret because when your eyes will open, it might be too late
Thank you so much ma for this.
I love this post. It is very important to note that God’s time is the best and God’s blessings maketh rich and added no sorrow if only we can be patience. And run away from desperation. May God help us all stead fast and never give up.
Let’s learn to surrender our all to Christ and watch him build us.he is our maker and knows the best for us.
Desperation will do you no good. It will only lead you into doing things beyond your standards
Thank you very much Mrs ohaja for this extraordinary master piece. Mrs Edith this particular poem teaches us how one of Gideon’s son from his concubine killed off his 70 brothers(from his wife) in a bid to become king. This is what is going on noway, people are so desperate to achieve some certain goals,most people now consult native doctors ,witches,occult priests to get what they want
a) I learnt that we should not be deceived by things of the world ,we should not demote and enslave ourselves go those powers beneath us because at the end of the day the cost will eventually be more than you’re willing to pay cause when you finally find out how bad the consequences are it might be too late to walk away.
b) I also learnt that one should be patient in life, do not allow greed to cloud your sense of reasoning to getting things and in the end hurting people to get what you want.
Hi! This is not a poem. And you need to learn my name, dear!
You can’t sit on the fence in this life especially when it has to do with the thing’s of the spirit is either your for God or not, but their is fulfilment in the house of God , Imagine the Kings of Kings on your side you won’t lack anything on earth so trust God and serve him in truth and faith.
At times we get too desperate to get what we want which is wrong
Patience and hard-work is the key to great achievement, then with God by your side, u will achieve more
Ndidi amaka patience and hardwork is the key to success. I love dis piece🥰
Tnk you ma 👍
I am royalty!
Such a refreshing revelation of who we are in Christ.
The powers beneath us have a way of exaggerating their essence when in reality we have greater substance than they do.
I believe this something we need to take seriously, not demoting and enslaving ourselves. For the devil uses it as means to put us in mindless state, leaving us in a devastating state of depression.
Let’s all be confident, believe in God and be strong and we shall be saved from the damnation of the devil.
God has opened my eyes to that passage of the scripture through this post. I have read it severally, but for the first time, I am picking a lesson from it. I will not belittle myself. I am a giant tree, the thornbush has nothing to offer me.
God bless you ma.
I pray God grants us wisdom and guides us in times when we feel desperate.
May his grace lead us , so that we can be patient enough when we find ourselves in times like this.
Amen
Limitations, Demotions, and Enslavement creep in when we ignore God’s plan for us; we, as a result don’t know our worth.
And, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Consistently and effectively seeking God at every point of Decision-Making is pertinent.
Unknowingly most of us are the the trees Jotham was talking about, binging ourselves down even below God’s rating for us and going for things we think are higher than us when in actual sense they are meant to be under us.
Very insightful ma. As believers, there is nothing that pays more than having total belief and trust in God.
Desperation should not be an excuse to seek solution or become slaves to someone or something elsewhere. God is the ultimate.
I believe this is something we need to take seriously, not demoting and enslaving ourselves,the devil uses it as means to put us in a vulnerable state and a state of depression and frustration. Let’s all be confident, believe in God and be strong and we shall be saved from the claws of the devil.
God bless you na for this.
An insightful piece, I must say.
As believers of Christ, we should never think of demoting or enslaving ourselves in idolatry or seeking help from anywhere that is not of Christ.
No matter how desperate you are, always wait on God’s appointed time.
We should not be deceived or carried away by the things of the world that will eventually fade away.
Thank you very much ma.
People are looking for a quicker and easy way to get things done or their needs met. They have forgotten that those things will never last instead, they will regret in pain.
It is only when we trust in God that we get the best.
We need to trust in God because in him all things are possible.
I believe this is something we need to take seriously, not demoting and enslaving ourselves. For the devil uses it as means to put us in mindless state, leaving us in a devastating state of depression. Let’s all be confident, believe in God and be strong and we shall be saved from the damnation of the devil.
Always believe in God and yourself.
Thank you ma this was amazing.
This provides a thought-provoking interpretation of Jotham’s parable, emphasizing the importance of not compromising one’s values when seeking power, wealth, or solutions, and the significance of trusting in God.