The Analogy of the Trees

     The fig tree fits the description of the Tree of Life very well. It's ample tough leaves is fitting for a covering, plus it seems to have gained a reputation. It's best description is "the world tree" because religiously it is the tree of the world in many cultures, especially those of pagan religions. We think of  "pagan" has those in the darkness of forests - barbarians even - without culture. Actually pagans are those in spiritual darkness and  are neither Christian nor Jew.
     In the Book of Judges chapter none, Abimelech  would be king even though Jothan disputed it:

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye 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 thou over us. 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? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, 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 thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 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. Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands. (Jug 9:6-16)

     It is not known for sure what the "Millo" was but it was located on Mount Zion. Scripture indicates it was something built. The name means "male" and many believe that building represented or housed grain.  Whatever the building, the house of Millo was surely the pagan peoples in Zion who were Canaanites. They made Abimelech king of the house of Millo. His name means my father-the king. He was not the Father-King of the Israelites but another one of those appearing "as god".
     Jothan means "God is upright". You can see why there was still contention among the "trees". I see that analogy as indicative of the crowning of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born King of the Jews (Mat 2:2), but when was Jesus first anointed King? He was mocked as such and some bowed to him in derision (Mat 27:29), but he would not yet be recognized as King.  Then they accused Jesus of being the King of the Jews but in derision when they nailed the sign over is head. (Mat 27:37). Finally, a pagan centurion said, "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39). I like the conversation between Pilate and Jesus:

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)

     Pilate seemed to accept Jesus, not as a Caesar, but as king of the Jews. That passage explains well Jesus's purpose: He was born to be King. On Calvary at Zion, Jesus was anointed King with his crucifixion, and with that explained his purpose - that he should bear witness to the truth! Pilate asked immediately, "What is truth?" We know that Jesus is the Truth - he is truly the King of the Jews, and for that matter the very Tree of Life - who was once the unmentioned shadow of the olive tree of the story of Abimelech!
     It seems that Judges chapter nine is a representation of the trees of the Garden and a foreshadowing of the crucifixion. Who would be King?  Abimelech, the son of the father-king. Who would be King on Calvary? Jesus - the Son of the Father-King. Of course, there were three trees on Calvary. Perhaps one is represented by the olive tree, another by the fig tree, and another by bramble. Well, Abimelech was bramble, but Jesus is the "shadow" so often pictured throughout the Bible. Of course, I believe that the bramble wanted trust in his shadow. Perhaps the bramble's shadow represented Caiaphas who committed a greater sin than Pilate. Caiaphas would be Abimelech's shadow.
     Jothan found the bramble Abimelech distasteful as he turned out to be, although he was the son of the righteous Judge Gideon. The true "shadow" was the shadow of the olive tree. The olive sprig represents peace, and the angels proclaimed Jesus as "Peace on Earth" (Luke 2:14). Abimelech brought war whereas Jesus brought peace, but the bramble (the other trees) had dissension. There has been little peace on earth with the coming of Jesus!
     In scripture the withered fig tree represents death, and those fig trees which do not grow fruit could not have its fruit eaten. Jesus, seeing the fig tree which had not born fruit (sinners) he demanded "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" (Mark 11:14). Why so? Eating of the fig tree represents death! Now the fig tree is "the tree of the world" and eating the flesh of the world provides death!
     Adam and Eve never understood how the fig tree would bring on death. Jothan understood. Now we understand. Eating of the things of the world brings on spiritual death. The fig tree on Calvary appears to be the cross of the thief and murderer who did not repent. His tree was right there again in the midst of the Garden on Calvary alongside Jesus's tree - the true Olive Tree!

Didn't get to the olive tree's characteristics. Tomorrow.