Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 3208
“The trees once went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I cease giving my oil, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?” Judges 9:8,9.
HERE then, in parable, a temptation was set before the olive tree. It was urged to become ambitious and aspire to reign over the rest of the trees. We gather from Jotham’s parable, at the outset, that we, also, are all liable to temptation. Though you may think yourself to be as firmly rooted and as useful as the olive tree, yet may the fascinating whisper be heard by you, “Come and reign over us,” and though you should be as sweet and gentle as the fig tree, yet there may come to you the wily invitation, “Come and reign over us.” And though you should be as fruitful as the vine, yet to you in the Lord’s own vineyard there may come the serpent voice, “Come and reign over us.” We shall never be out of the way of temptation so long as we grow in this earthly garden! Our Lord Himself had a stern conflict with the adversary at the commencement of His ministry, for He came up from the waters of Baptism to be tempted of the devil, and at the close of that ministry, “His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground” in the agony of His spirit when the powers of darkness assailed Him in Gethsemane. We must expect, in our measure, to be conformed to His likeness in this respect. The serpent will bruise our heel as well as our Lord’s. Even into quiet like that of an olive garden, there will come the tempter and the temptation! It is not possible for us to be located anywhere in this world where our surroundings will be clear from danger, for if the serpent comes not into the olive groves, yet the other trees may tempt us. What, therefore, I say unto you, I say unto all, “Watch,” for we are not ignorant of the devices of evil and those devices will surely be exercised upon us. Therefore let us cry unto the Strong for strength and set a double watch against the world, the flesh and the devil—
“Christian! Seek not yet repose. Cast your dreams of ease away! You are in the midst of foes— Watch and pray! Principalities andpowers Mustering their unseen array, Wait for your unguarded hours— Watch and pray! Watch, as if on that alone Hung the issue of the day! Pray, that help may be sent down— Watch and pray!”
Temptations frequently come in the form of very pleasing baits. Satan gilds the pill that he offers us. He very seldom presents to any of us a bare hook, though that may be done with those who become habituated in sin. It is almost a bare hook when persons continue in drunkenness after they have ruined their health and brought themselves to beggars’ rags. Satan hardly has to tempt them at all, for they go willingly after their idols and dote upon them. But with God’s own people, Satan generally takes care to bait his hook and cover it so that it is scarcely seen.
In this parable, the temptation to the olive tree is a throne, a crown, a kingdom, a sovereignty over the trees. The trees of the field said unto the olive tree, “Reign over us.” Now there is always a sort of glitter about a kingdom. There are few persons who can resist the fascinations of a diadem. To reign over the trees might seem, even to the olive tree, to be a very strong temptation—a brilliant offer indeed! Take heed, dear Friends, lest you be carried away by the deceitful-ness of the pleasures, the profits, the honors which Satan puts in your way. When we are likely to be gainers by any proposal, we ought always to look well at it before deciding. When a day is too bright, we fear that it will finish with a thunderstorm—and when a man’s prospects in life seem altogether extraordinary and excessive in their brilliance—he ought to pause awhile and see where he is going. We have always been taught that when there is very large interest to be had, there is something rotten about the security and very great risk to those who invest in it! And it is also so in all things. Whenever there comes to you, all of a sudden, some very alluring offer, something very grand and very unusual, like this request, “Reign over us,” then doubly be on your guard, for it is after this fashion that Satan baits his hook and catches his fish! It is after this manner that he goes forth to hunt for his prey and many have been entangled in the meshes of a golden net who seemed in other ways to have escaped the corruptions of the world.
Many, to obtain a higher wage, have left holy companionships and sacred opportunities for hearing the Word of God and growing in Grace. They have lost their Sabbaths, left a soul-feeding ministry and fallen among worldlings to their own sorrowful loss. Such persons are as foolish as the poor Indians who gave the Spaniards gold in exchange for paltry beads. Riches procured by impoverishing the soul are always a curse! To increase your business so that you cannot attend week-night services is to become really poorer—to give up heavenly pleasure—and receive earthly cares in exchange, is a sorry sort of barter!