Thornbush Leaders and Freeloaders
The header image above shows a thornbush which is a common plant invader-species which has been present since the time that the curse of Adam came upon the earth.
Genesis 3:17-19 (NLT2)
17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.
19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”
God said that the earth would be cursed because of the sin of Adam listening to his wife and submitting himself to her female leadership. It was because of this curse of Adam that the ground would automatically produce thorns and thistles and weeds and other brush which are a curse and only serve choke out productive and fruitful plants. Adam would have to struggle against these plant invader species in order to keep them from choking out the good plants which provided him with food to eat. This is part of the curse of Adam to battle against the curse of weeds and everything that seeks to bring detriment to him producing anything good from the soil.
Adam was resigned to labor by the sweat of his brow in order to have food to eat because nothing was going to come easy for him. He would have to struggle and labor constantly just to be able to feed himself and his family. This would be a lifelong struggle against those forces that seek to hinder his progress and his prosperity. He would have to labor until he died and returned to the dust again from which he was made. This is the curse of all mankind in that they would have to labor continually in order to provide for themselves while living on earth!
Matthew 7:16 (NASB)
16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
Jesus made it clear that humans cannot gather anything good or edible like grapes from a thornbush or figs from thistles. Thorn-bushes and thistles and weeds are all cursed invader species that only deplete the soil of nutrition and absorb moisture and crowd out and choke the good plants which produce grain or fruit for humans to eat.
Distinguishing Between Producers and Non-Producers
Those who are producers must be distinguished from those who are non-producers. Those who are a non-producer simply do not produce anything. Non-producers are like thornbushes and thistles and other weeds which only absorb nutrients and moisture from the soil and stop good producing plants from bearing any fruit. Non-producers are cursed for this reason and in fact invaders species of plants like thorns and thistles and weeds are part of the curse of Adam and are a curse wherever they spout.
Human Non-Producers Are a Curse
There are also human non-producers who are just like thorns and thistles and weeds to society because they do not produce anything but instead, they are always consuming that which is created by producing citizens. These non-producers want to have a free ride in life and be carried by the labor of those who work for a living or create business enterprises and generate wealth.
See the link “No Free Ride” for more details.
Freeloaders Living for the Moment
A freeloader is typically an opportunist always looking for some way to exploit someone or get something for free without working for it. They seldom have any long-term goals or plans to generate wealth for themselves but only seek to live off of the labor of others. This type of mentality can be seen in slaves who work for a master. They have no future because they are not landowners and have no assets capable of producing wealth. So, a slave is only thinking of his next meal and their attitude is that of living hand to mouth and doing as little work as possible.
The thing about slaves (and typically the offspring of slaves) is that they only think about having food to eat for that day. They are not thinking of investments or generating wealth for the future or purchasing land or anything that might make themselves prosper. Even if a slave is set free from slavery, they will typically carry the “slavery-mentality” with them even if they are now living as freemen!
The children of Israel were an example of this because they were set free from slavery and after 430-years of bondage these former slave people left Egypt under the leadership of Moses. But the problem was that these people still carried their “slave-mentality” with them.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (NIV)
10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you–a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant–then when you eat and are satisfied,
12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Moses was leading them to the Promised Land and there they would inherit fields and lands and vineyards and houses already built and wells that were already dug and wine presses already made. All of these wealth-producing assets were to be given to them on a “sliver-platter” and all they had to do is move in and enjoy the wealth as the new landowners!
Shechem Represents Freeloaders
Joshua 24:1 (NIV)
1 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.
It is significant that Joshua assembled the Israelites at the city of Shechem and spoke to them there. Joshua told them that they have been given every opportunity to prosper and these former slaves (or children of slaves) now possessed the land and assets needed to generate their own wealth. All they needed to do is have some drive and ambition and they could all become wealthy by their own labor and self-investments.
Joshua 24:13 (NIV)
13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’
Joshua told them that he had given them land for which they did not have to toil to clear the brush and cities that they did not have to build themselves and vineyards that were already producing grapes and olive groves that were producing olive oil and all of these good things that they did not plant themselves.
These things were all “producing-assets” and if a former slave owned these assets (such as land and homes and vineyards and olive groves) then they could in fact create wealth and produce fruit and oil and grain and live in prosperity for the rest of their lives. These former slave people were made into landowners and became the owners of producing assets so they could make themselves rich by labor and reinvesting their profits for expansion of their business enterprises.
It is significant that Joshua assembled the Israelites at Shechem because this was in fact the location of those who are noted for being pirates and this “place-name” now represents those who are freeloaders. Joshua was offering the freeloaders a chance to become landowners and producing citizens but those who are former slaves did not want to take responsibility to create their own wealth even after everything was given to them for free. They wanted to continue to live from hand to mouth and be fed by a master so they do not have to take any responsibility themselves. Until today there are people who would rather work as a slave for someone else than to take responsibility for generating their own wealth. The place name Shechem can be used to describe any type of freeloader who wants to live off of the labor of others rather than work for it themselves.
Jacob the Achiever Arrives at the City of Freeloaders
Genesis 33:18-19 (NIV)
18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city.
19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent.
When Jacob left Laban and returned to the land of Israel he did not return to his father’s location at Beersheba (as God had instructed him) but instead, he wandered over to Shechem and camped in aimless manner within sight of this town. There Jacob purchased some land to have a plot of ground where he pitched his tent. Instead of a Bedouin-type lifestyle of moving within remote regions he was now living in a tent in a fixed location. This brought himself and his family clan within close proximity to a town of Canaanites and into close association with them. He should have remained in separation in remote unsettled regions as his father Abraham had done. But Jacob’s decision to settle near the Canaanites resulted in him falling into association with the wicked and this caused nothing but trouble for him and his family.
Rape of Jacob’s Daughter
Genesis 34:1-2 (NIV)
1 Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land.
2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.
The act of rape is not related to love. A rapist is a stranger (who becomes an unauthorized sex-partner by force) to someone they have never met before. This speaks of lust and immediate “self-indulgence” and “gratification” of evil desire without the desire to procreate or built a family or seek prosperity for the future.
It was this mistake of settling near the town of Shechem (within sight of the town) that placed Jacob and his family among heathen people. This is how Dinah was exposed to these godless people and this resulted in her rape.
Genesis 34:4 (NIV)
4 And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”
Shechem first raped the girl and then after that he sought to have her as a wife. It is probable that this young man was seeking to marry into the family of Jacob for financial gain because he saw the prosperity that Jacob possessed as a result of labor and reinvestment of capital. In fact, this same bad attitude was evident in all of the men of the town of Shechem who desired to acquire the wealth of Jacob (a producing citizen) which he had brought with him into their region).
Genesis 34:6-13 (NIV)
6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.
7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter–a thing that should not be done.
8 But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.
9 Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.
10 You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it.”
11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask.
12 Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife.”
13 Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor.
Jacob’s family were not to intermarry together with heathen people but now this Gentile Shechem was seeking to marry the daughter of Jacob (for financial gain). Therefore, the sons of Jacob (angered by the rape of their sister) answered Shechem deceitfully saying that they cannot intermarry with those who are uncircumcised. But this was told to Shechem only as a ploy to work toward the destruction of these wicked Canaanites.
Genesis 34:14-15 (NIV)
14 They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us.
15 We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males.
The requirement given for this intermarriage was that all of the men of Shechem become circumcised the same as the Hebrew males were.
Genesis 34:18-23 (NIV)
18 Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem.
19 The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.
20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen.
21 “These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours.
22 But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are.
23 Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us.”
The evil intentions of Shechem and the inhabitants of that town were exposed when Shechem told them that if they will only be circumcised then they will be able to acquire the property and all of the livestock that belonged to the Hebrews for themselves.
Shechemites Distinguished as Freeloaders
This is the factor which distinguishes the people of Shechem as freeloaders. Instead of engaging in business and practicing the principles of self-help and labor and reinvestment they wanted to instead appropriate the wealth of others without working for it. It is for this reason that Shechem has become a biblical “place-name” that represents all those who are freeloaders!
A freeloader has only one of two options to obtain food and wealth. They either have to work for that wealth by engaging in labor and business or they have to appropriate the wealth of others (who have created food and prosperity by their labor and enterprise).
Again, the analogy of the thorns and food plants come into play here because thorns and thistles only take from the soil and draw away nutrients and moisture which could have gone to support fruit-bearing plants. Those who take without producing anything are nothing but “non-producers” and are the same as cursed plants like thorns and thistles and weeds.
Destruction of the Thorn Bush People
Genesis 34:24-26 (NIV)
24 All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.
25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male.
26 They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left.
The brothers of Dinah were enraged over the defilement of their sister so they planned the destruction of these people. While the men of Shechem were still sore from their circumcision (and unable to fight back) these Hebrew men came boldly upon their city and killed every man there! That was the destruction these freeloader people received whose intentions were evil when they had planned to acquire the wealth and prosperity of others without working for it.
It is interesting however that even after every male of Shechem was destroyed (yet the history of Shechem did not come to an end). In later generations the same spirit of “being a freeloader” was evident in other people who occupied Shechem (even during the time period following the death of Gideon). Instead of becoming extinct, these same types of freeloaders were still present many generations later.
Socialist Leaders Called Thorn Bush Kings
Those non-producing leaders who lust for political office only so they can live off of the labor of others can be called a “Thorn-Bush King” because they only absorb nutrients and moisture like a thorn bush but do not produce anything fruitful. In the same way, thorn bush leaders are like this as they only absorb and take away assets from others to feed themselves without producing one thing of benefit for anyone. Worthless types of people who seek political office only to serve themselves are of this nature.
We call these socialist-type leaders by the nickname of “Thorn-Bush Kings” because they can no more produce anything of value than a thorn-bush and yet these same people lust for positions of power only so they can live off of the labor of others. They seek to escape the curse of Adam and do not want to work for a living so they seek to become freeloaders of society.
Biblical Example of a Thorn-Bush King
A bible example of his can be seen in the biblical account of the worthless character named Abimelech who became a king over a band of freeloaders. This has direct application to our present times because worthless people still seek political office only to feed themselves and they are elected by freeloaders who are promised there will be free food for everyone. But this type of arrangement has been repeatedly attempted throughout the ages and never one time has it resulted in any good for anyone. Instead, in every case where a worthless thornbush leader rules over a group of worthless freeloaders they will all come to complete ruination together.
Abimelech the Thorn-Bush King
Judges 9:1-3 (NLT2)
1 One day Gideon’s son Abimelech went to Shechem to visit his uncles—his mother’s brothers. He said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family,
2 “Ask the leading citizens of Shechem whether they want to be ruled by all seventy of Gideon’s sons or by one man. And remember that I am your own flesh and blood!”
3 So Abimelech’s uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. And after listening to this proposal, the people of Shechem decided in favor of Abimelech because he was their relative.
Gideon had saved Israel during his generation by defeating the Midianites and those aliens who had invaded Israel and plundered and oppressed them. Gideon had many wives and many sons but he also fathered a son by a slave woman who was named Abimelech.
Abimelech was a son of a slave just as the children of Israel who entered the Promised Land were descendants of parents and grandparents who had been slaves in Egypt (for a period of 430-years).
So, this son of a slave woman sought to become a king over a bunch of freeloaders in the city of Shechem. Again, it should be noted that Shechem stands for “freeloaders” just as the original inhabitants were freeloaders who were killed off by the sons of Jacob. Those evil men planned to appropriate the labor and wealth of others for themselves without having to work for it. The same was still true for the inhabitants of Shechem just after the time of Gideon during the period of the Judges. These people were still freeloaders looking for a way to escape the curse of Adam so they would not have to labor for their own food.
Whenever a group of people willfully elect a worthless leader (who has no power to prosper them) then it should be known that these people freeloaders. They are hoping to have a leader to spoon-feed them for free so they do not have to work anymore. This same type of thing is evident among freeloader people throughout all generations all the way down until present times. Even during the time of Christ, freeloader people sought to have someone feed them for free.
John 6:12-15 (NASB)
12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”
13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
When Jesus fed the multitudes, his disciples gathered up twelve-baskets full of fragments. These were man-sized baskets (big enough to hold a man).
See the link “No Pitiful Sized Baskets” for more details.
It was because the crowds witnessed the huge amount of food left over after they had eaten to the full (which filled twelve huge-sized baskets) that they knew for certain that a miracle had just occurred. Immediately these freeloader people saw “stars” in their eyes when they got the genius idea that if they had Jesus as their king then they would never have to work another day in their entire lives! It was for this reason that these people wanted to take Jesus by force and then force him to feed them for free for the rest of their lives.
It should be noted that freeloader people constantly look to make someone king over them hoping that they will be “spoon-fed” like a baby as if some non-producer could somehow create food out of nothing just to feed them for free! But in real life it does not work that way and these freeloaders are wasting their time trying to make a thornbush type of guy as their leader because a non-producer thornbush type of guy is incapable of creating anything to feed them!
Judges 9:1-3 (NLT2)
1 One day Gideon’s son Abimelech went to Shechem to visit his uncles—his mother’s brothers. He said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family,
2 “Ask the leading citizens of Shechem whether they want to be ruled by all seventy of Gideon’s sons or by one man. And remember that I am your own flesh and blood!”
3 So Abimelech’s uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. And after listening to this proposal, the people of Shechem decided in favor of Abimelech because he was their relative.
Again, it should be noted that Abimelech (the son of a slave woman) came to Shechem and proposed that he become a king over them. He was a relative of theirs meaning that he was a freeloader just the same that these people also were freeloaders. They were relatives just like “birds of a feather flock together” because they were one and the same “species” or same type of “freeloader” people!
The fact that the citizens of Shechem readily agreed to this arrangement of making a “thornbush” leader their king reveals that these people were indeed freeloaders looking for someone to feed them. They were just like the people in the time of Christ who wanted to take Jesus by force and make him a king so that they could have free food for the rest of their lives without having to work for it.
So, in a false hope these foolish Shechemite people made Abimelech (the son of a slave woman) as king over them. But again, how can someone affected with a “slavery-mentality” ever produce anything for anyone when he himself is looking for free food and only lives hand to mouth. Abimelech was giving them false hopes but in fact he only wanted to use the people of Shechem to create a livelihood for himself. These foolish people in Shechem also wanted to use Abimelech to fed them. Each party was expecting free food from the other but this was never going to happen. No non-producer (thornbush type) has ever created anything good for anyone. How can a thornbush produce grapes or a thistle grow figs? In the same way a thorn-bush king cannot produce anything of value for anyone and is in fact a “freeloader” himself!
Culling the Threat of Competition
Judges 9:4-6 (NLT2)
4 They gave him seventy silver coins from the temple of Baal-berith, which he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him.
5 He went to his father’s home at Ophrah, and there, on one stone, they killed all seventy of his half-brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped and hid.
6 Then all the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo called a meeting under the oak beside the pillar at Shechem and made Abimelech their king.
This slave boy Abimelech then received some money from these citizens of Shechem and with this money he hired some worthless troublemakers who agreed to follow him (also in a vain hope of being fed for free). The seventy sons of Gideon must have been perceived by Abimelech as being a threat to his own leadership position. Anyone one of these men could have been a better leader than Abimelech. So worthless leaders will typically attack and destroy anyone better than themselves in a vain hope of trying cull away any possible threat to their own assumed authority.
This type of thing is rampant in politics where political seats of power are all occupied by worthless “thornbush” types of people who are so insecure and fearful that they might be removed from office that they will attack anyone in sight who might be even be imagined to pose a threat to their position of control!
This is why Abimelech slaughtered the seventy-sons of Gideon in order to wipe out any possible real leadership that could challenge his illegitimate position of power. Abimelech himself was born as an “illegitimate” son of a prostitute and he became an “illegitimate” thornbush leader. When this cull of potential leaders was complete then Abimelech returned to citizens of Shechem and they made this worthless thornbush guy their king and waited for him to produce the expected free-food they were looking for. Only the youngest son of Gideon named Jotham managed to escape this cull and he later served to deliver a prophetic word from God against the citizens of Shechem who elected this worthless man Abimelech to be their king.
Prophetic Word and Curse Delivered by Jotham
Judges 9:7-21 (NLT2)
7 When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!
8 Once upon a time the trees decided to elect a king. First, they said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’
9 But the olive tree refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
10 “Then they said to the fig tree, ‘You be our king!’
11 But the fig tree also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
12 “Then they said to the grapevine, ‘You be our king!’
13 But the grapevine also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’
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.’”
16 Jotham continued, “Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished?
17 For he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites.
18 But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimelech, to be your king just because he is your relative.
19 “If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you.
20 But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth-millo and devour Abimelech!”
21 Then Jotham escaped and lived in Beer because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
Jotham spoke to the citizens of Shechem in a parable which contained prophetic meaning. He spoke of a group of trees which decided to elect a king over themselves (which represents the empty-headed citizens of Shechem who were looking to have a king placed over them).
The analogy continues to say that this group of trees first approached an olive tree and asked the olive tree to be their king. But the olive tree was a producer and produced olive oil that was a blessing to everyone. So productive people (like the olive tree) refused the position because they were producing something good and did not want to stop it in order to lead a band of freeloaders.
The analogy continues with a fig tree who was asked to be king but the fig tree was also a producer who grew edible sweet fruit that was a blessing to everyone. This producer was not going to leave doing something good in order to lead a band of freeloaders.
A third time the analogy speaks of the grape vine who was asked to be a king but refused the position because he produced grapes which were a blessing to everyone. A producer was not going to leave that which was good in order to become a leader over a band of freeloaders.
In every case an olive tree, a fig tree and a grapevine were all producing plants which grew something valuable and beneficial for the people. This is in great contrast to a thornbush or a thistle or a weed that grows nothing but is only a “taker” which absorbs nutrients and moisture from the soil which could have been used by good plants to produce something valuable and nice to eat!
In this prophetic word of the Lord, Jotham said that this band of “freeloader trees” were still looking for a ruler but those who were productive citizens among trees were busy doing something good and productive. So, they finally turned to a worthless thornbush and asked him to be their king. The insanity is evident here because why would people look to a thornbush to produce anything good for them or expect a thornbush to feed them in anyway. In fact, Abimelech was a son of a slave woman and was therefore incapable of being a producer himself. Abimelech was only seeking to be king to serve himself by living off the labor of others. Those who elected him as king were doing the same thing in a vain hope that this thornbush king would feed them for free as well. Both parties were living in self-deception and the end result would be the destruction of everyone who followed this worthless thornbush leader.
The prophetic word delivered by Jotham from God spoke of a fire coming out of the citizens of Shechem and devouring Abimelech and a fire coming from Abimelech and devouring the citizens of Shechem. This means that they would all experience mutual destruction both the citizens who elected this thornbush king over them as well as the useless thornbush king who was leading them.
Jotham then had to escape and leave that region because such wicked people habitually destroy anyone who is a threat to their evil schemes of taking over a society in a quest to obtain their “imagined” free provisions from false leaders.
Thorn Bush King Appropriates Wealth by Taxation
Abimelech reigned for a full three-years over the citizens of Shechem but all during that time this thornbush king was unable to produce any of the free food which the citizens of Shechem had anticipated.
Judges 9:22-25 (NKJV)
22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years,
23 God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24 that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers.
25 And the men of Shechem set men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was told Abimelech.
It is obvious that thornbush-type of people are unable to produce anything of value the way that producing citizens (like olive trees or fig trees or grapevines can produce something needed by people). The citizens of Shechem waited for a full three-years and still had nothing given to them by Abimelech. That is when they lost faith in him and again looked for someone else to promise them free food.
It is also evident that Abimelech only gained income from taxing producing people because he was not working or engaging in business enterprise to generate wealth. What was happening was that Abimelech had been taxing everyone who passed by the route near Shechem and this was how he earned his revenues. But a thornbush king is not going to help anyone else but himself so he was keeping all of the taxation revenue and not sharing it with the freeloaders who elected him as king. Therefore, the citizens of Shechem organized ambushes long the same route that passed near Shechem and placed lookouts on the mountain tops along that trade route to signal to those “lying-in” wait when potential victims were approaching. Thus, the citizens started robbing the people who had previously been providing tax revenue for Abimelech. This spelled an end to the tax-extortion scam of Abimelech because the Shechemites were now taking everything from those traveling on the road by Shechem and robbing them completely. This would leave nothing left to be taxed by Abimelech.
This occurred because the citizens of Shechem wanted a share in the tax revenue of Abimelech but when that did not materialize they resorted to being pirates and robbed everyone along that route of everything that they had.
Again, it should be noted that thornbush kings do not produce anything for anyone so they can only tax people or steal money by extortion or robbery. This activity is not producing any wealth whatsoever but only stealing it from producing citizens just like a thornbush absorbs nutrients and moisture from the soil and deprives good plants from producing fruit as a result.
Looking for Yet Another Thorn Bush King
Judges 9:26 (NKJV)
26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
As is normal for freeloaders when they do not have their expectations met for free food then they will again seek from another thornbush leader in a vain hope to get what did not manifest with previous thorn-bush leaders. But again, such people are living in self-deception because there is no “free-lunch” for anyone! No one gets anything for free and to imagine otherwise is pure self-deception!
A thornbush leader cannot give to someone what they do not have themselves! If they steal the labor of others by unjust taxation or extortion or robbery then the entire system will eventually fail. Once they have ruined the producers by overtaxing them to feed themselves (and their freeloader supporters) then the whole system crashes and there will be nothing left for anyone because nothing is produced anymore. This is how socialist systems around the world have always crashed when they destroy once prosperous countries and leave them barren and desolate and grown over with thorns and bush.
Judges 9:28-29 (NLT2)
28 “Who is Abimelech?” Gaal shouted. “He’s not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He’s merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech?
29 If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!’”
Gaal was the new gang-leader which appeared at Shechem and he said that if he was in charge, he would get rid of Abimelech. This is typical of all gang leaders when one will displace the other and fight over the territory in gang wars claiming the right to extort money from producing citizens found within that region.
Gaal also spoke of the sons of Hamor the founder of Shechem (who were themselves killed off by the sons of Jacob when they plotted to take the property and livestock of the Hebrews). Nothing good ever comes from those who are killing and being killed as they fight to be in control over exploiting producing citizens as if they see them as cattle to be milked or sheep to be shorn or livestock to be eaten.
Gang War Over Taxation Revenue
Judges 9:44-45 (NLT2)
44 Abimelech and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shechem from getting back in, while Abimelech’s other two groups cut them down in the fields.
45 The battle went on all day before Abimelech finally captured the city. He killed the people, leveled the city, and scattered salt all over the ground.
Abimelech fought to protect his territory which was used to generate his tax revenue and his new rival Gaal fought with him and many perished in the resulting gang war.
Judges 9:51-57 (NLT2)
51 But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower.
52 Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance,
53 a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
54 He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died.
55 When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.
56 In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
57 God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So, the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled.
Abimelech destroyed the freeloader citizens of Shechem but he also lost his own life when trying to set fire to a tower where some people were taking refuge. A woman in that tower dropped a millstone on his head and cracked his skull and so Abimelech perished as a result and also the wicked citizens of Shechem all perished in the gang war and therefore both their thornbush leader died and those foolish people who followed him as their thornbush king also died. Both leader and followers perished together as is typical of all those thornbush leaders who have ever led any band of freeloaders.
When freeloaders elect a thornbush leader (incapable of producing anything) they will find nothing but death and destruction. Hugo Chavez planned to create a utopia on earth and provide free food for everyone but today the country of Venezuela has become completely broken and desolate despite their abundant natural resources. In fact, natural resources (including land) are worthless without labor and reinvestment to make it fruitful and productive. Socialists systems always fail because they can do nothing but tax productive citizens in order to feed non-producing freeloaders. When the productive citizens are all closed down by over-taxation then this system will collapse. The politicians cannot give free food to the freeloaders who voted them in because they have to take that from producers before they can give it out. Someone has to produce food and wealth first before it can be given out. When producers are penalized for being productive and they stop producing there will be nothing left to seize and give away to the freeloaders.
Another misconception is that political leaders can just print off more money to feed the freeloaders. But money represents things of actual physical value for which this currency can purchase. When money is multiplied in unlimited manner then it becomes worthless and unable to buy anything. A government can only assist producers to get started again after a disaster or crisis but they cannot perpetually print off money to feed people. Eventually people have to produce again or there will be nothing for the government to give to anyone.
Effeminate Beta Males Want to be Fed
A situation arises in western nations when there are over 50% of the marriages ending in divorce and so about 50% of the young males are being raised by divorced single-parent working women. These woman-raised “sissy” boys are given everything that they want from their mothers who pamper them like pet poodle dogs! These boys have no “father-figure” at home to teach them how to be a man and to impart manly skills for them to provide for themselves and their own future families. So, when these boys become young adults, they will scream to be fed by the government just as their mother has always done for them.
These spoiled children riot in the streets and break glass and burn down buildings demanding to have free food and free education and to live on government support. But again, this is a fallacy and misconception because no government can feed the people unless they have productive citizens that produce food and taxation income for the government to give out. If a socialist government overtaxes productive people it will shut down the economy and cause businesses to close down.
Only disabled people who are unable to work should receive financial assistance not people who are freeloaders and too lazy to work. If the number of freeloaders exceeds the number of producing citizens then the system will fail.
Again see the link “No Free Ride” for more details.
Children and Women Ruling Society
Isaiah 3:12 (NIV)
12 Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.
This speaks of a curse when society is ruled by women and the citizens are oppressed by youth. This situation occurs when men drop their leadership and women assert themselves into leadership positions instead. The basis of all feminine thinking is “Equality for All” and this is why women leaders seek to make non-producing people “equal” with producing people by over-taxing producers in order to feed freeloaders.
Isaiah 3:4-6 (NLT2)
4 I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers.
5 People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.
6 In those days a man will say to his brother, “Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!”
These scriptures above describe a curse from God by having freeloader people being ruled by boys as leaders and having toddlers as their rulers. This means that a young boy or a toddler wearing diapers is dependent on others to bottle-feed them and carry them and change their diapers. In no way could a two-year old baby help anyone else when they themselves are in need of help. This again is just like thornbush leaders who cannot produce fruit for anyone else and it is a vain hope to trust in such worthless people who only want to use their followers to feed themselves like a selfish baby expecting to be served by his own mother.
Isaiah 3:6 (NLT2)
6 In those days a man will say to his brother, “Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!”
When people ask someone to be a leader over them just because he has a coat this means that these people are freeloaders looking for anyone (who has anything) to feed them. But again, all wealth must be grown or manufactured or created under a free enterprise system and that requires labor and management and reinvestment of capital. Wealth does not just fall from heaven just because someone owns land. They have to work to make that land produce something otherwise only thornbushes and thistles will grow.
The purpose of this lesson is to open the eyes of readers to know and understand that the people of Shechem represent freeloaders who elected a thornbush king in a vain hope to get free food. But they will end up perishing together with the thornbush king they have elected just as the people of Shechem perished together with Abimelech the thorn-bush king they had appointed over themselves.
Insecure thornbush leaders fear losing their position of power which enables them to live as leaches off all of society. They use intimidation and threats and arrests and torture to keep people from speaking the truth about them. This is the exact same reason that Abimelech executed his 70-brothers who were better than he was only because he feared the idea that they might take his position of control. Insecure thornbush leaders will attack anyone that they might even imagine as being a threat to them.
It is important that all able-bodied people work and become productive citizens. Fathers should train their own sons how to become men and provide for themselves and their own future families.
But western society is being ruined by women leaders who try to force “equality for all” and by their raising of effeminate sons like pampered poodles who cry and scream to be cared for by all society.
Only if real men take back their leadership can this tide of women-ruled society be reversed. These women political leaders even encourage youth to riot and foment violence in order to make it hard on their opponent to be reelected again.
It is time for real men to do what is right and women should submit their own husbands and stop voting for liberals who care nothing for the people but only serve themselves as barren thornbush rulers.
The “place-name” Shechem is symbolic of all freeloaders who want to live off of the labor of others and who vote for thornbush leaders in a vain hope of receiving free food. The thornbush leaders want to use the citizens to feed themselves without working and the citizens hope to use the thornbush leaders to feed them for free. But no one is going to be fed from such an arrangement and in the end both parties will bring themselves into complete ruination.
Preparing for the Liberal-Made Collapse
It is for this reason that productive citizens must plan ahead and create a self-sufficient system that can create energy and food and products needed to sustain human life indefinitely. They cannot depend on politicians to do this for them because an entire nation can crash after just one bad election which places socialist thornbush leaders into power. The western civilization is near to destruction now and just barely hanging by a thread.
As long as there are more freeloaders than productive citizens then voting is a bad thing because they can easily gain the needed 51% majority vote to place a thornbush leader into power.
It is for this reason that citizens must make preparations to care for themselves and their own families via a community living system. If this is not done, they will become victims just as the citizens of countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe have fallen into disaster because of incompetent leaders which were installed by the votes of freeloaders wanting to be fed for free.