Neville Goddard on Judges 9:8-15 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Judges 9 in context

Scripture Focus

8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9But 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?

10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

12Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

15And 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.

Judges 9:8-15

Biblical Context

A grove asks for a king; the olive, fig, and vine decline leadership, citing their essential service to God and man. The bramble finally offers kingship with a shadow that could devour the cedars if trusted in.

Neville's Inner Vision

Consider the grove as a map of your inner states. The olive’s fatness, the fig’s sweetness, and the vine’s wine represent nourishment, beauty, and uplift—each refusing domination because their true work is service. The bramble embodies the ego’s shortcut: rule by shadow. If you grant that shadow ruler your trust, fire will follow; if not, the forest remains intact. The deeper truth is that the I AM, your awareness, already reigns; you are king of your interior kingdom by virtue of consciousness, not by external appointment. When you assume the feeling of the I AM reigning now, you align with the natural order of your being and invite life to reflect a dominion that serves God and man rather than merely glorifying self. Your imagination, rightly exercised, creates a scene of benevolent rule rather than coercion. Revision of any lack becomes the act of choosing, in awareness, the enduring king you already are by virtue of your I AM.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: Close your eyes and envision the grove; declare, 'I am the I AM, king of this inner realm, reigning now in service.' Feel the calm and nourishment rise, and notice life reflecting your ruling presence.