Harvest for the Kingdom

Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come." Mark 4:26-29  

The Kingdom of God…. Jesus gave us several parables that describe the Kingdom of God to specific groups of people. Here it is to benefit the farmers. Farmers in Israel. Farmers were likely growing wheat, barley, chickpeas, olives, dates, pomegranates, and of course, grapes. Since Jesus was talking about seeds sprouting it is most likely He was referring to a grain crop like wheat or barley sprouting. The farmer has worked hard preparing the soil—by hand…or maybe using a mule. Then planting his seeds—hoping for rain. 

Have you ever planted seeds before in a garden or in farmland and then waited and watched for them to sprout?  The earth produces the crops. Time lapse videos are really great to watch—search one out and watch it. The plants pushing up their leaves and stem seem to dance as they sprout and grow. As the plant matures the seed head forms and ripens. Then harvest—like in the story of “The Little Red Hen” who after planting and caring for the wheat, asks the pig, cat and duck who will harvest the grain, grind it and make it into bread—no one—and then who will eat the bread? All the animals wanted to eat the bread, but no one wanted to do the work. The work of the harvest.

Jesus was telling His disciples that the time for harvest had come. They needed to put the sickle to the stacks and harvest the grain. Likewise…it is time to harvest souls. Those souls will be harvested for the Kingdom of God. When that harvest happens will you be among the mature sheaves of grain?

Prayer ~ Jesus, I am patiently waiting for the Your return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. Like those farmers I eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. James 5:7. 

Daily Bible Reading: Zephaniah

© 2017 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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