Lexical Summary akmazó: To be at the prime, to flourish, to be in full bloom Original Word: ἀκμάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be fully ripe. From the same as akmen; to make a point, i.e. (figuratively) mature -- be fully ripe. see GREEK akmen NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom akmé (a point, edge) Definition to be at the prime NASB Translation ripe (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 187: ἀκμάζωἀκμάζω: 1 aorist ή᾿κμασα; (ἀκμή); to flourish, come to maturity: Revelation 14:18. (Very frequent in secular writings.) Topical Lexicon Topical Overview Strong’s Greek 187 occurs once in the New Testament and conveys the idea of reaching full vigor, maturity, or ripeness. In Revelation 14:18 the term describes grapes that have reached their peak, signaling that the moment for harvest—and therefore judgment—has arrived. Context in Revelation 14:14-20 The setting is a visionary scene in which the Son of Man and an angel reap the earth. The single use of the verb heightens the drama: “Gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe” (Revelation 14:18). The imagery of fully ripened grapes presses home three truths: 1. Divine judgment is not hasty; it arrives only when wickedness has matured. Harvest Imagery Across Scripture The notion of ripeness as the signal for judgment permeates Scripture. These passages underscore that God permits evil to run its course until it is fully manifested, then intervenes decisively. Moral Ripeness and Divine Timing Revelation’s usage points to moral ripeness rather than agricultural readiness. Humanity’s rebellion matures to the point that judgment becomes necessary for the vindication of God’s holiness (Revelation 14:10-11). Conversely, believers are called to spiritual maturity, “to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Two contrasting harvests—of wrath and of joy—stand before mankind. Historical Interpretation Early church writers saw in the ripened grapes the culmination of Roman oppression; Reformers applied it to ecclesiastical corruption; many evangelical expositors connect it with the future Great Tribulation when human wickedness peaks. Despite differing applications, all agree that the term marks God’s strategic moment. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Urgency of Evangelism: The ripeness motif reminds believers that an appointed day of reckoning approaches (2 Corinthians 6:2). Related Greek and Hebrew Concepts The verb shares thematic affinity with other harvest terms such as “therizō” (to reap) and Hebrew “qatsir” (harvest season), yet Strong’s 187 uniquely stresses the state of peak readiness. It is the tipping point where potential becomes determinative action. Summary Strong’s Greek 187, though used only once, powerfully encapsulates the biblical principle that God acts when conditions are fully ripe—whether for judgment or blessing. It encourages soberness regarding sin’s inevitable outcome and hope in God’s impeccable timing. Forms and Transliterations ηκμασαν ήκμασαν ἤκμασαν ekmasan ēkmasan ḗkmasanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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