Ingathering, in biblical terms, refers to the harvest festivals and the gathering of crops, particularly as it relates to the agricultural cycle in ancient Israel. This concept is deeply rooted in the religious and cultural practices of the Israelites, as outlined in the Old Testament. The term "Ingathering" is often associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Sukkot, which is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals in the Jewish calendar.

Biblical References

The Feast of Ingathering is mentioned explicitly in the Book of Exodus. In Exodus 23:16 , it is written: "You are to celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field." This passage highlights the dual nature of the agricultural cycle, with the Feast of Harvest marking the beginning and the Feast of Ingathering celebrating the end.

Similarly, Exodus 34:22 states: "And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year." This verse underscores the importance of the agricultural festivals in the religious life of Israel, serving as a time of thanksgiving and remembrance of God's provision.

Cultural and Religious Significance

The Feast of Ingathering, or Sukkot, is a time of joy and celebration, marking the successful gathering of crops and the end of the agricultural year. It is a time when the Israelites would come together to give thanks to God for His blessings and provision. The festival is characterized by the construction of temporary shelters, or sukkahs, which serve as a reminder of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and their reliance on God's protection and sustenance.

Leviticus 23:39-43 provides further instructions on the observance of this festival: "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days. On the first day there shall be a Sabbath rest, and on the eighth day a Sabbath rest. On the first day you are to take the branches of majestic trees—palm branches, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You are to celebrate this feast as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You are to celebrate it in the seventh month. You are to live in booths for seven days. All the native-born of Israel must live in booths, so that your descendants may know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Theological Implications

Theologically, the Feast of Ingathering serves as a powerful symbol of God's faithfulness and provision. It is a time to reflect on the dependence of humanity on divine grace and the sustenance provided by the Creator. The festival also foreshadows the eschatological hope of a future ingathering of God's people, as seen in prophetic literature.

In the New Testament, the theme of ingathering is echoed in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, who speak of a spiritual harvest. For instance, in Matthew 9:37-38 , Jesus says to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest." This passage emphasizes the spiritual dimension of ingathering, where the focus is on the gathering of souls into the Kingdom of God.

Conclusion

The concept of Ingathering in the Bible is rich with agricultural, cultural, and spiritual significance. It serves as a reminder of God's provision and faithfulness, while also pointing to the ultimate gathering of believers in the eschatological future. Through the observance of the Feast of Ingathering, the Israelites were called to remember their dependence on God and to celebrate His abundant blessings.(n.) The act or business of gathering or collecting anything; especially, the gathering of the fruits of the earth; harvest.INGATHERING, FEASTS OF

in'-gath-er-ing.

See FEASTS AND FASTS; BOOTH.

614. asiph -- ingathering, harvest
... 613, 614. asiph. 615 . ingathering, harvest. Transliteration: asiph
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-seef') Short Definition: ingathering. ...
/hebrew/614.htm - 6k

The Feast of Ingathering in the End of the Year
... THE BOOK OF EXODUS THE FEAST OF INGATHERING IN THE END OF THE YEAR. 'And ... year.
This festival of ingathering was the Feast of Tabernacles. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the feast of ingathering in.htm

A Revival Sermon
... several ver pleasant things. 1. In the first place, we notice a promise
of surprising ingathering. According to he metaphor here ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a revival sermon.htm

The Work of Grace a Unit.
... However, while the Triune God anticipates from before the foundation of the world
the ingathering and glorification of the saints, Scripture clearly reveals ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/ii the work of grace.htm

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast'
... in the cycle of the Christian year, [3989] just because it points forward to that
great, yet unfulfilled hope of the Church: the ingathering of Earth's nations ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in the last.htm

The Consecration of Joy
... but as 'sabbaths,' or, as the Revised Version gives it better, 'a solemn rest.'
Observe, also, that these verses connect the feast with the ingathering of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the consecration of joy.htm

Expositions of Holy Scripture
... THE DECALOGUE: I--MAN AND GOD. THE DECALOGUE: II.--MAN AND MAN. THE FEAST OF
INGATHERING IN THE END OF THE YEAR. 'THE LOVE OF THINE ESPOUSALS'. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/

The Old Faiths and the New
... turned to the Gentiles. The Gentiles gladly heard him and there was a great
ingathering into the church. Paul's sole purpose was ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study viii the old faiths.htm

There is a Definite Moment at which the Seed is Ripe...
... And by what marvellous insight He recognised the dawning of that final "hour" when
He was asked for by those nameless Greeks"a hint of the ingathering of the ...
/.../trotter/parables of the christ-life/section 6 there is a.htm

Church Union.
... After the gracious awakening and ingathering at Amoy and in the region about, had
taken place, the question of church organization became foremost. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/viii church union.htm

In the Work of Ministering
... And this, whether by the helping and strengthening of those who are already
members, or the ingathering of those who are to belong to it. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/working for god/xv in the work of.htm

Ingathering (4 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. INGATHERING, FEASTS OF. in'-gath-er-ing. See FEASTS
AND FASTS; BOOTH. Multi-Version Concordance Ingathering (4 Occurrences). ...
/i/ingathering.htm - 8k

Tabernacles (43 Occurrences)
... The third of the great annual festivals of the Jews (Leviticus 23:33-43). It is
also called the "feast of ingathering" (Exodus 23:16; Deuteronomy 16:13). ...
/t/tabernacles.htm - 21k

First-fruits (45 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:16 and the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labors, which thou
sowest in the field: and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year ...
/f/first-fruits.htm - 27k

Firstfruits (37 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, which thou
hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of ...
/f/firstfruits.htm - 24k

Gatherest (4 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:16 and the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labors, which thou
sowest in the field: and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year ...
/g/gatherest.htm - 7k

Wheat-harvest (6 Occurrences)
... Exodus 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the first-fruits of
wheat-harvest, And the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year. ...
/w/wheat-harvest.htm - 8k

Innocents (2 Occurrences)
... This omission is the more noteworthy because in Numbers 24:7 Psalm 72:15 Isaiah
60:6, and numerous references to the ingathering of the Gentiles there are such ...
/i/innocents.htm - 20k

In-gathered (1 Occurrence)
In-gathered. Infuriated, In-gathered. Ingathering . Multi-Version Concordance ...
Infuriated, In-gathered. Ingathering . Reference Bible.
/i/in-gathered.htm - 6k

In-gathering (3 Occurrences)
In-gathering. Ingathering, In-gathering. Ingatherings . Multi-Version Concordance ...
Ingathering, In-gathering. Ingatherings . Reference Bible.
/i/in-gathering.htm - 7k

Festivals (17 Occurrences)
... (2.) The great feasts were,. (a) The Passover. (b) The feast of Pentecost,
or of weeks. (c) The feast of Tabernacles, or of ingathering. ...
/f/festivals.htm - 15k

What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot? | GotQuestions.org

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Ingathering: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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