Topical Bible: Fruits: Often Destroyed by Locusts

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In the biblical context, locusts are frequently depicted as agents of divine judgment, bringing devastation to crops and vegetation. The destruction caused by locusts is a recurring theme in the Scriptures, symbolizing both physical and spiritual desolation. The fruits of the land, essential for sustenance and prosperity, are often highlighted as being particularly vulnerable to these swarming insects.

Biblical References:

1. Joel 1:4 : "What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten." This passage from the Book of Joel vividly describes a sequence of locust invasions, each wave consuming what the previous left behind. The fruits of the land, including grapes, figs, and olives, are implied to be among the devastated produce, as these were staple crops in ancient Israel.

2. Exodus 10:12-15 : "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may swarm over the land and devour every plant in the land—everything that the hail has left.' So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD sent an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts swarmed across the land of Egypt and settled in every part of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again. They covered the face of all the ground until it was black, and they devoured every plant in the land and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt." This account of the eighth plague upon Egypt underscores the locusts' capacity to obliterate the remaining fruits and vegetation, leaving the land barren.

3. Amos 4:9 : "I struck you with blight and mildew; the locust devoured your many gardens and vineyards, your fig trees and olive trees, yet you have not returned to Me,' declares the LORD." Here, the prophet Amos recounts the Lord's chastisement of Israel through natural calamities, including locusts that ravage gardens, vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees. These fruits are emblematic of the agricultural wealth and blessing that God bestowed upon His people, now laid waste due to their disobedience.

Symbolism and Theological Implications:

In the biblical narrative, locusts serve as instruments of divine retribution, often sent in response to the people's sin and rebellion against God. The destruction of fruits by locusts is not merely an agricultural disaster but a profound spiritual metaphor. It signifies the loss of divine favor and the consequences of turning away from God's commandments. The imagery of locusts consuming the fruits of the land is a powerful reminder of the fragility of human sustenance and the need for reliance on God's provision and protection.

The devastation wrought by locusts also serves as a call to repentance. In the face of such calamity, the people are urged to return to the Lord, seeking His mercy and restoration. The prophetic literature, particularly in the books of Joel and Amos, emphasizes this theme, urging the Israelites to recognize the locust plagues as a divine warning and an opportunity for spiritual renewal.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern societies, agriculture was the backbone of the economy, and fruits such as grapes, figs, and olives were vital for daily life and trade. The threat of locust swarms was a constant concern, as these insects could decimate crops in a matter of days, leading to famine and economic hardship. The biblical accounts reflect this reality, using the imagery of locusts to convey both immediate and eschatological judgments.

The recurring motif of locusts in Scripture highlights the dependence of humanity on God's grace for sustenance and the importance of obedience to His covenant. The destruction of fruits by locusts serves as a poignant illustration of the consequences of sin and the hope of redemption through repentance and divine intervention.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 28:38,39
You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joel 1:4
That which the palmerworm has left has the locust eaten; and that which the locust has left has the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm has left has the caterpillar eaten.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Prophet Joel.
... the sanctuaries of Israel shall be destroyed." The locusts ... the principal punishments
of God, is often represented ... The fruits of the trees are mentioned here as ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

Exposition: 1 John 3:1-10
... army of locusts; when heaps and heaps had been destroyed they seemed ... The Bible often
calls a man righteous; but that does not mean ... Works are the fruits of grace ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/exposition 1 john 3 1-10.htm

The Herald of the King
... of which all modern associations, which have too often made it ... not merely an emotional
repentance, but the solid fruits which alone ... All else will be destroyed. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the herald of the king.htm

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... v.2. Kajits, a basket of summer fruits, because it ... by any force, until they had
destroyed the whole ... the Arabian historian whom I have so often quoted,"than ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm

That Vespasian, after He had Taken Gadara Made Preparation for the ...
... his prey, and therein he laid up the fruits that he ... had escaped the tyrant within
the wall was destroyed by the ... to them, of whom they had so often been afraid. ...
/.../chapter 9 that vespasian after.htm

The Voice in the Wilderness
... Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance; and ... How often we misinterpret God's
blessings, and ... God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 10 the voice in.htm

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... had deepest meaning, although, as so often in the ... reverting to his former illustration
of fruits meet for ... and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.'. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

John's Rebuke of Herod.
... "Bring forth fruits meet for ... Doubt often comes from inactivity. ... Let but a man live
with Christ anxious to have his own life destroyed, and Christ's life ...
/.../robertson/sermons preached at brighton/xxi johns rebuke of herod.htm

Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men
... me if I were to tell you all the fruits this love ... is the hotbed where this sin is
too often hatched. ... Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, destroyed the seven ...
/.../chapter xix tit 2 6 thoughts.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... smite the earth with every plague, as often as they ... of the earth, in like manner
perverted and destroyed. ... and peace, and love, To bring forth fruits, joy, and ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm