Topical Bible: Fruits: Often Destroyed in God's Anger

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In the biblical narrative, fruits and agricultural produce frequently symbolize the blessings and sustenance provided by God. However, they also serve as instruments of divine judgment when God expresses His anger towards the disobedience and unfaithfulness of His people. The destruction of fruits and crops is a recurring theme in Scripture, illustrating the consequences of turning away from God's commandments.

Symbolism of Fruits in Scripture

Fruits in the Bible often represent prosperity, abundance, and the blessings of God. In the Promised Land, the Israelites were to enjoy a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), a metaphor for fertility and divine provision. However, when the people of Israel strayed from God's laws, the very symbols of His blessing became tools of His judgment.

Divine Judgment and the Destruction of Fruits

1. The Curses of Deuteronomy: In Deuteronomy 28, God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. Among the curses, the destruction of crops and fruits is prominently featured. "You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locust will consume it" (Deuteronomy 28:38). This passage underscores the direct correlation between Israel's faithfulness and the fertility of their land.

2. The Prophets' Warnings: The prophets frequently warned Israel and Judah of impending judgment, often using the imagery of destroyed fruits and barren fields. In Joel 1:12, the prophet laments, "The vine has dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard—are withered. Surely the joy of mankind has dried up" . This vivid imagery serves as a metaphor for the spiritual desolation resulting from the people's sin.

3. The Locust Plague: The book of Joel also describes a devastating locust plague as a manifestation of God's anger. "What the locust swarm has left, the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left, the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left, other locusts have eaten" (Joel 1:4). This relentless destruction of crops symbolizes the totality of divine judgment upon a nation that has forsaken its covenant with God.

4. The Withered Fig Tree: In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of a withered fig tree to convey a message of judgment. In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus curses a barren fig tree, and it withers as a sign of the judgment that would come upon those who fail to bear spiritual fruit. This act serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of spiritual barrenness and unfaithfulness.

Theological Implications

The destruction of fruits in the context of divine anger serves as a stark reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people. The fertility of the land is directly tied to the spiritual health of the nation. When the people turn away from God, the land suffers, reflecting the broken relationship. This theme emphasizes the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and the need for repentance to restore the blessings of God.

Throughout Scripture, the destruction of fruits is not merely an agricultural disaster but a profound theological statement about the consequences of sin and the necessity of aligning with God's will. The imagery of withered vines and barren fields calls believers to examine their own lives, ensuring that they remain fruitful in their spiritual walk with God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 7:20
Therefore thus said the Lord GOD; Behold, my anger and my fury shall be poured out on this place, on man, and on beast, and on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices.
... they had experienced in not being destroyed with others ... the wilderness?" Or, in other
words: "You often remind us ... his grace and brought forth no fruits of faith ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/ninth sunday after trinity carnal.htm

Treatise v. An Address to Demetrianus.
... rend you." [3407] For when you used often to come ... dew, and the earth shall withhold
her fruits: and I ... ones and the women, that they may be utterly destroyed. ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise v an address to.htm

The Voice of the Lord God
... to take care of themselves, liable to be destroyed off the ... It is often said that
all that I have been saying ... These are the fruits of the Scriptures of the Lord ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon iii the voice of.htm

God's People Delivered.
... How often has it been heard in the touching ... a whirlwind"!(1114) Those who would have
destroyed Christ and ... the living, are counted as "the first-fruits unto God ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /40 gods people delivered.htm

God's People Delivered
... How often has it been heard in the touching entreaties ... Those who would have destroyed
Christ and His faithful ... living, are counted as "the first fruits unto God ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 40 gods people delivered.htm

Christ's Priestly Office
... What are the fruits of Christ's intercession? ... Esther did for the Jews, when they
would have been destroyed. ... How often does Satan put in his bills against us in ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/4 christs priestly office.htm

Third Sunday after Trinity Humility, Trust, Watchfulness ...
... and men, bringing forth an abundance of good fruits. ... the convocation of general councils
so often as these ... already, in himself, smitten and destroyed for us ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/third sunday after trinity humility.htm

The Second Commandment
... The Christians destroyed images at Baste, Zurich, and Bohemia ... you think it a trouble
to visit that friend often? ... wind blows off the fruit; but the fruits of our ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 2 the second commandment.htm

The First Book
... if, on the other hand, God justly destroyed those evil men ... that the Egyptians in
their rebellion were often smitten, to ... But we pour the fruits of our vines into ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the first book.htm

On the Presentation of the Blessed virgin, or on the Octave of Her ...
... ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.". ... Now, mark, God often allows man
to fall into trouble ... overpowers him, his work is destroyed; therefore there is ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xiv on the presentation.htm