Topical Bible: Fruits: Preserved to Us by God

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In the biblical narrative, fruits hold significant symbolic and practical importance, representing God's provision, abundance, and the sustenance of life. From the Garden of Eden to the Promised Land, fruits are depicted as gifts from God, preserved for humanity's nourishment and enjoyment.

Creation and the Garden of Eden

The account of creation in Genesis highlights the centrality of fruits in God's provision for mankind. Genesis 1:29 states, "Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.'" This verse underscores the divine intention for fruits to serve as a primary source of sustenance for humanity, reflecting God's care and generosity.

In the Garden of Eden, fruits symbolize both blessing and boundary. Genesis 2:16-17 records God's command: "And the LORD God commanded him, 'You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.'" Here, fruits are not only a source of life but also a test of obedience and trust in God's provision.

The Promised Land

The Promised Land is frequently described as a land of abundance, flowing with "milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), where fruits are emblematic of God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises. Deuteronomy 8:7-8 describes the land as "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey." These fruits signify the richness and fertility of the land God has preserved for His people, a tangible expression of His covenant blessings.

Fruits in Worship and Offerings

Fruits also play a role in the worship practices of Israel. The firstfruits offering, as outlined in Leviticus 23:10 , is a significant act of worship: "Speak to the Israelites and say, 'When you enter the land I am giving you and reap its harvest, you are to bring to the priest a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest.'" This offering acknowledges God's provision and sovereignty, recognizing Him as the source of all blessings.

Symbolism in the New Testament

In the New Testament, fruits continue to symbolize spiritual truths. Jesus uses the imagery of fruits to teach about the nature of true discipleship and the evidence of a life transformed by faith. In John 15:5 , Jesus declares, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing." Here, fruits represent the visible outcomes of a life connected to Christ, characterized by spiritual growth and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit's work.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this concept in Galatians 5:22-23 , listing the "fruit of the Spirit" as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These fruits are the evidence of God's transformative power in the believer's life, preserved and nurtured by the Holy Spirit.

Eschatological Hope

The imagery of fruits extends into eschatological hope, where the ultimate preservation of God's creation is envisioned. Revelation 22:2 describes the tree of life in the New Jerusalem, bearing "twelve kinds of fruit, yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." This vision encapsulates the eternal abundance and healing that God has preserved for His people, a restoration of the perfect provision first seen in Eden.

Throughout Scripture, fruits are a recurring motif that illustrates God's ongoing provision and care for His creation. They serve as a reminder of His faithfulness, the richness of His blessings, and the spiritual fruitfulness He desires in the lives of His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Malachi 3:11
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, said the LORD of hosts.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

How Sacred Love Contains the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost ...
... would not mean that they were fruits of different ... of heart, which in adversity is
preserved by patience ... to the exterior inspirations which God gives us by his ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xix how sacred love.htm

Daily Bread.
... so that the earth is filled with the fruits of His ... and that same fire which destroyed
them preserved the bread ... about the corn, which ought to make us feel how ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lxii daily bread.htm

The Great Fruits Produced by the Above-Mentioned Prayer. The ...
... These effects, with all the other good fruits I have ... of what grave import is this
peace to us, do Thou ... lost, but the passage it contained is preserved in the ...
/.../teresa/the interior castle or the mansions/chapter iii the great fruits.htm

The Wisdom of God
... us; if all winter, the cold would have killed us. ... and in the sun and rain that ripen
the fruits. ... be helpful to another, and that mutual love may be preserved. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/5 the wisdom of god.htm

How Easy Our Saviour Has Made the Increase of Love.
... looking-glass, the more attentively it regards us again; and ... say that justice received
is not preserved, yea that ... but that works are only the fruits and signs ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter ii how easy our.htm

This Twelfth Book Gives a Notable Interpretation of the Words Of
... tares of disobedience, our nature no longer preserved in itself ... the God and Father
of our First-fruits, we no ... place whither Christ has entered for us as our ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 1 this twelfth book.htm

Fifth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith.
... By such fruits is faith to be manifest. ... and gift among them, must live, increase
and be preserved in unity ... But the Word of God rebukes us for dishonoring that ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fifth sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

On the Formation of the Character of Believers, and on Giving of ...
... or nuts, or grapes, or the first-fruits of other ... virgin alone; do Thou now, O Lord
God, accept the ... us; has delivered us from sickness, has preserved us from an ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on the formation of.htm

The Mandrakes Give a Smell, and at Our Gates are all Manner of ...
... mandrakes, give a smell; it has reached even to us. ... spoiled of all things, that I
have preserved, given, and ... for Thee all manner of pleasant fruits, all sorts ...
/.../guyon/song of songs of solomon/13 the mandrakes give a.htm

Fruits and the Two Works.
... study of this catalogue of evil fruits and an ... life, and soul, body, and spirit be
preserved blameless until ... righteous, but God hath not called us unto sinners ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter vi fruits and the.htm