Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, the concept of the harvest was not only an agricultural event but also a significant spiritual metaphor. The harvest season was a time of gathering crops, a culmination of hard work, and a period of celebration and thanksgiving. Those who labored in the fields were compensated for their efforts, reflecting a broader biblical principle of reward for labor.Biblical Context The Bible frequently uses the imagery of the harvest to convey spiritual truths. In the Old Testament, the harvest was a time of joy and gratitude, as seen in the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), which celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22). The Law of Moses provided specific instructions for the harvest, including leaving the edges of the fields for the poor and the foreigner (Leviticus 19:9-10). In the New Testament, Jesus often used the harvest as a metaphor for the Kingdom of God. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37), highlighting the need for laborers in God's spiritual harvest. This metaphor extends to the idea of evangelism and the gathering of souls into the Kingdom. Persons Engaged in the Harvest Those who worked in the harvest were typically hired laborers, who received wages for their efforts. The parable of the workers in the vineyard, found in Matthew 20:1-16, illustrates the principle of receiving wages for labor. In this parable, the landowner hires workers at different times of the day but pays them all the same wage, emphasizing the generosity and sovereignty of God in dispensing grace. The Apostle Paul also draws on the concept of wages in his epistles. In 1 Corinthians 3:8, he writes, "The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor" . This underscores the idea that God rewards each person according to their work in His service. Spiritual Implications The notion of receiving wages for labor in the harvest extends beyond the physical to the spiritual realm. In John 4:35-36, Jesus tells His disciples, "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together" . Here, Jesus speaks of the spiritual harvest, where the laborers receive eternal rewards. The Book of Revelation also speaks of a final harvest, where the righteous are gathered into God's eternal kingdom. Revelation 14:15-16 describes an angel proclaiming, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe" . This eschatological harvest signifies the ultimate gathering of believers and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Conclusion The biblical theme of the harvest and the wages received by those who labor in it serves as a powerful reminder of the principles of work, reward, and divine grace. It calls believers to participate actively in God's work, with the assurance that their labor is not in vain and that they will receive their due reward in God's perfect timing. Torrey's Topical Textbook John 4:35Say not you, There are yet four months, and then comes harvest? behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library Harvest Joy The Third Day in Pasion-Week - the Last Series of Parables: to the ... Paul in Ephesus. Christ Teaching Liberality The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China. The First Kings. Six Years in North Bengal --Missionary and Indigo Planter The Object of Missions, and Various Modes of Operation. The Wise and Foolish virgins The Political Constitution of Egypt Resources What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a sabbatical year? | GotQuestions.org What is the meaning of gleaning in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Harvest: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Harvest of Barley, Before Wheat Harvest of Wheat at Pentecost, in Palestine Harvest: And of Wheat Before Harvest Time Harvest: Promises of Plentiful Harvest: Sabbath Desecrated In Harvest: Sabbath to be Observed In The Harvest of a Time of Judgment The Harvest of a Time when Many are Ready to Receive the Gospel The Harvest of Barley at the Passover The Harvest of Ripeness for Wrath The Harvest of Seasons of Grace The Harvest of the End of the World The Harvest of Wheat at Pentecost The Harvest: (Cold In) of a Refreshing Message The Harvest: (Dew In) of God's Protection The Harvest: (Rain In) Honor Given to Fools The Harvest: A Time of Great Joy The Harvest: Called The: Appointed Weeks of Harvest The Harvest: Called The: Harvest Time The Harvest: Failure of a Cause of Great Grief The Harvest: Failure of a Punishment for Sin The Harvest: Failure of Occasioned by Drought The Harvest: Failure of Occasioned by Locusts The Harvest: Failure of Sometimes Continued for Years The Harvest: Fields Appeared White Before The Harvest: Former and Latter Rain Necessary to Abundance of The Harvest: Ingathering of Fruits of the Fields The Harvest: Legal Provision for the Poor During The Harvest: Men and Women Engaged In The Harvest: Miraculous Thunder In The Harvest: Not to be Commenced Until the First Fruits had been offered The Harvest: Omitted in the Sabbatical Year The Harvest: Omitted in Year of Jubilee The Harvest: Patience Required in Waiting For The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Binders The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Called Harvest-Men The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Called Labourers The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Fed by the Husbandman During The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Often Defrauded of Their Wages The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Reapers The Harvest: Persons Engaged in Received Wages The Harvest: Slothfulness During, Ruinous The Harvest: The Sabbath to Observed During The Harvest: To Continue Without Intermission Related Terms The-not-beloved (1 Occurrence) Kir'iath-je'arim (18 Occurrences) Kirjathjearim (17 Occurrences) Vine-dressers (18 Occurrences) Kirjath-jearim (17 Occurrences) Kibroth-hattaavah (5 Occurrences) |
    |