“«To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.»
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament (the vault of heaven above) sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,” Psalms 19:1-4.
The creation is the ‘hand work’ of God. The Psalmist endorsed this truth. “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands,” Psalm 102:25. David said of the creation: “I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands,” Psalm 143:5.
Obviously David knew that such was the creation structure as to set forth the glories of God’s wisdom and power and mercy! By meditation he could draw out great truth and light and so educate himself in the ways of God.
What the Bible teaches, creation illustrates. It is God’s picture book of illustrations.
In my experience, the creation is the perfect ‘graphic design’, to which we may refer children, in order to set forth and demonstrate the meaning of Holy Scripture.
The whole process involving the labouring of the earth to bring forth food wonderfully portrays for us the gospel work the Lord is engaged in. The making of the creation a many-paged picture book, that confronts us in an inescapable manner, illustrates that the Lord would have us take note of the gospel message. How often the Lord Jesus said: “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,” Mark 4:9.
Again, surely we must see the love of God in that He is most desirous that we heed and learn the gospel lesson! How earnest and ardent is our ‘Divine Teacher’ that we grasp the truth set forth in Holy Scripture and gloriously illustrated in the large volume of ‘nature’?
THE TERMINOLOGY OF THE BIBLE INDICATES THAT THE HARVEST DOES INDEED PICTURE THE LORD’S GOSPEL WORK.
1. From the first of the year to the last, all is ordered that the earth produce a harvest and we see in this a parallel in the work of the gospel.
Thus the Saviour teaches us that the work of grace begins with the sowing of the gospel seed. “And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow,” Matthew 13:3.
In an instant the work of God is made simple by likening it to a scene that His listeners would be familiar with!
This parable presupposes the PLOUGHING that must take place before the seed can be sown. The ground must be broken up in order to be readied to receive the seed.
Likewise, that takes place in the spiritual realm. “For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.” Jeremiah 4:3. “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12.
Ploughing entails a complete overturning and disturbing of the settled state of the field. Grass roots etc must be disturbed and their hold upon and feeding off the soil must be ended.
Conviction
Such is the work of ‘conviction’, wrought by the Holy Spirit. The controlling grip that sins have upon the soul is broken and the soul set free of that bondage.
That bondage is pictured for us in the life of the man of Gadara.
“And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones,” Mark 5:2-5.
The sinner does not know that he is under bondage to the devil and the lusts of the flesh! He certainly does not welcome being told this truth, EXCEPT the Holy Spirt open his understanding to realise this. That realising is, as it were, the first cut of the plough, breaking the hold that sin has upon the sinner.
First sign
The first evidence of grace in the man and the truth that he was no longer under the control and domination of sin is given us a few verses further on.
“And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid,” Mark 5:15.
Here is the evidence of the gospel plough ‘over turning’ the sod and setting the soil free from the control of the roots that formerly had held it in their grip!
This breaking of the power of sin is illustrated in the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44) and in the case of the healing of the man sick of the palsy, a paralysing ailment.
“I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion,” Mark 2:11-12.
Thus in the gospel work the first working of grace is the liberating of the sinner from the grip of sin!
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:1-6.
Sowing
Then comes the SOWING! New life is imparted.
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,” 1 Peter 1:23.
The ‘new birth’ is the result of the seed of God’s Word being powerfully planted in our souls. The impact the planting of the ‘seed’ has immediately upon the subject of God’s mercy, is seen in the actions of the converts on the day of Pentecost.
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers,” Acts 2:41-42.
These are those that but a few minutes before, Peter had addressed in this manner.
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain,” Acts 2:22-23.
As a result of having received the Word of the gospel by faith, they that before had been the rejectors and murderers of Christ became His devoted followers!
2. In the field, that which springs forth from the seed is subjected to many threats and difficulties.
The old hymn put it well:
We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand.
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.
It takes more than sunshine to cause grain to grow and ripen!
There is nothing more complained about than the weather and yet it is governed so wisely and kindly by the Lord. I have often heard comments such as, ‘there is going to be a bad harvest’, when a period of what is deemed ‘bad weather’ occurs.
And yet, there is always a harvest!
In a similar fashion we, as Christians, may wish that we be not troubled by the world, the flesh and the devil. But such encounters are for our good. Troubles brought on by men denying God’s Word are a distress but they have a purpose under God!
“For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you,” 1 Corinthians 11:19.
Some of the greatest sermons and setting forth of the truth of God arose out of Christians contending against error. The time of the Reformation and its aftermath, was a time when God’s truth was wonderfully set forth and vindicated and the literature remains with us today.
A revealing
The denial of God’s Word promotes a “making manifest” of those who are true believers! That is what happened at Corinth. The sins and heresies that arose there among the people caused them which were of the house of Chloe to speak out and declare themselves for the truth!
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you,” 1 Corinthians 1:10-11.
Oftentimes troubles are sent to chastise and afflict us and bring us back to the right way. So said the Psalmist.
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word,” Psalm 119:67.
Christians very often face fire but it is to refine and purify them.
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,” 1 Peter 1:7.
Thus what nature throws at that growing in the field is but to aid to growth and a readying of it for the harvest. Thus, our trials, under God, work toward the same outcome!
3. When Scripture refers to the culmination of the gospel work it is set forth as a harvest
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped,” Revelation 14:14-16.
It is seen in these verses that the Lord Jesus pictures Himself as a ‘harvester’!
“Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
Reaping
That is where the earth is heading toward! There is a time of all men reaping what they have sowed!
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting,” Galatians 6:7-8.
Men are deceived about this matter. They believe that they can sin with impunity!
Nothing could be further from the truth! God has “appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead,” Acts 17:31.
The day of judgment is ‘appointed’! The time and day is ‘fixed’! Just as every year the harvest comes round inexorably, so the day of the harvest of the earth shall surely dawn and men will be brought face to face with their sins in the presence of God, the Judge of all the earth.
These verses show that to be so.
“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up,” Psalm 28:3-5.
“For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies,” Isaiah 59:17-18.
History reveals acts of judgment upon nations that foreshadow the GREAT DAY of judgment!
“And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them,” Jeremiah 25:12-16.
The false professor weeded out!
The professing church will likewise be tried and judged.
“For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” Jeremiah 5:26-31.
None shall escape the judgment of God!
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds,” Romans 2:6.
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him,” Hebrews 2:3.
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven,” Hebrews 12:25.
The Lord Jesus gives us a clear view of what will be a most dreadful experience for the gospel-rejector!
“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn,” Matthew 13:30.
He then explained the words of His parable so that none might be mistaken!
“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear,” Matthew 13:36-43.
Dear reader, HAVE YOU HEARD AND LISTENED TO AND OBEYED THE WARNING OF CHRIST?
If not, then delay no longer but obey the warning and hasten to the Saviour and to faith in His blood atonement for your salvation.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,” 1 Peter 3:18.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)