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Lessons From Agriculture in Bible Times

Writer's picture: Raquel VasilacheRaquel Vasilache

The Jewish agricultural year contains deep lessons for us today, lessons that will help us in our Christian walk if we are open to receive them. Jesus Himself derived many of His lessons from the book of nature, and in a special way from the agrarian life. Knowing the agricultural activities that were common in Bible times will help us understand the teachings of Christ and the prophets, and how to prepare for Christ’s soon coming.


Fall


The Jewish agricultural year began in the fall. The rain softened the ground parched by the summer drought and made plowing possible. The autumn showers were known as the “the early rain”. After deep plowing, the farmer would sow seeds, typically of cereals such as wheat, barley, oat, and rye.

Plowing and sowing represent the beginning of the Christian life. Water in the Bible is often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit (see John 7:38,39). Plowing, or “breaking the fallow ground,” is an illustration of repentance, which is brought by the Word of God. “The plowshare of truth must plow deep furrows in our proud hearts, and tear up the sod of our unsanctified natures, that the Spirit and love of Jesus may be planted in our hearts” (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 49). The prophet Hosea invited the wayward people of Israel, “Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10:12).


Winter


After the seed was sown, the long winter arrived. Winter was a rather wet season in Israel, and sometimes snow would fall on the mountains. The seeds slowly developed into plants. Towards the end of winter, the almond tree would blossom in all its splendor.



The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, “Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:11,12). It may be that we see slow progress in our Christian life, but God’s promise is sure: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10,11).



The Hebrew word for almond, shakeid, means “watchful”. God lovingly watches over us, no matter what we are going through. God has a plan for us, and He will reveal it at just the right time. His Word will not fail.


Spring



Spring was a busy season. The spring showers, known as the “latter rain”, brought the crops to full maturity. Barley was the first to be harvested. Then followed wheat and rye. Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem during the barley harvest.

After harvesting, the grains underwent a process called threshing. They were beaten vigorously, until the chaff was detached from the grains. This was done at the threshing floor, which was close to the harvested fields.



Then the grains were winnowed. They were thrown up into the air, so the wind would blow the chaff away, and the precious grain would fall back to the ground. The grains were then gathered into barns, and the chaff was burned.


In the end times there will be a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon God’s church. This is often referred to as the “latter rain” (Joel 2:23; James 5:7). This special gift will prepare God’s people for the final events of earth’s history.

The threshing floor is often related to judgment (2 Samuel 6:6-7; 2 Samuel 24:16; Isaiah 21:10). It is during the preliminary judgment that every bit of chaff needs to be taken from the good seed sown in our hearts. Likewise, sins that have been recorded in the heavenly sanctuary are being removed during the investigative judgment.

But at the close of probation, everyone will have made their own choice. “[Christ’s] winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12).


Let Us Come to the Throne of Grace


In the Bible, there is a beautiful story that took place at the threshing floor during the judges’ rule. Naomi, having lost her husband and two sons in the land of Moab, decides to return to her home town in Bethlehem. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, comes with her and provides for her needs by gleaning in the fields of a rich man called Boaz.



It turns out that Boaz was a close relative of Noami’s deceased husband. According to levitical law, close relatives had a special duty to redeem the lands, and also, depending on each case, the wife of the deceased relative, in order to preserve the dead husband’s name.

Ruth, at the advice of her mother-in-law, came to Boaz during the night at the threshing floor to redeem her and her dead husband’s patrimony. Boaz gladly accepted and did everything in his power to be able to marry Ruth and provide her and her mother-in-law with a home and a place of rest.

In just the same way, we may come to Jesus to ask Him to save us. He became “near of kin” to us. He has all resources at His command, and He has pledged Himself to be our Redeemer. God is our Judge, but He is also our Advocate. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities… Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).


Conclusion


“Jesus bound up His precious lessons with the beauty of natural things… As we come close to the heart of nature, Christ makes His presence real to us, and speaks to our hearts of His peace and love… Christ has linked His teaching, not only with the day of rest, but with the week of toil. He has wisdom for him who drives the plow and sows the seed. In the plowing and sowing, the tilling and reaping, He teaches us to see an illustration of His work of grace in the heart. So in every line of useful labor and every association of life, He desires us to find a lesson of divine truth. Then our daily toil will no longer absorb our attention and lead us to forget God; it will continually remind us of our Creator and Redeemer. The thought of God will run like a thread of gold through all our homely cares and occupations. For us the glory of His face will again rest upon the face of nature. We shall ever be learning new lessons of heavenly truth, and growing into the image of His purity. Thus shall we ʻbe taught of the Lordʼ; and in the lot wherein we are called, we shall ʻabide with God.ʼ Isaiah 54:13; 1 Corinthians 7:24.” (Christ's Object Lessons, p.25-26).




Raquel Vasilache has grown up in different parts of Europe until her family moved back to Romania in 2016. Since they first moved to the country, they always had a home garden wherever they landed. That is where her passion for agriculture and country living started to grow. She is currently teaching English at Liceul International Integritas near Targu Mures, Romania.







Image sources:


Almond trees: Pixabay



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