Time to Reap a Harvest

After the flood during Noah’s time in Genesis, God blessed Noah. And God promised in his heart to never again destroy the earth in the way that he did before. What God promised was that while the earth remained, that the seasons would continue and that there would always be a time for sowing and reaping. When a farmer plants crop and sows seed into the ground, he understands that there is an appointed time for harvesting. Harvesting appropriately requires an understanding of the appropriate times. Crops harvested too early can yield a poor harvest while crops not harvested in time can rot.

In Leviticus, God spoke to Moses about the blessing of obedience for his people. God’s promise included protection and rest for his people and he spoke concerning their crops and harvest. “Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely”(Leviticus 26:5).

There are many references in the old and New Testament to seed time and harvesting because the people were mainly farmers. People made their living from the land and whatever the land produced accounted for their wealth and abundance. God’s promise was that his people would plant and also enjoy the harvest for which they had laboured. “The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary””(Isaiah 62:8-9).

God is not unjust to ignore our labour of love or to disregard the good that we have done for others. His promise is that we will reap the harvest that we have sown. Many of us have sown our time, energy and other resources to be a blessing to others. God says it is harvest time and this is our season to reap where we have planted. We position ourselves and we expect an increase and we command this land to yield the increase from where we have sown.

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10).

A.P.-Y.