“But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”” Mark 4:29 ESV
Reflection: when is the harvest of the Lord?
Driving through the seemingly endless stretches of states like Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa in the middle of the summertime, you see fields of various crops that go as far as the eye can see. Farmers have labored early to prepare the fields, to plant their crops, but then have to patiently wait until the crops are ready to harvest. If harvested too soon, or too late, the crops will not be of much use. So, the farmers have to carefully watch, nurture their fields and their crops, to maturity, until they produce the optimal yield and quality.
Today we will once more have to check our understanding. Whether what we have been taught from the pulpit for years, is in fact correct. The focus verse today is a conclusion of a parable, where Jesus is giving us an insight into the inner “workings” of the kingdom of heaven. And, specifically, He is using the analogy of a farmer and the harvest, something we are all pretty familiar with. But here is also where we can get lost, if we misapply the intention of the parable. Think for a brief moment of what you have been taught – when would you say the harvest is? Most probably would say, end of times, or when Jesus returns, or the “rapture”, or something like that. But let’s read what Jesus actually says. “And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”” Mark 4:26-29 ESV.
Ok, notice carefully the last part, which is our focus today, “But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”” Mark 4:29 ESV. Let’s read another, parallel parable from Matthew for understanding. “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”” Matthew 9:35-38 ESV. What is Jesus saying about the harvest, even 2000 years ago?
The harvest IS plentiful.
Meaning, there was plenty of ripe, mature crops already back then, ready to be harvested. Which also means, we can apply that same principle today. This parable of the harvest therefore cannot mean the end of time. But then, what does Jesus mean by “ripe crops” here? There are deep truths here, let’s not miss them… First, keep in mind that Jesus earlier spoke of the parable of the sower. “And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”” Mark 4:8 ESV. Again we see here this idea of producing from what has been planted. That “truths” from God, planted in good soil, producing good fruit, leading people to repentance, turning away from their wicked ways, to worship God. And, Jesus might also indicate here the good fruit produced by the Spirit, as we read in Galatians 5:22-23. But to work His fields is labor intensive. It is hard work. This is why Jesus said that we should
“pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
So, how did we get this confused? Why do so many think of the harvest only as the end of time? Most likely some confusing this with the book of Revelation, as we see again the imagery of a harvest is also used to mean the harvest of souls at the end, “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16 ESV. But that is a different use of the imagery than what Jesus talked about in today’s parable.
We don’t have to wait for the harvest to come. The harvest IS plentiful, right now. In our families, our neighborhoods and cities, at our place of work, at school. Even in our churches.
