Monday, March 10, 2008

Producing a Harvest - Isaiah 28

Producing a Harvest

Isa 28:23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

God is speaking to the southern kingdom of Judah. Listen to me now you rulers of Jerusalem.

Isa 28:24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

The LORD is using a parable, as to how he brings forth fruit out of his people. First he must break up the ground to prepare it for planting. The heart is hard and must be broken or made open, to accept the seed, the word of God that He wants to plant. Jesus spoke a parable also, about sowing seed and the different ground or hearts.

Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

The soil must be prepared and things happen to prepare our hearts to receive of the seed of God's word.

Isa 28:25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

A farmer knows where and how to plant the seed, so does our heavenly Father.

Isa 28:26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

A wise man listens to God; we are led by the Holy Spirit as to where to plant the seed of God's message. Isaiah spoke to those God wanted him to speak too and at the appointed time. Seed planted at the wrong season will not grow.

Isa 28:27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

Even the harvesting requires certain tools and abilities. I have heard that the rod and the staff refer to God's word and his spirit. Both of these are required to bring a harvest tothe master. Be not afraid to witness, for people need to be saved from hell and they need hope. The focus is on their new life.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Isa 28:28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

Bread corn requires grinding; the other instruments are not suitable to prepare it. So it is with some who must be broken and crushed before they come to the Lord.

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

I can't help but to see Jesus going before us. He was beaten and bruised for us and hung on a cross to prepare the way for us. He is the way, the truth and the life.

Isa 28:29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

This was a message from God, for Jerusalem and for us. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. This too is from Jesus, the Word of God.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Psa 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

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