God is a Farmer

 

God is a Farmer

Adam was created in the image of God

Genesis1:27- 30

 And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.   And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.' 

And God saith, 'Lo, I have given to you every herb sowing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree sowing seed, to you it is for food; 

and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to every creeping thing on the earth, in which is breath of life, every green herb is for food:' and it is so. 

Adam was created to till the earth

To TEND and to DRESS

If Adam is indeed a farmer (tiller of the earth) which he is and He was created in the image and likeness of God, which He also is, then the best representation of God is a farmer in the most complete sense. Many of the principles of the Kingdom of God follow the principles of Farming. God loves to prosper people with good farming and grazing land, He increases according to multiplication, not addition. He follows seed time and harvest. Seed reproduces according to its kind; God shares meals with people a lot. The Feasts are harvest Festivals aligned with harvest seasons in Israel.

 

To Tend and Keep

Genesis 2:15

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

God set man in the garden to work, serve, till, be a husbandman, guard, protect and preserve the garden.

To tend (dress):  Strongs H5647 – 290 times  ʻâbad, aw-bad'; a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.:—× be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,

So : to work in any sense, to serve, to till, to be a husbandman, to be a worshipper

To keep:  Strongs H8104   - 440 times  shâmar, shaw-mar'; a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:—beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

So: to guard, to protect, to attend to, to mark, to observe, to preserve, to regard, to reserve, to save.

So Adam was created toprotect, attend to , observe and preserve every single thing on the earth the God created. This includes every animal and their relationships with each other as well all plant and vegetative organisms. This is not authority as a dictator removed from relationship but pretty much the opposite.  In Genesiswe are told that every day of creation was "good" but on the sixth day when He created Man. He called it "very good". The rest of creation was not made in God's image, but Adam was.

Adam was delegated to be a farmer just like God is.

               The image of God is to be a farmer.

                   There was no one to till the earth until God created man.

Gen 2:5  before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown.  For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;

               This is figurative and physical.

• God commissioned them to be fruitful and multiply. This is how a farmer works. God’s Kingdom is based on multiplication not addition.

• Sow seed, reap a harvest. As a man sows so shall he reap. Sow to the flesh, reap of the flesh. Sow to the Spirit, reap spiritual rewards.

• As you sow, so shall you reap –

Galations 6:6-10  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  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. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

• Seed time and harvest – God’s promise AFTER the Flood He promises farming principles will not stop

Gen 8:22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." ESV

• A seed always bears after its own kind,

Galations 6:6-10 Wheat and tares. Tares resemble wheat until the harvest – many things resemble righteous living until they begin to actually bear fruit (the harvest)

Genesis 1:11,1

                   http://thinkgodly.com/Seed%20After%20Its%20Own%20Kind.htm

Begin quote:

Seed After Its Own Kind

And God said, Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so. Genesis 1:24

Man does not think of himself as seed or the planting of the Lord but man was formed out of the dust of the earth and then God put him in the Garden of Eden. We may not understand why but in many ways the bible tells us about the seed principle. As a man of God we understand that the children we propagate is the only way that man bears seed after its own kind.  Yet God planted man in the Garden of Eden as seed to harvest at the end of the age.

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Genesis 8:22

As it turns out the seedtime and harvest is a basic principle to God’s overall plan for mankind. By the same token Jesus spoke about himself of being a kernel of wheat. He became the kernel that died on the cross of Calvary to produce a harvestable crop of Christlike men and women.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

His death on the cross drew many to him asking for the forgiveness of sin that allowed them to become a child of God.  Jesus was the firstborn seed of all those born by the father’s choice as the saints of God. Those who believe sprout and grow into the image and likeness of Christ and they too will produce additional seed after their own kind. Jesus said his seed would grow among the seed of another kind but both would be harvested at the same time.

"The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.  They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:37-43

Jesus is saying God will harvest the earth in the near future and man is the fruit of the earth. It’s no secret, God is building a kingdom of kings and priests and the future citizens of heaven will be filled by men and women found worthy of eternal life. Man may not think of himself as seed however God placed him in the Garden of Eden and as men we will produce both physical and spiritual seed after our own kind.

While it’s not written in stone, the life we have here on earth is not only a testing ground but a place to mature for the coming age. God knew that mankind was determined to live life as he saw fit but his thoughts and ways were in opposition to the life God desired in his kingdom. To fulfill the needs of God’s kingdom God wants mankind to renew his mind so he may become the image and likeness of Christ.

By renewing our minds, we become able to test and approve God’s will to specifically learn how to live in the coming age. Once we learn to live according to the Spirit we begin to sow the seed for the kingdom of God. The question has been asked.

How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come? How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies 1 Corinthians 15:35-36

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Your seed produce from your thoughts and actions should produce a harvest our Lord and Savior desires.  The bible reveals that we need to take part in the precious promises to avoid falling prey to the desires of our flesh.  If we are to plant our body as seed, our life must be sown to please our father in heaven.

God created Adam and Eve without sin.  Shouldn’t God expect to harvest his fruit without sin? Everything God created was commanded to produce after its own kind. However, Adam sinned and God still wants his creation to escape the bondage of sin passed on to us through Adam.

That the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8:21

The fall of mankind was a thoughtless act on the part of Adam and Eve But their act of disobedience created the seed of the sinful nature that man has to overcome. Thank God, God has a plan for mankind that will liberate him from sin. That plan requires for man to partner with God and work together taking part in God’s plan of salvation to reshape the way we think.

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. Matthew 13:41

Since no sin will be tolerated in Heaven we must live our lives so we are found spotless, blameless and at peace with God on that day 2 Peter 3:14. God’s objective is to harvest mankind in the same condition as he created Adam – without sin.

To sin or not to sin is a choice that mankind makes every day of his life. Those who choose not to sin have to discipline their life to shun evil. When you think about what God expects of man God wants people who are willing to discipline their lives to love one another so they serve the best interest of God and his fellow man.

The only way you can discipline your life to avoid evil is to make Jesus Lord of your life.  When you love and obey Jesus Christ as Lord, God will empower you to live an upright life before him. In the same way knowing God the father and Jesus Christ is the way to eternal life John 17:3 for Jesus said, blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28.

Look at your children and you will see something that resembles you and after a lifetime you will see the character you taught them. Devote your life to resemble Jesus Christ and your heavenly father will recognize your character and you as his son.

End Quote

• Sow sparingly, reap sparingly

But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. The Living Bible

• Jesus (who is God) Characterized himself as a different kind of seed.

John 12:24   Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. KJV

He was born of a woman (at just the right time), she was along the line of Adam and Eve who lost the life of God when they decided to doubt Him (yea has God said). Mary was approached by a messenger, and she freely and immediately gave her permission to mother a child without a son of Adam father. This new person was “fathered” by the Holy Spirit (who is God) so he became a whole new line of seed. Seed produces after its own kind. Seed time and harvest remain as long as the days on earth remain.

Jesus would be the only human remaining alone unless He died.

 This is farming. He planted Himself in the ground (died) so He could multiply Himself.

God never revoked the death penalty for doubting His purpose for mankind (Yea has God said) but He did provide a different type of seed (Jesus the son of man) so  that if you die to yourself, you can live with Christ in this new form of life.

Galations 2:19-21 "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."  NASU

 Abram was a grain farmer

God gave Abram wisdom in raising grain at the age of 14 years old -

Abraham was a farmer – he invented a grain drill and saved many people from starvation. Jubilees 11:17-24tt

Isaac planted in a drought/famine and received 100 fold in one year because he learned from his father. Genesis 26:12 This is the wisdom of God – He prospers us and blesses us through farming wisdom.

The promised land was suitable for sheep and grain

                   The promised land was good farming land. Good for grazing, good for crops.

Begin quote:

Fundamental to the Abrahamic covenant is the promise of a good land for the patriarch’s seed (Gen. 12:1–3; 15; 17:1–8). In context, the promise of land referred first to the land of Canaan (17:8), the territory of which corresponds roughly to the borders of the modern nation-state of Israel. The Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy), frequently mentions this land, and it is a foretaste of the inheritance promised to God’s church (Rev. 21:1–4).

Scripture is full of references to Canaan as a “good land,” one “flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:7–8). Our passage for today’s study characterizes Canaan in this way, emphasizing the agricultural bounty that the Israelites would find once they took possession of the land (Deut. 8:7–10). In comparison to the wilderness wanderings that Moses recalls earlier in Deuteronomy 8, the land of Canaan was indeed a land of plenty, a land where the grain of the fields and fruit of the trees were more than enough to satisfy the needs of the hungry nation. The wilderness had been a time of scarcity, a period in which the Israelites lived almost entirely on manna (vv. 1–6). Yet as Israel dwelt in Canaan and obeyed Yahweh, the true creator God, the people would enjoy a wide variety of foods and resources.

It is important to note the emphasis on obedience in Deuteronomy 8, especially His call for gratitude in verse 10. The Lord knew that a wealthy and satisfied people might quickly forget that their abundance was a gift of God, and so they were to “bless” the Lord for His gifts — they were to praise Him for His generosity and thank Him for His kindness. Such gratitude would help ensure that they would remember God and keep His covenant (vv. 11–20; Jer. 18:15).

As an illustration of how thankfulness promotes a God-honoring lifestyle we may turn to the following quote from the pen of John Milton, the celebrated English poet: “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” If we thank God, we will revere Him, and such reverence will help us look at all of life as that which we are to live coram Deo — before the Lord’s face in a way that pleases Him, with no reason to be ashamed.

Coram Deo

In Romans 1:18–32, Paul locates humanity’s most basic sin in our refusal as fallen creatures to honor God “or give thanks to him.” Lack of gratitude for all of God’s blessings is the first step toward idolatry, and the more we have the easier it can be to forget that all we have comes from the Lord’s hand. Spend some time today thanking God for His blessings and always endeavor to acknowledge that your success is due ultimately to His kindness.

© Ligonier Ministries March 4,2010. Used by permission of Ligonier Ministries. Source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/promised-land/

End Quote

Deuteronomy  8:6-10

"Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 7 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 "When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

NASU

                   A land of milk and honey

-

Offerings and sacrifices are basically sharing food and harvest with God as a special meal together.

                   Tithing is the tenth given to God that represents the whole.

                   First fruits is the first part that releases all of the rest of the harvest

       Sometimes the tenth was eaten with God. God’s portion was consumed, the people actually ate the meal. God is not looking for food, He is looking for honor.          

First fruits is holy  - Romans  11:16  For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.  NKJV

A big part of covenant living is eating together, God the Farmer shares food.

                   Jesus always shared and provided food.

• 1^st miracle – creating wine from water at a wedding John 2:1-11
• Feeding of the 5 000 - In John 6:1-14 Jesus wanted the disciples to feed a large crowd. They said it would be impossible. But, a boy with them had five small loaves of bread and two small fish. Jesus takes this gift, thanks God for it, and uses it to feed over 5,000 people, with leftovers to spare!
• Jesus ate fish with his disciples in his resurrected body Luke 24:37-49

                   The last act of making Covenant is eating together.

• Bread and wine – communion meal
• Passover meal has bread and wine communion meal included in the seder

Genesis 8:22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." ESV

God is a Farmer!

Farming Parables Illustrate Kingdom Principles

• Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20

Matt 13:1-23

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

KJV

• Weeds among the wheat Matthew 13:24-30

Matt 13:24-30

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 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.

KJV

Matt 13:36-53

36 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.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 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;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

KJV

• Mustard Seed Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-34

Matt 13:31-32

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

KJV

• Hidden Treasure Matthew 13:44

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

KJV

• Lost Sheep Matthew 18:10-14
• Laborers in a Vineyard Matthew 20:16
• Tenant Farmers Matthew 21:33-45, Mark 12:1-12
• Budding Fig Tree Matthew 24:32-35, Mark 13:28-33
• Barren Fig Tree Luke 13:6-9
• The Growing Seed Mark 4:26-29

Farming is multiplication, God thinks in multiplication, not addition.

  Do you think that way?

                   Thirty-fold, sixty-fold, one hundred fold

                   Isaac – during a famine

       Gen 26:1-6 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." 6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar   NKJV

 

Gen 26:12-15

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; 14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.  NKJV

Parable of the Sower

Matt 13:3-9

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"   NKJV

Matt 13:18-23 The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15)

18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.  20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."  NKJV

 

Sowing and reaping.

This too is farming language. God as a farmer is not just an interesting aspect of who He is, It is completely and utterly who and what He is.

                   As a man sows so shall he reap. We are sowing even if we think we are not. No exemptions.

Weeds come up because of the curse on the land – the result of Adam’s rejection of God's purpose, He was given charge to tend and to keep. To name and order. To "Name" denotes authority and position.

Sowing:

Leviticus 26:5

5 And your threshing [time] shall reach to the vintage and the vintage [time] shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. AMP

Isaiah 28:24

24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continue to plow and harrow the ground after it is smooth?  AMP

Mark 4:4

4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. AMP

2 Corinthians 9:10

10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. [Isa 55:10; Hos 10:12.] AMP

Sows:

Proverbs 11:18

18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.  ESV

Proverbs 22:8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.  ESV

Amos 9:13

13 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed;

 the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.ESV

Matthew 13:37

 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ESV

Mark 4:14

  The sower sows the word. ESV

John 4:37

  For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' ESV

2 Corinthians 9:6

The Cheerful Giver-  The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ESV

Galatians 6:7

  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ESV

Galatians 6:8

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ESV

 

Sow

Genesis 47:23

23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. ESV

Exodus 23:16

16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. ESV

Leviticus 25:4

4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. ESV

Leviticus 25:11

11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. ESV

Leviticus 25:20

20 And if you say, 'What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?' ESV

Leviticus 25:22

22  When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.

ESV

Leviticus 26:16

16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. ESV

2 Kings 19:29

29 "And this shall be the sign for you: this year eat what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs of the same. Then in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. ESV

Psalms 126:5

5  Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! ESV

Jeremiah 31:27

27  "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. ESV

Matthew 6:26

 26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ESV

Matthew 13:27

 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' ESV

Matthew 25:24

 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ESV

Luke 8:5

5  "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. ESV

1 Corinthians 15:36

36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ESV

1 Corinthians 15:37

37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. ESV

 

There is a time for every season

Ecclessiastes 3:1-5

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

ESV

Land that drinks rain from heaven – Heb 6

Heb 6:7-8

 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. ESV

Isaiah 55

8“For my thoughts about mercy^[n] are not like your thoughts,
    and my ways are different from yours.
⁹ As high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so my ways and my thoughts are higher than yours.
¹⁰ “As the snow and rain that fall from heaven^[o]
    do not return until they have accomplished their purpose,
    soaking the earth and causing it to sprout with new life,
    providing seed to sow and bread to eat.
¹¹ So also will be the word^[p] that I speak;
    it does not return to me unfulfilled.^[q]
    My word performs my purpose
    and fulfills the mission I sent it out to accomplish.”^[r]

[o] – footnote: In the language of biblical metaphor, snow is a picture of mercy blanketing the earth. Rain is a frequent symbol of revelation-teaching that soaks the heart (soil) and makes us fruitful. Note the seven terms for God’s Word in vv. 8–10: thoughts, ways, snow, rain, water, seed, bread. These same terms can be used to describe the Lord Jesus. He is the seed of the woman, living bread, the way and the life that sprouts in us. He is the Word that was sent (as our Apostle, Heb. 3:1), and he will not return to heaven without accomplishing all God’s pleasure.

12 For you will leave your exile with joy^[s]
    and be led^[t] home wrapped in peace.
    The mountains and hills in front of you will burst into singing
    and the trees of the field will applaud!^[u]
13 Cypress trees will flourish where there were only thorns^[v] thorns are a symbol of the curse of sin.
    and myrtle trees instead of nettles.^[w]
    These will stand as a testimony to Yahweh’s renown,
    everlasting signs^[x] that will not be cut off.

[v] – footnote:  Isaiah 55:13 Thorns are a symbol of the curse of sin.

 See Gen. 3:18 ¹⁷ Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
¹⁸ Both thorns and thistles it shall ^[f]bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.

; Matt. 27:29 (crown of thorns);

 Gal. 3:13-14. ¹³ Yet, Christ paid the full price to set us free from the curse of the law. He absorbed the curse completely as he became a curse in our place. For it is written:

“Everyone who is hung upon a tree is cursed.”^[a]

 [w] – footnote:  Isaiah 55:13 There is a hint of the Lord Jesus in these trees. Jesus is the blessed man who is like a tree (Ps. 1); he replaces the briars and thorns of our flesh with the flourishing tree of life in us.

[x] – footnote:   Isaiah 55:13 Or “memorial (as a reminder).”

Psalms of man and creation

[a] The Tree of Life - The Genesis Psalms – Psalms 1

1 What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways!^[b]
    He won’t walk in step with the wicked,
    nor share the sinner’s way,
    nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.
² His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,”
    meditating day and night^[c] on the true revelation of light.^[d]
3 He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree
    planted^[e] by God’s design,
    deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss,
    bearing fruit in every season of life.
    He is never dry, never fainting,
    ever blessed, ever prosperous.^[f]
4 But how different are the wicked.
    They are like chaff^[g] blown away by the wind.
⁵ The wicked will not endure the day of judgment,
    for God will not defend them.
    Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long,
    for they have no part with those who walk in truth.
⁶ But how different it is for the righteous!
    The Lord embraces their paths as they move forward
    while the way of the wicked leads only to doom.

Footnotes

1. 1 Although we cannot be sure, it is possible that Ezra compiled the Psalms and wrote Ps. 1 as an “introduction” to the Psalter. Others believe Ps. 1 was written by David or Jeremiah.
2. 1:1 Psalm 1 is the contrast of those who follow God’s ways with those who choose their own path. Read through this psalm with the purpose of learning how to live with God in the first place.
3. 1:2 To meditate on the revelation of light day and night means to meditate 24/7 on what is good and delightful. However, day signifies a period of enlightenment (Eph. 1:18) and night signifies a period of obscurity. Both when we have the light of insight and when we seem to be in the dark, meditation is the key to unlock the revelation of God.
4. 1:2 Or “Torah.” From Ps. 1 we learn that the righteous and the wicked are distinguished by what they delight in.
5. 1:3 Or “transplanted.” That is, God planted our lives from where we were into a place of blessing. See Ps. 92:13–14.
6. 1:3 The metaphors found in this verse can be paraphrased as “No matter what he sets out to do, he brings it to a successful conclusion.”
7. 1:4 Chaff is lifeless, only a shell without the kernel. Chaff depicts a life without the truth of Christ. See Ps. 35:5–6.
8.  

Our Resurrection Body

Our Resurrection Body  -  1 Corinthians 15: 35 - 45

³⁵ I can almost hear someone saying, “How can the dead come back to life? And what kind of body will they have when they are resurrected?” ³⁶ Foolish man! Don’t you know that what you sow in the ground doesn’t germinate unless it dies? ³⁷ And what you sow is not the body that will come into being, but the bare seed. And it’s hard to tell whether it’s wheat or some other seed. ³⁸ But when it dies, God gives it a new form, a body to fulfill his purpose, and he sees to it that each seed gets a new body of its own and becomes the plant he designed it to be.^[ad]

³⁹ All flesh is not identical. Animals have one flesh and human beings another. Birds have their distinct flesh and fish another. ⁴⁰ In the same way there are earthly bodies and heavenly bodies. There is a splendor of the celestial body and a different one for the earthly. ⁴¹ There is the radiance of the sun and differing radiance for the moon and for the stars. Even the stars differ in their shining. ⁴² And that’s how it will be with the resurrection of the dead.

⁴³ The body is “sown” in decay, but will be raised in immortality. It is “sown” in humiliation, but will be raised in glorification.^{[ae] 44} It is “sown” in weakness but will be raised in power. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ For it is written:

The first man, Adam, became a living soul.^[af]

The last Adam^[ag] became the life-giving Spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual didn’t come first. The natural precedes the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was from the dust of the earth; the second Man is Yahweh,^[ah] from the realm of heaven.^{[ai] 48} The first one, made from dust, has a race of people just like him, who are also made from dust. The One sent from heaven has a race of heavenly people who are just like him. ⁴⁹ Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us^[aj] carry the likeness of the man of heaven.^[ak

Footnotes:

[ad] 15:38 Paul is teaching us of the resurrected body every believer will one day possess. Our bodies will then be perfect, renewed, transformed, indestructible, and not limited to the laws of nature. We will never get sick and never experience death again. We will still have our personalities as individuals but without any hint of sin. See Phil. 3:21.  –

Philippians 3:21

²¹ who will transform our humble bodies^[a] and transfigure us into the identical likeness of his glorified body.^[b] And using his matchless power, he continually subdues everything to himself.^[c]  Footnotes 3:21 Or “the body of our humility.”3:21 Or “the body of his glory.”3:21 The Aramaic can be translated “everyone is in submission to him.”

[ae] 15:43 The Aramaic can be translated “They are buried in agony, but raised in glory.”

[af]  15:45 See Gen. 2:7.

[ag]  15:45 The last Adam is Jesus Christ. As the last Adam, he ended Adam’s race and began a new species of humans who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and carry the life of Christ within them.

[ah]  15:47 As translated from the Aramaic.

[ai]  15:47 In God’s eyes there are only two men, Adam and Christ. Every human being is a copy of one or the other. To be in Adam is to be lost and merely human, but to be in Christ is to be wrapped into the Anointed One as one who carries the life of Christ within.

[aj]  15:49 The Aramaic word can be translated either “let us” or “we shall.” This may explain the variation among Greek manuscripts.

[ak] 15:49 That is, just as Jesus now has an earthly body transformed into a spiritual body, so we will have our bodies transformed into heavenly bodies.

 

All the Feasts are in seasons of harvest

• Passover – Barley Harvest, Shavout – Wheat Harvest, Tabernacles – Fruit Harvest

The Appointed times festivals are all aligned with harvest seasons in Israel.