Sowing & Reaping
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Corn is an amazing crop. It can be used for a number of things from food to fuel. But one of the amazing things that corn teaches us is the law of sowing and reaping.
First it teaches us that...
We Reap WHAT We Sow
We Reap WHAT We Sow
When we plant kernels of corn into the soil we expect to reap corn. If we want to reap beans, we plant beans. If we want to reap potatoes, we plant the eyes of the potatoes. If we want to reap strawberries, we plant the seeds of the strawberries. If we want to reap corn then we plant the kernels from the ear of corn. We reap WHAT we sow.
The second principle we learn is...
We Reap LATER than we Sow
We Reap LATER than we Sow
Once the corn is sowed it takes between 90-120 days (3-4 months) for it to be ready to harvest. The seed has to germinate, break through the soil, grow and mature during that time.
Farming does not produce IMMEDIATE results. Sowing and reaping is a process that takes time. We reap LATER than we sow.
A third thing we learn from corn is this...
We Reap MORE than we Sow
We Reap MORE than we Sow
One kernel of corn produces between 1 and 2 ears of corn per stalk. Each of these ears contain an average of 600 kernels…that means that one kernel has the potential of producing 1200 kernels!
That means that ONE EAR of corn that has 600 kernels has the potential to produce around 360,000 kernels of corn. Let that sink in a moment…We reap MORE than we sow.
The principle of sowing and reaping can be a beautifully WONDERFUL principle when one sows the right seeds. The principle of sowing and reaping can be a DEVASTATING principle when one sows the wrong seeds. Which seeds do you think Israel and Judah were sowing during Hosea’s lifetime?
Exactly…they were sowing the wrong seeds. Let’s be reminded of some of the seeds they had been sowing.
God said through the prophet Hosea:
They made kings, but not through me.
They set up princes, but I knew it not.
With their silver and gold they made idols
for their own destruction.
They had disregarded the counsel of the Lord. That’s a BAD SEED to plant. They had chosen political leaders based upon what they thought was best for them, rather than seeking God’s plan and approval.
They also took the silver and gold that God had blessed them with and used it to make idols to bow down and worship.
They took God’s gifts, and rather than use them for His glory, they took them and make idols out of them to worship.
They were guilty of what the Apostle Paul said in Romans:
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Those are bad seeds to plant. They made idols for their own destruction (v. 4b). They were deceived into thinking that the idols would bring fertility and blessing. Instead the idols they built would be the very thing that would lead to their downfall.
But that’s the way sin and idolatry is. They promise so much, but they never, ultimately deliver. They promise freedom, only to lead to bondage. They promise hope, only to lead to despair. They promise peace, only to lead to turmoil.
They made idols for their own destruction!
God wanted them to clearly understand the principle of SOWING AND REAPING. Notice what He told them...
For they sow the wind,
and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads;
it shall yield no flour;
if it were to yield,
strangers would devour it.
Israel had sown the “wind.” Wind in the OT Scriptures often represents FUTILITY and VANITY. What do you get if you plant the seeds of “wind.” Wind doesn’t grow anything. Can you imagine going into a field and going through the motions of scattering seed, but in reality you are just throwing imaginary seeds into the wind. That’s what their idolatry amounted to!
It was VAIN and it was FUTILE. Praying to the false “gods” for fertility and blessing was like planting the “wind.” But God said that they would REAP a harvest!
They had planted the “wind” and they were going to reap the “whirlwind.”
WHIRLWINDS, TORNADOES, for lack of a better word are DESTRUCTIVE! Remember they thought by worshipping these idols they were going to BENEFIT.
They thought they were planting SEEDS OF SELF-PRESERVATION but in reality they were planting SEEDS OF SELF-DESTRUCTION!
They were planting seeds that were WORTHLESS and INSUBSTANTIAL and God was going to “REPAY THEM WITH INTEREST.”
This principle of sowing and reaping was repeated by the Apostle Paul in...
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 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.
Paul reminded the Galatian church that God is not mocked! No one can turn his/her nose up at God and think they can SOW to the wind, SOW WORTHLESS seeds, and not reap a harvest!
Listen dear friend, to some degree EACH SOWER DECIDES WHAT THEIR HARVEST IS GOING TO BE!
If you “sow to the wind” your harvest will FADE INTO OBLIVION! If you sow to the Spirit you will reap a harvest that will last FOREVER!
We also see the three principles mentioned earlier in Hosea’s prophecy...
We Reap WHAT we Sow
We Reap WHAT we Sow
They sowed the “wind” they are going to reap a type of “wind”…the whirlwind.
We Reap LATER than we Sow
We Reap LATER than we Sow
Hosea said “THEY SHALL.” In other words the HARVEST is coming at a FUTURE date. It may be delayed, but it’s COMING!
We Reap MORE than we Sow
We Reap MORE than we Sow
They sowed the “wind” they are going to reap the “WHIRLWIND.”
But it’s important to note that the principle of sowing and reaping is not just negative…it is also very POSITIVE!
God says more about the positive principle of sowing and reaping in the 10th Chapter…In the BLEAK realities of Israel’s and Judah’s sins, God once again PROVIDES a GLIMMER of hope! God once again lets them know there is an answer to their dilemma...
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
You have plowed iniquity;
you have reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in the multitude of your warriors,
Even though they have been sowing FUTILITY and EMPTINESS, even though they have been sowing the WEEDS of idolatry, God lets them know it’s not too late to begin sowing NEW seeds!
Do you remember the controversy God had with Israel and Judah? I told you about it in
Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
and no knowledge of God in the land;
They had replaced these things with wickedness, injustice and idolatry. That’s the seeds they had been planting…planting seeds of wickedness, injustice and idolatry. Imagine the HARVEST that was on its way!
But God lets them know there are NEW seeds they can plant and as a result they can reap a BETTER harvest than what’s coming...
He encourages them to plant seeds of “RIGHTEOUSNESS.” The idea of RIGHTEOUSNESS is the idea of the righteousness that flows from God. It’s not a man-made righteousness, or a man-made standard, but it’s the righteousness that comes from God Himself that flows through those who know Him.
As a result they would reap God’s “unfailing love.” This unfailing love refers to God’s LOYALTY. In spite of all the sins they had committed against God, in spite of the spiritual adultery and idolatry they had been guilty of, God wants to demonstrate to them HIS LOYALTY and HIS LOVE!
He also commands them to “break up their fallow ground.” The “soil” of their hearts had been idle and as a result had grown hardened. In order to prepare for the new seeds and a new harvest, it was important for them to once again prepare their hearts and lives to receive the right seeds and as a result prepare for a great harvest!
How do they do that? By SEEKING THE LORD!
Again, not seeking the BENEFITS and the BLESSINGS of the Lord, but rather seeking the LORD HIMSELF! It is time for them to quit PURSUING their own way and plans and it is time for them to seek GOD, His way and His plans!
How about you? You can’t go back and change the seeds you’ve planted in the past. But what about the seeds you are planting TODAY and TOMORROW?
The farmer cannot just live for TODAY! He’s always thinking about tomorrow. He’s thinking about cultivating the soil to get ready for the seed. He’s thinking about planting the seed, fertilizing the seed, and watering the seed to get ready for a harvest. As he’s reaping the harvest for this season, he begins to look ahead next season, realizing that he has to be a good steward of the land if he wants a harvest for years to come.
GO BACK TO THE CORN...
You and I must do the same. Jesus may come back tomorrow, but what if His return is 20, 30, 40…100 years from now?
We must remember...
Every decision you make is a SEED you plant!
When you LOSE CONTROL with your children or your spouse, you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you READ GOD’S WORD with your family, you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When your FINANCIAL DECISIONS are borne out of SELF-CENTEREDNESS you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you GIVE CHEERFULLY and GENEROUSLY you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you LOOK WITH LUST upon a woman or look at pornography you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you TEACH YOUR BOYS to treat women with respect and honor as individuals created in the image of God, you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you neglect fellowship with other believers you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
When you come together with God’s people, filled with the Sprit, ready to receive God’s Word with a humble spirit, you are planting a seed and preparing for a harvest.
Are YOU planting the “wind.” Are you planting worthless, meaningless, futile seeds? Are you planting WEEDS and THORNS…that will grow up and choke out any fruitful harvest that you have coming?
Or are you planting GOOD SEED, HEALTHY SEED?
If you are planting meaningless seeds today or weeds today I BEG OF YOU TO STOP and let God exchange the wind and the weeds for good seed.
If you are planting good seed today…don’t give up, don’t get discouraged, don’t get distracted because we have the promise...
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
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