Our God Knows How to Farm
Our God Knows How to Farm
by Darrel Eppler, Elder
Today’s One Year Bible reading includes Isaiah 28:14-30:11, in which God declares a series of judgments on His people in Jerusalem. In the middle of those declarations, in 28:23-29 God presents an object lesson of a farmer and his crops:
23 Listen to me;
listen, and pay close attention.
24 Does a farmer always plow and never sow?
Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?
25 Does he not finally plant his seeds—
black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—
each in its proper way,
and each in its proper place?
26 The farmer knows just what to do,
for God has given him understanding.
27 A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;
rather, it is beaten with a light stick.
A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;
instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.
28 Grain for bread is easily crushed,
so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.
He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,
but he doesn’t pulverize it.
29 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,
and he gives the farmer great wisdom.
The object lesson refers to various grains, which would be familiar to the people. The different grains are planted and harvested in different ways, each appropriate to the kind of grain it is. Ultimately, the knowledge required for successful farming comes from God. (How wonderful that the same God who is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (or the Lord of Hosts) also knows how to farm!)
So, what’s the point of the object lesson? May I suggest at least one: God knows exactly what to do to accomplish His purposes. The people of Israel were relying on human measures—reaching out to Egypt—to protect themselves, rather than trusting in God.
How does this apply to me? God knows His creation intimately, and that includes me. He knows what kinds of “grain” I’m made of, and the appropriate ways to deal with me. He teaches me what I need to know—not just for my physical life, but for my spiritual life as well—to know Him better.
I find that I regularly need to go back to God’s character and attributes—He is holy, just, good, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere all the time—in order to respond properly to whatever circumstances I’m in. The challenges I face are no problem for the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and all that’s in it!
That perspective brings true peace.
by Darrel Eppler, Elder
Today’s One Year Bible reading includes Isaiah 28:14-30:11, in which God declares a series of judgments on His people in Jerusalem. In the middle of those declarations, in 28:23-29 God presents an object lesson of a farmer and his crops:
23 Listen to me;
listen, and pay close attention.
24 Does a farmer always plow and never sow?
Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?
25 Does he not finally plant his seeds—
black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—
each in its proper way,
and each in its proper place?
26 The farmer knows just what to do,
for God has given him understanding.
27 A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;
rather, it is beaten with a light stick.
A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;
instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.
28 Grain for bread is easily crushed,
so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.
He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,
but he doesn’t pulverize it.
29 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,
and he gives the farmer great wisdom.
The object lesson refers to various grains, which would be familiar to the people. The different grains are planted and harvested in different ways, each appropriate to the kind of grain it is. Ultimately, the knowledge required for successful farming comes from God. (How wonderful that the same God who is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (or the Lord of Hosts) also knows how to farm!)
So, what’s the point of the object lesson? May I suggest at least one: God knows exactly what to do to accomplish His purposes. The people of Israel were relying on human measures—reaching out to Egypt—to protect themselves, rather than trusting in God.
How does this apply to me? God knows His creation intimately, and that includes me. He knows what kinds of “grain” I’m made of, and the appropriate ways to deal with me. He teaches me what I need to know—not just for my physical life, but for my spiritual life as well—to know Him better.
I find that I regularly need to go back to God’s character and attributes—He is holy, just, good, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere all the time—in order to respond properly to whatever circumstances I’m in. The challenges I face are no problem for the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and all that’s in it!
That perspective brings true peace.
Recent
Archive
2026
February
May
June
2025
February
March
June
July
August
October
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
March
No Comments