The Blessings of Abundant Harvest: Proclaiming God's Goodness
August 5, 2023 - Saturday, 17th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8
What fills your heart with joy? In our episode based on Psalm 67, we are exploring the theme of harvest and its significance in the life of the Jewish community but also in our life. Enjoy
Harvest is a season filled with joy, as we gather the fruits of the earth and witness the results of our labour. It is a time when the seeds we planted long ago have grown and flourished. Although we can explain the scientific process behind it, the journey from planting to harvest remains mysterious. Jesus himself spoke of this mystery in one of his parables about God's kingdom, where the growth of the seed is unseen and inexplicable. As he said, "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 4:27-29).
In Psalm 67, the abundant harvest is celebrated as a manifestation of God's blessing upon Israel. In ancient Israel, the harvest season spanned from April to November and included various crops such as wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and honey, as mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:8. The Feast of Tabernacles was the primary festival that marked the yearly abundant harvest. During this feast, the people would rejoice and give thanks to God for His bountiful provision. As stated in Deuteronomy 16:13, they were to celebrate this feast after gathering the produce of their threshing floors and winepresses.
The abundance of the harvest served as a testament to God's mercy and favour upon Israel. Despite human labour, much depended on favourable weather conditions and timely rainfall, which were under the control of the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. In the second account of creation in Genesis 2:4b-25, it is mentioned that before vegetation grew on the earth, there was no rain because the Lord had not caused it to rain yet, and there was no man to work the ground.
By celebrating the abundant harvest, Israel not only acknowledged God's goodness but also proclaimed His creative power to all nations. They wanted other nations to recognize that what the Lord had done for Israel, He could do for them as well. Our God is not only the Lord of creation but also the Lord of history. The psalmist acknowledges that the Lord rules and guides the nations of the earth (Psalm 67:5). The psalmist hopes that all people will praise the Lord, acknowledging that He alone can bring abundant life to all.
As Christians, we have experienced abundant blessings through Jesus Christ. We have been chosen by God, transformed by His grace, and filled with His Spirit. Like the psalmist, we desire others to recognize that God has also been good to them, even if they do not yet believe in Him. We proclaim that every good gift they possess, from life to health and talents, comes from our Lord, who is the source of all goodness (Acts 14:17). Through our witness, we seek to draw others to God and see our Lord being revealed to the ends of the earth (Psalm 67:8).