The Precious Fruit of the Earth

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” — James 5:7-8

The phrase the coming of the Lord is placed like book ends around an analogy. The picture in the middle is that of a farmer who waits patiently through the early and latter rains so that his harvest ripens to full fruition. Once the harvest is ready, the farmer harvests the precious fruit of the earth. 

Since this analogy is sandwiched between the need to be patient for the coming of the Lord, the application seems clear that the Lord is here likened to a farmer waiting patiently for the rain to ready the harvest for harvesting. Jesus likened the salvation of people to a harvest and spoke of the need of laborers in the harvest (Matt. 9:38-39). Therefore, in this analogy, it seems the precious fruit of the earth refers to people who put their faith in Jesus Christ through the message of the gospel. 

What then is the early and latter rain? Both Old and New Testaments speak of the outpouring of the Spirit (Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18). This imagery is implicitly defined  as the manifestation of the presence of God that results in people knowing the Lord (Ezekiel 39:28-29).

While there is a latter rain in the prophecies concerning Israel (Zechariah 10:1), we live in the age of the Spirit which began on the day of Pentecost. Peter said that the reason for what was happening that amazing day was the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2:17-17). Some believe the former rain refers to the awakening recorded in the book of Acts and that the latter rain refers to a great time of awakening before Jesus comes to take His own with intermittent rains in between throughout the pages of history. Others take it to simply refer to the needed rain of the Spirit which awakens people to Christ. Regardless of the specific interpretation, what is clear in James 5:7-8 is that the Lord is looking for and waiting for a prepared harvest. The rain of the Spirit is key.

May we pray in faith look for the rain of the Spirit and the return of Christ!