In the book of John chapter 4, verse 35, Jesus says, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest,” and continues to say in Matthew 9: 37-38,“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” The Church era is the ‘harvest time’. The harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God.
The 2000 years of the church age is the time Jesus says of ‘building His temple’ – the temple of His body, and then He will raise it up on the third day! The Harvest time will come to a close – then what follows?
In the book of Genesis chapter 41, we see a startling story of where Joseph interprets a dream for the Pharaoh of a ‘7 year’ harvest of plenty. But this is then followed by a ‘7 year’ severe famine period. There are many patterns to this story of what was and what is to come after the church age – the golden harvest period. There is the picture of redemption for the brothers of Joseph, who came to him, the one they rejected and left for dead. Joseph, received them, forgave them and supplied food and brought them to come and live with him. A picture of the people of Israel, those who rejected one of their own – Jesus for dead but will cry out in the forthcoming ‘tribulation famine period’ to be saved. Jesus, of course will receive them and His name will be glorified.
But an interesting closure to the story sees Joseph having acquired a wife. It says in chapter 41 verse 50, – “Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him.” Before the year of famine came……Joseph had married an Egyptian, a Gentile bride. And before the ‘tribulation of the famine’ came, she was safe with her husband. Therefore, will the true espoused bride of Christ’ be with Jesus before the tribulation period?
In the meantime, we are still in the harvest period. Let us be praying to the Lord of the harvest to send more workers to the harvest fields and ourselves continue to be witnesses of the good news of Jesus Christ!
