Plenteous Harvest and Few Laborers Matthew 9:37

Matthew the apostle shared how, “they brought to” Jesus “a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casts out devils through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” In chapter nine and verse thirty-seven of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus, “said … unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few” where we read:

Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;

The verse reads, “Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, ...” Matthew began with the words, “then said he” or “at that time and moment Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto his disciples” which refers to “to His students, pupils and attendants”, “the harvest” or “the act of reaping and gathering people into the kingdom of God”“truly” or “certainly, surely and indeed” “is plenteous” which means “is large and great”. Matthew shared how Jesus directed His words toward His disciples and told them the “time of reaping people for the Kingdom of God” was exceedingly great.

The verse goes on to say, “... but the laborers are few.” Matthew continued with the word, “but” or “nevertheless, moreover and” “the laborers” which means “the workmen and toilers” “are few” or “are small in number and quantity”. Matthew shared how Jesus noted how few in number the people were who would “toil” in the “harvest”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was concerned with the “reaping” of the people in the Kingdom of God. There are so many people in the world whom God desires to “save”, and comparatively there are very few people who will “work” in the fields to bring them in. God desires to “save” people from their “sin” and allow them into His Kingdom through His Son Jesus, and He uses people to deliver His message of the “good news” that Jesus has come to “seek and to save that which was lost”. (Luke 19:10)

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus said, “pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.