Agriculture in Israel | Biblical History
In ancient Israel, agriculture was critical to the nation’s spiritual and physical existence. The Lord used agriculture in Israel to establish a framework and relationship between the people, the land, and Himself.
Numerous biblical accounts depict the land as a place that was lush and green but would suffer if Israel did not steward it according to God’s Word, which included taking dominion of it.
Over time, the land of milk and honey would become fields that perished. But the Bible says that it would bloom again…
A Land of Milk and Honey
“Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.”—Deuteronomy 11:8-15 (emphasis added)
The Fields Perish
“Hear this, you elders, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!… Be ashamed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine has dried up, and the fig tree has withered…”—Joel 1:2, 11-12 (emphasis added)
Ultimately, the agricultural practices of the Hebrew nation reflected…
- Their divine inheritance
- Their divine call of stewardship
- God’s ultimate sovereignty and ownership over everything
- The intended blessings God wanted to pour upon His people when they took dominion of the land
God also gave them instructions for keeping the land healthy once they took control. This led to abundant production and prosperity in the land, exhibiting God’s faithfulness and goodness to the surrounding nations.
Moreover, God also told the Israelites how valuable trees and land were in general. The Lord intended agriculture and dominion to go hand-in-hand, benefiting the nation.
- “When you besiege a city for a long time, while making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; if you can eat of them, do not cut them down to use in the siege, for the tree of the field is man’s food.”—Deuteronomy 20:19
Agriculture in Israel, particularly trees and orchards, was a symbol of peace, nourishment, abundance, provision, and protection.
Agriculture in Israel | Destiny and Prophetic Fulfillment
Though agriculture in Israel is now only a part of their growing economy, it plays a significant role in the nation’s prophetic fulfillment and destiny.
Over generations and wars, the nutrient-rich land was left dry and dusty, just as predicted.
Little is Gathered
“You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. Locusts shall consume all your trees and the produce of your land.”—Deuteronomy 28:38-42 (emphasis added)
Even Mark Twain Calls the Land “Worthless”
“…desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse… We never saw a human being on the whole route… Hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil had almost deserted the country.” (Excerpt from The Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain 1867; emphasis added.)
God promises that the once barren and dry land will bloom and begin to produce again.
- “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;”—Isaiah 35:1
- “Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord God… “But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come.”’”—Ezekiel 36:6,8
The dry time has come when the land is beginning to bloom again!
Recent Agriculture in Israel Points to Prophetic Fulfillment
A family—the Golans—are on a mission to carry on a farming legacy. They have partnered with My Olive Tree to plant olive trees in the Negev. They want to see the fulfillment of agriculture in Israel thrive.
For three generations, this has been their dream, to see the land come to life, but they don’t want to simply sit on the sidelines and watch. This family wants to actually do the work to fulfill the prophecy!
Just as Amos 9:11-12 says…
- “‘On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’ says the Lord who does this thing.’” (emphasis added)
The Gentiles have a role in this prophecy coming to pass. Those who are called by the Lord’s name are to assist in the rebuilding and repair of the land. How do you assist? How is this Israeli family fulfilling prophecy today?
Click here to read their whole story….
Numerous biblical accounts depict the land as a place that was lush and green but would suffer if Israel did not steward it according to God’s Word, which included taking dominion of it.
Over time, the land of milk and honey would become fields that perished. But the Bible says that it would bloom again…
So would it?
The question now is, “How IS it blooming again?”
Amos 9:11-12 explains that the Gentiles have a role in this prophecy coming to pass. Those who are called by the Lord’s name are to assist in the rebuilding and repair of the land.
Discover how this is happening today…