The Middle of Harvest (Matthew 13:6)

Matthew 13:6 says, "... and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away."

Some words seem insignificant, and almost trivial to the point of wondering why they even exist in the scriptural text. Yet, some of these seemingly insignificant words contain often powerful principles in visual imagery.

The picture here is of the seed that was sown on "rock" and immediately sprung up, but when the sun came up, it was "scorched", and withered away.

SCORCHED 

This word does not just refer to the uncomfortable annoyance of the sun, but rather to the intense heat of a very hot and humid climate, where prolonged exposure could literally kill a person if they didn't find some form of relief or shelter from the sun.

The word comes from a group of words referring to fire, and means "to burn with heat". This is  a heat that can be destructive.

Interestingly, the word is only used 12 times in the OT [LXX], and 4 times in the NT. Fully half of all these references refer to sowing and harvest. The heat was the most extreme during harvest, but that brutal heat, was also the extra required to bring the plants, that had plenty of moisture,  to their fullest potential for harvest.

INTENSE HEAT

In other words, in the time of intense, potentially destructive heat, the laborers, would be in the fields, bringing in the harvest, just as fast as they could, trying to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, while at the same time reaping the fruit of the seed that was sown.

When Jesus interpreted this parable for His disciples, He said, that the "scorching" heat represented tribulation and persecution. (Matt.13:21).

No one likes pain, or truthfully, discomfort of any kind, but the reality is that we all go through pain and suffering to varying degrees, throughout our lives. The scripture clearly teaches that suffering for something that is self-inflicted offers no reward, but suffering for Christ, has tremendous benefit. (1 Peter 4:12-16)

[NOTE: This IS NOT a reference to sickness and disease, but to persecution and tribulation - internal and external resistance to the plan and purposes of God].

The inspirational revelation to be found in this visual imagery, is that when you are confronted with intense opposition to what you are trying to do for God, DO NOT assume that it must not be God's will. In reality, the most intensely resisted purposes of God yield the greatest harvest.

If you are in the middle of conflict; being bombarded on every side; and it seems like all of hell is against you, then take courage, you are in the middle of harvest, and the fruit of what you are about to reap, is proportionate to the resistance that you are facing.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.