Lucas 10

Lucas 10

Wesley wrote "More Laborers" which includes these lines: Convert and send forth more Into thy Church abroad; And let them speak thy word of power, As workers with their God. Give the pure Gospel-word, The word of general grace; Thee let them preach, the common Lord, The Saviour of our race. Wesley also wrote Lord of the Gospel harvest, send Lord of the Gospel harvest, send More laborers forth into Thy field: More pastors teach Thy flock to tend: More workmen raise Thy house to build: His work and place to each assign, And clothe their Word with power divine. Charles Wesley in 1742 wrote LORD OF THE HARVEST, HEAR (play a related modern song by the Imperials Lord of the Harvest) LORD of the harvest, hear Thy needy servants' cry;" Answer our faith's effectual prayer, And all our wants supply. On Thee we humbly wait;" Our wants are in Thy view; The harvest truly, Lord is great, The laborers are few. Convert, and send forth more Into Thy Church abroad, And let them speak Thy Word of power, As workers with their God. Give the pure Gospel word, The word of general grace; Thee let them preach, the common Lord, Savior of human race. O let them spread Thy Name, Their mission fully prove, Thy universal grace proclaim, Thine all redeeming love! On all mankind, forgiven, Empower them still to call, And tell each creature under Heaven That Thou hast died for all. The harvest (2326)(therismos from therízo = harvest, reap in turn from theros = summer which is harvest time) means the process of harvesting or reaping (Jn 4:35; Lxx = Ge 8:22, 30:14), but most NT uses are figurative - harvest of converts or saved souls (Mt 9:37, 38, Lk 10:2), the time of future judgment (Mt 13:30, Rev 14:15 because their iniquity is "ripe"). In the Septuagint the Feast of Harvest (First Fruits, Pentecost) (Ex 23:16) Therismos - 13x in 8v - harvest Matthew 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 13:30 'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" Matthew 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. Mark 4:29 "But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." Luke 10:2 And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. John 4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest '? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." Therismos - 35x in 29v in the Septuagint - Gen. 8:22; Gen. 30:14; Exod. 23:16; Exod. 34:22; Lev. 19:9; Lev. 23:10; Lev. 23:22; Jos. 3:15; Jdg. 15:1; Ruth 1:22; Ruth 2:23; 1 Sam. 6:13; 1 Sam. 8:12; 1 Sam. 12:17; 2 Sam. 21:9; 2 Sam. 21:10; 2 Sam. 24:15; Job 14:9; Job 18:16; Job 29:19; Isa. 16:9; Isa. 18:5; Jer. 5:17; Jer. 5:24; Jer. 50:16 Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (God's providence then led Ruth to Boaz's field to harvest). Beseech (beg, request, pray) (1189) (deomai from deo = to bind) means to ask for something with the sense of pleading, beseeching or begging. To request, to ask for with a sense of urgency and a presumed need. When used in the context of prayer deomai means to make petition, to plead, to ask in prayer, to implore (pray for earnestly) and emphasizes the existence of a need. Deomai - 22v - ask(1), beg(6), begged(1), begging(2), beseech(2), implored(1), making request(1), please(1), pray(2), prayed(3), praying(2). Matt. 9:38; Lk. 5:12; Lk. 8:28; Lk. 8:38; Lk. 9:38; Lk. 9:40; Lk. 10:2; Lk. 21:36; Lk. 22:32; Acts 4:31; Acts 8:22; Acts 8:24; Acts 8:34; Acts 10:2; Acts 21:39; Acts 26:3; Rom. 1:10; 2 Co. 5:20; 2 Co. 8:4; 2 Co. 10:2; Gal. 4:12; 1 Thess. 3:10 Send out (thrust out) (1544)(ekbállō from ek = out + bállō = to cast, throw, drive) means to cast, throw out often with the idea of force (Mt. 8:12; 15:17; 25:30; Acts 16:37, 27:38; Lxx - Lev. 14:40). To throw out of an area or object, throw out, jettison (Mt 21:39 Acts 27:18). Frequently used of casting out demons (Mt 7:22, Mt 8:16, 31,9:34, 10:1, etc). Used of casting or throwing unbelievers into outer darkness (hell). In Luke 6:22 ekballo means to scorn one's name ("cast it out" so to speak). Mark 1:12 "Immediately the Spirit impelled Him (Jesus) to go out into the wilderness." Taking a speck out of an eye (Mt 7:4, Lk 6:42), casting out demons (Mt 7:22, Mt 8:16, 31,9:34, 10:1, 8, 12:24), casting the sons (Jews in context) into the outer darkness (Mt 8:12, Mt 22:13, 25:30), sending the crowd outside (Mt 9:33), sending out workers into the harvest of souls (Mt 9:38, Lk 10:2), casting out the moneychangers (Mt 21:12, Mk 11:15), throwing the son out of the vineyard (Mt 21:39, Mk 12:8, cp Lk 4:29), throwing an eye out of its socket so one won't be cast into hell (Mk 9:47. In the Septuagint ekballo describes driving Adam who sinned out of the garden (Ge 3:24), casting out Cain after killing Abel (Ge 4:14), Sara asking Abram to drive Hagar and Ishmael out of the household (Ge 21:10), of Pharaoh driving Israel out of Egypt (Ex 6:1, 10:11, 11:1, 12:33, 39), of casting disobedient Israel out of their land (Dt 29:28, Hos 9:15), of casting Jonah into the sea (Jonah 1:15), of the fish "casting out" Jonah on the shore (Jonah 2:10), casting out idols in that future day when Jesus returns in triumph (Isa 2:20 compare Isa 2:12, 16, 18) Ekballo - 81x in 75v - Usage: brings(3), cast(28), casting(5), casts(5), drive(4), driven(1), drove(4), eliminated*(1), leads(1), leave(1), put(2), puts(1), puts forth(1), putting(1), scorn(1), send(2), sending...away(1), sent(3), sent...away(1), take(6), threw(3), throw(3), throwing(1), thrown(1), took(1). Matt. 7:4; Matt. 7:5; Matt. 7:22; Matt. 8:12; Matt. 8:16; Matt. 8:31; Matt. 9:25; Matt. 9:33; Matt. 9:34; Matt. 9:38; Matt. 10:1; Matt. 10:8; Matt. 12:20; Matt. 12:24; Matt. 12:26; Matt. 12:27; Matt. 12:28; Matt. 12:35; Matt. 13:52; Matt. 15:17; Matt. 17:19; Matt. 21:12; Matt. 21:39; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 25:30; Mk. 1:12; Mk. 1:34; Mk. 1:39; Mk. 1:43; Mk. 3:15; Mk. 3:22; Mk. 3:23; Mk. 5:40; Mk. 6:13; Mk. 7:26; Mk. 9:18; Mk. 9:28; Mk. 9:38; Mk. 9:47; Mk. 11:15; Mk. 12:8; Mk. 16:9; Mk. 16:17; Lk. 4:29; Lk. 6:22; Lk. 6:42; Lk. 9:40; Lk. 9:49; Lk. 10:2; Lk. 10:35; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:15; Lk. 11:18; Lk. 11:19; Lk. 11:20; Lk. 13:28; Lk. 13:32; Lk. 19:45; Lk. 20:12; Lk. 20:15; Jn. 2:15; Jn. 6:37; Jn. 9:34; Jn. 9:35; Jn. 10:4; Jn. 12:31; Acts 7:58; Acts 9:40; Acts 13:50; Acts 16:37; Acts 27:38; Gal. 4:30; Jas. 2:25; 3 Jn. 1:10; Rev. 11:2 Ekballo - 105x in 93v in the Septuagint - Gen. 3:24; Gen. 4:14; Gen. 21:10; Exod. 2:17; Exod. 6:1; Exod. 10:11; Exod. 11:1; Exod. 12:33; Exod. 12:39; Exod. 23:18; Exod. 23:28; Exod. 23:29; Exod. 23:30; Exod. 23:31; Exod. 33:2; Exod. 34:11; Exod. 34:24; Lev. 1:16; Lev. 14:40; Lev. 21:7; Lev. 21:14; Lev. 22:13; Num. 21:32; Num. 22:6; Num. 22:11; Num. 30:9; Deut. 11:23; Deut. 29:28; Deut. 33:27; Jos. 24:12; Jos. 24:18; Jdg. 5:21; Jdg. 6:9; Jdg. 9:41; Jdg. 11:2; Jdg. 11:7; 1 Sam. 26:19; 2 Sam. 7:23; 1 Ki. 2:27; 2 Ki. 16:6; 1 Chr. 17:21; 2 Chr. 11:14; 2 Chr. 11:16; 2 Chr. 13:9; 2 Chr. 15:8; 2 Chr. 20:11; 2 Chr. 23:14; 2 Chr. 29:5; 2 Chr. 29:16; Ezr. 10:3; Job 24:12; Job 31:39; Ps. 17:11; Ps. 44:2; Ps. 50:17; Ps. 78:55; Ps. 80:8; Ps. 109:10; Prov. 18:22; Prov. 22:10; Prov. 27:15; Prov. 30:23; Eccl. 3:6; Isa. 2:20; Isa. 5:29; Isa. 22:17; Jer. 12:14; Jer. 12:15; Jer. 22:28; Jer. 23:31; Lam. 3:16; Ezek. 44:22; Hos. 9:15; Jon. 1:15; Jon. 2:10; Zech. 7:14 Laborers (Workmen) (2040) ergates from ergazomai = meaning to engage in an activity involving considerable expenditure of effort. It is the root of English words like ergs, ergonomics, etc) literally describes a worker (workman) or laborer, someone who is engaged in labor (Mt 10:10, Mt 20:1-2, 8, etc). An ergates is one who effects something or brings about an effect through exertion of effort, whether mental or physical. In the spiritual realm, some of the workers are good (believers - Mt 9:37, 38, 1Ti 5:18, 2Ti 2:15) and some are evil (unbelievers = deceitful workers in 2Cor 11:13, evil workers - Php 3:2, workers of evil literally in Lk 13:27) Ergates - 14v - laborer(2), laborers(6), worker(1), workers(4), workman(1), workmen(1). Matt. 9:37; Matt. 9:38; Matt. 10:10; Matt. 20:1; Matt. 20:2; Matt. 20:8; Lk. 10:2; Lk. 10:7; Acts 19:25; 2 Co. 11:13; Phil. 3:2; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Tim. 2:15; Jas. 5:4 THOUGHT - You may say "I am not really able to go out into the mission field and harvest souls for Jesus." You may have many good reasons. But let me suggest an alternative -- you can "go" in a sense by praying for the souls of those around you and around the world. You can pray for the unreached people groups. Some unreached groups number in the millions and yet have not a single known believer in Jesus. This should shock us because their destiny is eternal punishment away from the presence of the Lord! So consider going daily into the harvest by pleading daily using the tool below. And if you need more motivation to engage in this great eternal enterprise read the seven reasons below. Why Should You Consider Interceding for the Hidden People Groups? "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (Mt 9:37) - Will you be a laborer for the Lord of the harvest (Mt 9:38)? You are in effect entering the mission field with your intercessory prayers. "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (including those of the hidden people groups who will become saints - see Rev 5:9 below) (Eph 6:18+) You are storing up "for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Mt 6:20-21+) You will rejoice with Paul for those precious souls in this hidden people group who accept Christ as their Savior for they will be your "hope or joy or crown of exultation...in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming." (1 Th 2:19+) You will shine like the stars for "those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (Da 12:3+) You can be confident God will answer your prayer for Rev 5:9+ says Jesus was "slain, and purchased for God with (His) blood men from EVERY tribe and tongue and people and nation." If these Biblical truths are not sufficient motivation to redeem the precious time then take a moment and Read the longer answer. Daily pray for hidden people groups at JoshuaProject THOUGHT - Play Lord of the Harvest -- as you sing it note you are singing a prayer! I pray this song breaks our hearts for those who are dropping off into a Christ-less eternity and begin with me Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Lord of the Harvest Let your voice be heard In every nation In the farthest comes Of the World Shatter the darkness Let your truth be known Gather the nations to bow At Your throne Lord of the Harvest The fields are ripe for harvest But the labourers are few Father send Your workers Those with hearts for You Out into your vineyard Weeping as they go Help them reap a mighty Harvest of souls Some of us will water Others plant the seed Some of us will battle In the heavenlies None of us take glory For those who find the truth Jesus their praises Are waiting for You Lord of the Harvest Steven