FROM WINTER TO HARVEST
[p. 274] FROM WINTER TO HARVEST
Surely the year has a very marked meaning in Scripture. It seems to me that it embraces figuratively every stage of our existence here. We may say the winter, like the night of death in Exodus 12, where there was not a green thing in all the land of Egypt, was the time of our conversion: long dark nights, short days, with little sunshine; the soul learning the emptiness of all human efforts. But the seed being sown in the heart, it day by day advances to spring, when the blade appears - the new thing. The fruit of the grain of wheat is quite a new stage. This I call acquaintance with Christ. It is the sense the woman in Luke 7 had when she was beside Him. The woman who touched the hem of His garment had passed through winter, but until she had fallen down before Him, and “told him all the truth”, she did not know Him; she was not in spring. Flowers and the singing of birds mark the spring (see Song of Songs 2: 12). It is a great thing to enjoy the spring. Many souls know the services of Christ without knowing Himself; just as Joseph’s brethren enjoyed Joseph’s bounty and care for seventeen years, and all that time had no intimacy with him, and really did not know his heart. The intimacy which marks the spring is what we get in John 10: 14, 15: “I know those that are mine, and am known of those that are mine, as the Father knows me and I know the Father”. The acquaintance is of the same character as that which subsists between the Father and the Son.
Then follows the summer, which I call communion; sharing His mind, participating in His joys and in His interests, while at the same time I am perfectly assured of His care and interest in my affairs, as to my path here. Now the days are very long, and the nights very short. It is summer time. Spring or intimacy comes in with the newest, sweetest sentiment that could be revealed. He knows me, and I know Him. And then [p. 275] the communion that follows, and the association with Him now, as to all His interests and glories, is indeed a feast of fat things - joy in the Holy Spirit.
One season remains, the harvest. He looks for grapes. This I call testimony, being set for His name, adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. This is the full corn in the ear.