* Seeing What God Sees

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; 

but the tares are the children of the wicked one. 

Matthew 13:38

The cry comes to the ears of God from the people of the world:

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.     Jeremiah 8:20

God views the world as a harvest field.  The spiritual harvest fields of the world resemble the natural fields over which the prophet Joel cried:

Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers; for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.  Joel 1:11

  

When God's eyes behold the nations of the world, He sees a spiritual harvest perishing because of the lack of harvesters. Jesus never said there is a lack of sowers of the Gospel. He said there is a lack of laborers to reap the spiritual harvest:

The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.  Matthew 9:37

When God looks at the world, He sees multitudes of people standing in a spiritual gap. The reason for the gap between God and man is sin.

The need for a mediator indicates there is a gap between two parties who cannot come into agreement with each other.

The Bible states: 

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.   1 Timothy 2:5

Jesus Christ is the mediator between sinful man and a righteous God. Neither can accept the other without the mediator. Jesus made it possible for man to be redeemed from sin and accepted by a righteous God.

Multitudes still wait for the message of the mediator who can bridge the gap between them and God. The Great Commission Jesus gave was for His followers to bridge the gap. He spoke of going to Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news.

They were to start where they were and evangelize Jerusalem sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Reaching Judaea and Samaria would require cross-cultural evangelism. Samaria differed theologically and culturally from Jerusalem. The far regions of the earth represented an even greater challenge. But each region represented the gap between sinful man and a righteous God that was in need of being bridged.

At first Christ's disciples were hesitant to bridge the gap between Jew and Gentile due to cultural and theological differences. Until persecution came, they did little to extend the Gospel to regions outside of Jerusalem. 

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8:4) 

If we are to fulfill the Great Commission and reap the harvest we must get out of cultural, theological, and denominational ruts. We must be in a position to bridge the gap in order to share the good news of the mediator between God and man.

In addition to the gap of sin between man and God there is another great spiritual gap. This is the gap between the challenge of Jesus to reach the world with the Gospel and the failure of His people to fulfill that challenge.

Until we receive a vision of the spiritual harvest fields, we will never fully understand our role in the Kingdom of God. It is the cause which gives purpose and direction to Christian life. The vision of spiritual harvest should be central to our life. For many it is only a minor concern.

We tend to talk about the things we love. We talk about our husband or wife, friends, sports, and hobbies. We also talk of things that concern us such as politics, finances, and business. But how often do we speak of lost souls? How much concern do we give each day to the multitudes still waiting in the gap; the harvest perishing in the fields?

Apostle Paul speaks of using the most routine activities such as eating and drinking for the glory of God 

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.   I Corinthians 10:31

Every activity of our life can be centered on the vision of spiritual harvest. When this happens it gives new challenge, purpose, and direction to our life as a believer. Every day becomes an exciting quest to see how we can be part of fulfilling the vision.

When we recognize our personal responsibility to the multitudes in the gap and the vision of the harvest swelling, we become part of a special network. This network is a group of believers from many nations who have joined together to see the world through the eyes of God and fulfill His plan to spread the Gospel.

This is the challenge of spiritual harvest. This is seeing the world through the eyes of God.

Catch the vision of an unlimited world. Look at the harvest fields. Weep over the cities as Jesus did over Jerulesam. 

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,  Luke 19:41

See the world through the eyes of God. His vision is global and His purpose is eternal from the foundations of the world.

Biblical Studies

10/14/13
03/02/15
07/14/16
09/06/19

03/10/21