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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Sundry Biblical Question
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
I stumbled across a worship song from my youth that includes the lyrics "Behold the days are coming, for the Lord has promised when the ploughman shall overtake the reaper", I believe these lines are found in the book of Amos. I have no idea what it means, is there some obvious agrarian illustration I'm missing.
Anyone?
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
The idea is, I think, more or less the same as the old American joke about the soil being so fertile on the Great Plains that you could plant a kernel of corn, spit on it, and you'd have to jump back before the cornstalk zoomed up and hit you right in the eye. Don't have time to check the Amos passage just now, but I'm pretty sure it's talking about a succession of farming seasons that puts all the emphasis on fertility and harvest--though that would make more sense if it was the harvester overtaking the ploughman! Have to check...
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Sarah G
Shipmate
# 11669
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Posted
Here it is:
Amos 9:13.
Lamb Chopped has nailed the meaning- the land will be comically fertile.
I rather like the second sentence of the verse, which talks about wine flowing down the hills.
(Regrets choice of living at the top of a hill.)
Posts: 514 | Registered: Jul 2006
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Anglican_Brat
Shipmate
# 12349
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Evangeline:
I stumbled across a worship song from my youth that includes the lyrics "Behold the days are coming, for the Lord has promised when the ploughman shall overtake the reaper", I believe these lines are found in the book of Amos. I have no idea what it means, is there some obvious agrarian illustration I'm missing.
Anyone?
Off the top of my head, Amos' central critique of Israel's economic policy is that revenue and resources were being taken from the small farming communities and given to the urban cities engaged in trade with Israel's neighbours, particularly Phoenicia.
Amos, the ever social justice prophet of the Hebrew Bible, is envisioning that in the new kingdom where God will reign, those who plow and farm, those who the work, will receive the fruits of their labor, and that it will not be expropriated for the benefit of others.
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It's Reformation Day! Do your part to promote Christian unity and brotherly love and hug a schismatic.
Posts: 4332 | From: Vancouver | Registered: Feb 2007
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
Thank-you everyone.
quote:
Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
The idea is, I think, more or less the same as the old American joke about the soil being so fertile on the Great Plains that you could plant a kernel of corn, spit on it, and you'd have to jump back before the cornstalk zoomed up and hit you right in the eye. Don't have time to check the Amos passage just now, but I'm pretty sure it's talking about a succession of farming seasons that puts all the emphasis on fertility and harvest--though that would make more sense if it was the harvester overtaking the ploughman! Have to check...
Yes re your last sentence that was the source of my confusion, it seems to me that if the ploughman was overtaking the reaper then the reaper wouldn't be reaping much at all-it implies a lack of fertility to me.
Thanks Anglican Brat, when I googled-there was virtually no info-Google was not my friend (!) but one vague reference mentioned that "overtake" isn't a very good translation and it meant "will be with" which probably fits-in that there won't be separation of people, everyone will enjoy the fruits of the ground together.
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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BroJames
Shipmate
# 9636
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Evangeline:
<snip>Yes re your last sentence that was the source of my confusion, it seems to me that if the ploughman was overtaking the reaper then the reaper wouldn't be reaping much at all-it implies a lack of fertility to me.
On the contrary. In normal circumstances the reaper might expect to cover the ground fast enough to stay ahead of the plough, but the prophecy envisages the reaper so slowed down by the amount to be gathered that he is overtaken by the plough.
Posts: 3374 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2005
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
Oh, ok makes sense I saw this poor reaper painstakingly trying to gather some grain while the ploughman has gone onto attempting to plant next year's crop. Distance from agriculture I guess. Thank-you!
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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churchgeek
Have candles, will pray
# 5557
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Posted
Now I'm worrying about the reaper getting plowed over! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif) ![[Two face]](graemlins/scot_twoface.gif)
Interesting that such a passage should appear in a worship song - was it specifically a song for youth? I grew up in a church that would rather quote the Bible than say anything (I recall a missionary's prayer cards that quoted someone in the Bible saying "Pray for me." That seemed kinda silly to me!) So I get that the song would use Bible verses. It just seems that if the people singing will be far enough removed from agricultural labor to have to think it over so much, a different passage might have been better!
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I reserve the right to change my mind.
My article on the Virgin of Vladimir
Posts: 7773 | From: Detroit | Registered: Feb 2004
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
It's an old song, but I rather like it.
So Come Worship song.
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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