Academia
Biblical
Spiritual Assimilation
-Spiritual Husbandry-
Introduction
Believers abounding in virtue are ready to add knowledge. Spiritual Assimilation studies introduce believers to the spiritual reality that they have been born into, along with the many facets of spiritual life and culture which believers are to assimilate to. This Spiritual Assimilation study focuses on Spiritual Husbandry. Believers will gain knowledge of God’s agricultural interests and his oversight of his laborers.
God's Spiritual Husbandry
God’s Oversight from Heaven
God sits in the temple of heaven
Psalm 47:8 KJV - "God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness."
1 Kings 22:19 KJV - "And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left." (also 1 Chronicles 18:18)
Isaiah 6:1 KJV - "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."
God does not faint or get weary, which is through exhaustion; he never slumbers, which is to become drowsy; and he never sleeps.
Isaiah 40:28 KJV - "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding."
Psalm 121:4 KJV - "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (also Psalm 121:3)
The eyes of God behold all things. He looks upon the works of all mankind.
Proverbs 15:3 KJV - "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (See also 1 chronicles 16:9; Zechariah 4:10; Psalm 139:7-8)
Psalm 14:2 KJV - "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God."
Psalm 33:13-14 KJV - "13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth."
Angels also give an account of mankind before God.
Genesis 18:20-19:1 KJV - "20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;"
Matthew 18:10 KJV - "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Everything God sees and hears will be made accountable.
Matthew 18:23 KJV - "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants." (see in context Matthew 18:23-35)
Romans 14:12 KJV - "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."
Matthew 12:36 KJV - "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."
Ecclesiastes 3:17 KJV - "I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Revelation 22:12 KJV - "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (also Matthew 16:27’ Romans 2:6, 16; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 2:23)
God’s Spiritual Operations
God is the owner and master of all things created. The world is his field and spiritual crop husbandry is his business.
Matthew 21:33-37 KJV - "33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.”
Crop husbandry is the cultivation or care of crops. God sought spiritual fruit from his people, the husbandmen. When they would not produce fruit, God sent his servants (the prophets - 2 Kings 9:7, 17:13, 23, 21:10, 24:2; Ezra 9:11; Jeremiah 7:25, 25:4, 26:5, 29:19, 35:15, 44:4; Ezekiel 38:17; Daniel 9:6, 10; Amos 3:7; Zechariah 1:6; Revelation 10:7, 11:18). When his people killed the owner’s servants (God’s prophets), God sent his son Jesus.
The Son's Stewardship
Jesus is God’s son and steward of his father’s spiritual crop husbandry.
John 6:38-40 KJV - "38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
Luke 2:49 KJV - "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"
John 9:4 KJV - "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
Matthew 13:37-38 KJV - "37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;"
God’s son, Jesus, was slain and the duty of husbandmen was transferred.
Matthew 21:37-43 KJV - "37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Mankind's Stewardship
Faithful believers received the stewardship of God’s business.
John 20:21 KJV - "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
John 15:8 KJV - "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
Matthew 9:37-38 KJV - "37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (also Luke 10:2)
John 6:27 KJV - "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV - "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
Colossians 1:29 KJV - "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 KJV - "5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."
Matthew 25:24 KJV - "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:"
Luke 12:42 KJV - "And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?"
Matthew 20:4, 8 KJV - "4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ... 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first."
End of Harvest Gathering
The steward's labors and fruits will be assessed at the end of harvest.
Matthew 25:24, 29 KJV - "24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ... 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
Luke 12:42 KJV - "And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?"
Matthew 20:4, 8 KJV - "4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ... 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first."