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Matthew 13:39 — “The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.”

Throughout Scripture, harvest imagery points not only to present work but to the final judgment. Jesus is the Lord of the harvest, and at the end of the age He will send His angels to gather the wheat into His barn and burn the tares with unquenchable fire. This truth is both sobering and hopeful—sobering for the lost, hopeful for the saved.

As laborers in the harvest, we must never forget that the work is His. We are servants, not masters. We sow and water, but God gives the increase. The outcome is not in our hands but in His sovereign will. This truth frees us from pride when there is fruit and from despair when there seems to be little. The Lord of the harvest is in control.

Knowing that Jesus is Lord of the harvest should also shape our priorities. We are not building our own kingdoms but His. Every soul won, every disciple made, every act of service performed is part of His eternal plan. Our labor is significant because it is tied to His purposes.

The reality of a final harvest should fill us with urgency. There will come a day when the chance to sow and reap is over. Until then, we must labor while it is day, for the night comes when no man can work. The urgency of eternity should move us to compassion and action.

At the same time, the promise of the harvest should give us hope. No matter how dark the world grows, the Lord will gather His people. The enemy may sow tares, but he cannot stop the harvest. Christ will reign, and His field will be full.

On this Lord’s Day, let us worship Jesus as the Lord of the harvest. Let us rest in His sovereignty, labor in His strength, and look forward to the day when the final harvest is gathered into His eternal kingdom.