The Grain Harvest From Sowing to Storage … they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest… Isaiah 9:3

The Grain Harvest The Festivals relate to agriculture Pesach -beginning of harvest Shavuot -end of grain harvest Succot -end of fruit, olive and wine harvest 2

Ploughing “ You soften it with showers ” Psalm 65:10 Hard dry ground - first rains needed 3 Rocky ground

Ploughing The Plough light one handle 4

Ploughing 5 The Plough “No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9:62

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Ploughing “… I have broken the bands of your yoke, and enabled you to walk with heads held high ” Leviticus 26:13 7 The Yoke  placed over the neck  pulls head down My yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:30

Ploughing “ It is hard for you to kick against the goad ” Acts 26:14 8 The Goad  has point one end,  small shovel other end

Sowing 9 The Seed  sown in furrows  or broadcast The Parable of Luke 8:5-8 Path Rock Thorns Good soil

Sowing Psalm 126:5-6 “ They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goes forth and weeps bearing precious seed, shall come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves” 10

Reaping Barley Spring Pesach 11

Reaping “ Bring the sheaf of the first fruit of your harvest to the priest, he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD on the day after the Sabbath… and you shall eat neither bread nor grain … until this day. ” Leviticus 23:10, 11, Pesach 15 Aviv (Nisan) Wave offering 16 Aviv Controls start of Hebrew year

LUNAR CALENDAR Each month – 29 1/2 12 months – 354 days 13 Extra month – Adar II, ensures barley is ripe for wave offering and delays Pesach.

Reaping Fine weather assured  Samuel prayed. “Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD that He may send thunder and rain and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great…” 1 Samuel 12:17 14