In biblical literature, the term "ripe" is often used metaphorically to describe readiness, maturity, or the fullness of time. The concept of ripeness is frequently associated with agricultural imagery, reflecting the agrarian society of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions. This imagery is used to convey spiritual truths and divine timing.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the idea of ripeness is closely linked to the harvest. The Israelites were an agrarian people, and the cycles of planting and harvesting were central to their lives. The ripeness of crops was a sign of God's provision and blessing. For example, in the book of Joel, the prophet speaks of a time of judgment using the imagery of a ripe harvest: "Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the vats overflow, because their wickedness is great" (Joel 3:13). Here, ripeness signifies the fullness of iniquity and the readiness for divine judgment.

The concept of ripeness also appears in the context of the Promised Land. In Numbers 13:20, Moses instructs the spies to assess whether the land is "fertile or barren," and to bring back some of the fruit of the land. The ripeness of the fruit serves as evidence of the land's fertility and God's promise to His people.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, Jesus frequently uses agricultural metaphors to teach spiritual lessons. In the Parable of the Weeds, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as a field where both wheat and weeds grow until the harvest. He explains, "Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters, 'First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn'" (Matthew 13:30). Here, the ripeness of the wheat represents the readiness of the righteous for the kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul also uses the concept of ripeness in his epistles. In Galatians 6:9, he encourages believers not to grow weary in doing good, "for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" . The "proper time" suggests a divine timing when the fruits of one's labor will be fully realized.

Spiritual Implications

The metaphor of ripeness in the Bible often points to spiritual maturity and readiness. Just as fruit must reach a certain stage of development before it is harvested, so must individuals and nations reach a certain level of spiritual maturity or moral decline before divine intervention occurs. This concept underscores the importance of patience, perseverance, and faithfulness in the Christian life.

In eschatological contexts, ripeness can signify the culmination of history and the readiness for Christ's return. Revelation 14:15 depicts an angel proclaiming, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe" . This passage highlights the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan and the final judgment.

Overall, the biblical use of "ripe" serves as a powerful symbol of divine timing, spiritual readiness, and the inevitable fulfillment of God's purposes.1. (n.) The bank of a river.

2. (superl.) Ready for reaping or gathering; having attained perfection; mature; -- said of fruits, seeds, etc.; as, ripe grain.

3. (superl.) Advanced to the state of fitness for use; mellow; as, ripe cheese; ripe wine.

4. (superl.) Having attained its full development; mature; perfected; consummate.

5. (superl.) Maturated or suppurated; ready to discharge; -- said of sores, tumors, etc.

6. (superl.) Ready for action or effect; prepared.

7. (superl.) Like ripened fruit in ruddiness and plumpness.

8. (superl.) Intoxicated.

9. (v. i.) To ripen; to grow ripe.

10. (v. t.) To mature; to ripen.

3703. opora -- late summer, ripe fruits
... late summer, ripe fruits. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: opora
Phonetic Spelling: (op-o'-rah) Short Definition: autumn, autumnal fruits ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3703.htm - 6k

187. akmazo -- to be at the prime
... to be at the prime. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: akmazo Phonetic Spelling:
(ak-mad'-zo) Short Definition: I reach maturity, become ripe Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/187.htm - 6k

5166. trugao -- to gather in
... Word Origin from truge (ripe) Definition to gather in NASB Word Usage gather
(1), gathered (1), pick (1). gather. From a derivative ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5166.htm - 6k

3583. xeraino -- to dry up, waste away
... Word Origin from xeros Definition to dry up, waste away NASB Word Usage dried (2),
dries (1), ripe (1), stiffens (1), wither (1), withered (4), withered away (3 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3583.htm - 6k

4810. sukon -- a fig
... sukon. 4811 . a fig. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: sukon Phonetic
Spelling: (soo'-kon) Short Definition: a fig Definition: a (ripe) fig. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4810.htm - 6k

4550. sapros -- rotten, worthless
... rotten, useless, corrupt, depraved. 4550 -- properly, (putrid), over-ripe;
(figuratively) (ripened); hence, . "4550 () is (akin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4550.htm - 7k

4493. rhipe -- any rapid movement, spec. a twinkling (of lights or ...
... twinkling. From rhipto; a jerk (of the eye, ie (by analogy) an instant) -- twinkling.
see GREEK rhipto. (ripe) -- 1 Occurrence. 4492, 4493. rhipe. 4494 . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4493.htm - 6k

1310. bashal -- to boil, seethe, grow ripe
... 1309, 1310. bashal. 1311 . to boil, seethe, grow ripe. Transliteration: bashal
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-shal') Short Definition: boil. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/1310.htm - 6k

1063. bikkurah -- the first ripe fig, early fig
... 1062, 1063. bikkurah. 1064 . the first ripe fig, early fig. Transliteration:
bikkurah Phonetic Spelling: (bik-koo-raw') Short Definition: fig. ...
/hebrew/1063.htm - 6k

1061. bikkurim -- first fruits
... Word Origin from bakar Definition first fruits NASB Word Usage early ripened things
(2), first fruits (12), first ripe (1), first ripe fruits (1), ripe fruit (1 ...
/hebrew/1061.htm - 6k

6025. enab -- a grape
... ripe grape, wine. From an unused root probably meaning to bear fruit; a grape --
(ripe) grape, wine. 6024, 6025. enab. 6026 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6025.htm - 5k

4395. meleah -- fullness, full produce
... first of ripe fruit, fullness. Feminine of male'; something fulfilled, ie Abundance
(of produce) -- (first of ripe) fruit, fulness. see HEBREW male'. ...
/hebrew/4395.htm - 6k

7646. saba -- to be sated, satisfied or surfeited
... enough (2), have his fill (1), have in plenty (1), have it in excess (1), have
abundance (1), have enough (2), have plenty (2), plenty (1), ripe* (1), satiated ...
/hebrew/7646.htm - 6k

3117. yom -- day
... as i live (1), long* (11), midday* (1), now (5), older* (1), once (2), period (3),
perpetually* (2), present (1), recently (1), reigns (1), ripe* (1), short ...
/hebrew/3117.htm - 7k

1073. bakkurah -- firstripe
... Word Origin see bikkurah. firstripe By orthographical variation for bikkuwrah; a
first- ripe fig -- firstripe. see HEBREW bikkuwrah. 1072, 1073. ...
/hebrew/1073.htm - 5k

7649. sabea -- sated, satisfied, surfeited
... Word Origin from saba Definition sated, satisfied, surfeited NASB Word Usage full
(4), ripe (1), sated (2), satisfied (3). full of, satisfied with. ...
/hebrew/7649.htm - 6k

2896a. tob -- pleasant, agreeable, good
... who is good (1), one who is pleasing (1), pleasant (2), please* (2), pleased (1),
pleases (1), pleasing (5), precious (3), pure (1), right (1), ripe (3), safely ...
/hebrew/2896a.htm - 6k

Ripe for Gathering
... AMOS RIPE FOR GATHERING. 'Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold a
basket of summer fruit.2. And He said, Amos, what seest thou? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/ripe for gathering.htm

There is a Definite Moment at which the Seed is Ripe...
... Section 6. There is a definite moment at which the seed is ripe? There
is a definite moment at which the seed is ripe for being ...
/.../trotter/parables of the christ-life/section 6 there is a.htm

Barren Fig-Tree. Temple Cleansed.
... Thomson found ripe fruit of this variety as early as May in the mountains of Lebanon,
a hundred fifty miles north of Jerusalem, and Professor Post, of Beyrut ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cvi barren fig-tree temple cleansed.htm

Last Things
... Then when the year was ripe and the flowers were all in bloom "fit season for his
going"there was taken away the man who has garnished our nation with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/last things.htm

A Strain of Sodom.
... Doth judge the unjust; with patience tarrying. The hour when crime's ripe
age"not any force. ... 75 Already ripe for harvest"a desire. ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/2 a strain of sodom.htm

Conclusion
... to establish on a factional basis a so-called independent sect in opposition to
the foreigner, in order to secure the freedom and control for which it was ripe ...
/.../cable/the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xxv conclusion.htm

The Christian Sabbath --Peter's Confession of Faith.
... Jesus was walking with His disciples one Sabbath day and talking of the
Kingdom of Heaven when they came to a field of ripe grain. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the christian sabbathpeters.htm

Showing what the Forsaken Man Should Do
... lost all virtues, and are forsaken of God and of all creatures: then if they are
able to reap them, all kinds of fruit, the corn and vine, are ready and ripe. ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xxix showing what the.htm

June 15. "Grow up into Him in all Things" (Eph. Iv. 15).
... summer. The sun has tinted it into rich colors, and at last it is ready and
ripe to fall into the hand. So Christian life ought to be. ...
/.../simpson/days of heaven upon earth /june 15 grow up into.htm

Fellow-Followers
... That plan includes the whole race. God has no favourites among the nations. When
the hour is ripe for an advance step, a man is found ripened for leadership. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on following the christ/fellow-followers.htm

Ripe (29 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The bank of a river. 2. (superl.) Ready for reaping or gathering; having
attained perfection; mature; -- said of fruits, seeds, etc.; as, ripe grain. ...
/r/ripe.htm - 16k

First-ripe (7 Occurrences)
First-ripe. Firstripe, First-ripe. First-time . Multi-Version
Concordance First-ripe (7 Occurrences). Leviticus 2:14 ...
/f/first-ripe.htm - 8k

Over-ripe (1 Occurrence)
Over-ripe. Over-righteous, Over-ripe. Overruled . Multi-Version
Concordance Over-ripe (1 Occurrence). Revelation 14:15 ...
/o/over-ripe.htm - 6k

Sickle (13 Occurrences)
... Mark 4:29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because
the harvest has come." (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/s/sickle.htm - 12k

Ripen (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) To grow ripe; to become mature, as grain,
fruit, flowers, and the like; as, grapes ripen in the sun. ...
/r/ripen.htm - 7k

Figtree
... In Palestine and other warm climates the fig yields two crops annually-an earlier
one, ripe about June, growing from the "old wood," ie from the midsummer ...
/f/figtree.htm - 15k

Fig (45 Occurrences)
... The fig-tree of Palestine (Ficus carica) produces two and sometimes three crops
of figs in a year, (1) the bikkurah, or "early-ripe fig" (Micah 7:1; Isaiah 28:4 ...
/f/fig.htm - 33k

Fig-tree (33 Occurrences)
... In Palestine and other warm climates the fig yields two crops annually-an earlier
one, ripe about June, growing from the "old wood," ie from the midsummer ...
/f/fig-tree.htm - 26k

Ripened (8 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 2:14 And if thou bring near a present of first-ripe 'fruits' to Jehovah, --
of green ears, roasted with fire, beaten out 'corn' of a fruitful field ...
/r/ripened.htm - 9k

Mature (11 Occurrences)
... to completeness of growth and development; fitted by growth and development for
any function, action, or state, appropriate to its kind; full-grown; ripe. ...
/m/mature.htm - 10k

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