Ripeness, in a biblical context, often symbolizes maturity, readiness, and the fulfillment of time or purpose. This concept is frequently used in Scripture to illustrate spiritual growth, the readiness for judgment, or the culmination of God's plans.

Spiritual Maturity and Growth

The idea of ripeness is closely associated with spiritual maturity. Believers are encouraged to grow in their faith, moving from spiritual infancy to maturity. The Apostle Paul speaks to this in Ephesians 4:13, where he urges believers to attain "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" . This maturity is akin to the ripeness of fruit, indicating a readiness to fulfill God's purposes.

Readiness for Judgment

Ripeness also signifies the readiness for divine judgment. In the prophetic literature, the imagery of ripe fruit is used to depict the impending judgment of nations or individuals. In Joel 3:13, the prophet declares, "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" . Here, ripeness indicates that the time for judgment has come, and the iniquity of the people has reached its full measure.

Fulfillment of God's Plans

The concept of ripeness is evident in the fulfillment of God's redemptive plans. Galatians 4:4 states, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law" . The "fullness of time" can be understood as the ripeness of God's plan for salvation, indicating that the conditions were perfectly aligned for the coming of Christ.

Parables of Jesus

Jesus frequently used agricultural metaphors to convey spiritual truths, including the concept of ripeness. In the Parable of the Weeds, found in Matthew 13:30, Jesus instructs, "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" . The ripeness of the wheat represents the readiness of the righteous for the kingdom of God, while the weeds symbolize those destined for judgment.

Personal Application

For believers, the concept of ripeness serves as a reminder to pursue spiritual growth and readiness for Christ's return. In James 5:7-8, the faithful are exhorted, "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient until it receives the early and late rains. You too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near" . This passage encourages believers to cultivate patience and perseverance, awaiting the ripeness of God's promises.

In summary, ripeness in the Bible is a multifaceted concept that encompasses spiritual maturity, readiness for judgment, and the fulfillment of divine purposes. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the believer's journey toward spiritual completeness and readiness for the return of Christ.(n.) The state or quality of being ripe; maturity;; completeness; perfection; as, the ripeness of grain; ripeness of manhood; ripeness of judgment.2779. choreph -- harvest time, autumn
... From charaph.; properly, the crop gathered, ie (by implication) the autumn (and
winter) season; figuratively, ripeness of age -- cold, winter (-house), youth. ...
/hebrew/2779.htm - 6k

Ripe for Gathering
... are alike in sound, but the play of words cannot be reproduced, except by some clumsy
device, such as 'the end ripens' or 'the time of ripeness comes.' The ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/ripe for gathering.htm

How Our Fourth Conflict is against the Sin of Anger, and How Many ...
... the eye of the soul, we can neither acquire right judgment and discretion, nor gain
the insight which springs from an honest gaze, or ripeness of counsel, nor ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter i how our fourth.htm

section 3
... vessel of the new. Now it is withdrawn further still, as ripeness comes,
from the seed-vessel into the seed. In the early stages ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the christ-life/section 3.htm

The Naturalness of Prayer
... groundless theosophy. It is the ripeness of practical faith, faith which
by action comes to itself and to its own. Especially is ...
/.../forsyth/the soul of prayer/chapter ii the naturalness of.htm

But the virgin of the Lord Advanced in Age and in virtues...
... settled in the temple, and had reached this time of life, should return home and
get married, according to the custom of the nation and the ripeness of their ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of the nativity of mary/chapter 7 but the virgin.htm

The Anointing of Jesus.
... In this hour there meet a ripeness of love which suddenly reveals the permanent
place which Jesus has won for Himself in the hearts of men, and a maturity of ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/i the anointing of jesus.htm

Twenty-Fifth Lesson. At that Day;'
... And then the final stage of maturity and ripeness: the Fathers, who have entered
deeply into the knowledge and fellowship of the Eternal One. ...
/.../murray/with christ in the school of prayer/twenty-fifth lesson at that day.htm

Of the Custom of Set Appointed Retreats for Meditation...
... subject of Meditation, or treat of the signs by which a soul, after a convenient
time spent in the practice of it, may be able to judge of her ripeness for a ...
/.../chapter iv of the custom.htm

Mother-Love.
... be two whose hearts are fully joined in love, each finding answering and
ever-satisfying love in the other; and so each love growing to full ripeness in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks with world winners/mother-love.htm

The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
... produce fruitfulness and abundance: and they have so great a virtue in their watering,
that whatsoever place they touch, they bring on to a very speedy ripeness ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 46 the country of.htm

Ripeness (2 Occurrences)
... (n.) The state or quality of being ripe; maturity;; completeness; perfection; as,
the ripeness of grain; ripeness of manhood; ripeness of judgment. ...
/r/ripeness.htm - 7k

Fortitude (5 Occurrences)
... produces fortitude; (WEY). Romans 5:4 fortitude, ripeness of character;
and ripeness of character, hope; (WEY). 2 Corinthians 1:6 ...
/f/fortitude.htm - 8k

Ripened (8 Occurrences)

/r/ripened.htm - 9k

Intimate (12 Occurrences)
... (DBY JPS WBS RSV NIV). Job 29:4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when
the friendship of God was in my tent, (See NIV). Psalms ...
/i/intimate.htm - 9k

Ripeneth (1 Occurrence)

/r/ripeneth.htm - 6k

Maturity (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The state or quality of being mature; ripeness; full development; as, the
maturity of corn or of grass; maturity of judgment; the maturity of a plan. ...
/m/maturity.htm - 8k

Mature (11 Occurrences)
... suppuration. 5. (vt) To bring or hasten to maturity; to promote ripeness
in; to ripen; to complete; as, to mature one's plans. 6 ...
/m/mature.htm - 10k

Prime (3 Occurrences)
... (See NAS NIV). Job 29:4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the
friendship of God was in my tent, (See NAS NIV). Ecclesiastes ...
/p/prime.htm - 9k

Converse (5 Occurrences)
... him. (WEY NAS RSV). Job 29:4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the
friendship of God was upon my tent; (See JPS). Psalms 55 ...
/c/converse.htm - 8k

Amos (12 Occurrences)
... the guilty people. (b) The next two (7:7-9; 8:1-3) point out the ripeness of
the people for the threatened judgements. 7:10-17 consists ...
/a/amos.htm - 44k

Ripeness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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