Topical Bible: Fruits: Often Destroyed by Drought

◄ Fruits: Often Destroyed by Drought ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, the cultivation of fruits was a significant aspect of daily life and sustenance. The Bible frequently references various fruits, highlighting their importance in both physical nourishment and spiritual symbolism. However, the threat of drought posed a constant challenge to fruit production, often leading to devastation and hardship.

Biblical Context

Droughts are depicted in the Bible as both natural occurrences and divine judgments. The scarcity of water during these times had a direct impact on agriculture, particularly on fruit-bearing trees and plants. The Bible often uses the imagery of withered or barren fruit trees to symbolize desolation and divine displeasure.

Fruits Mentioned in the Bible

1. Figs: The fig tree is one of the most frequently mentioned fruit trees in the Bible. In the prophetic literature, the withering of the fig tree is a symbol of judgment and calamity. Joel 1:12 states, "The vine has dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard—are withered. Surely the joy of mankind has dried up."

2. Grapes: Vineyards were central to Israel's agriculture, and grapes were a staple for producing wine. Droughts could severely affect grape production, leading to a lack of wine, which was a common beverage. In Isaiah 5:6 , God declares judgment on a vineyard, saying, "I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it."

3. Olives: Olive trees were highly valued for their oil, which was used for cooking, lighting, and anointing. The loss of olives due to drought would have been a significant economic and practical blow. Habakkuk 3:17 reflects on such a scenario: "Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls."

4. Pomegranates: Known for their abundance of seeds and sweet taste, pomegranates were another important fruit. They are mentioned in the context of abundance and blessing, but their destruction by drought would signify loss. In Haggai 2:19 , the prophet questions, "Is there still seed left in the granary? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on I will bless you."

Spiritual Implications

The destruction of fruit by drought is not only a physical concern but also carries spiritual implications. In the Bible, fruitfulness is often associated with righteousness and divine favor, while barrenness or destruction of fruit is linked to sin and judgment. Jeremiah 8:13 captures this duality: "I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine, no figs on the tree, and even the leaves will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them."

Conclusion

The imagery of fruits destroyed by drought serves as a powerful reminder of the dependence on God's provision and the consequences of turning away from His commandments. The Bible uses these agricultural metaphors to convey deeper spiritual truths, emphasizing the need for faithfulness and reliance on God for both physical and spiritual sustenance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Haggai 1:10
Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Modern Revivals, Concluded.
... Grace, the same confounding of the fruits of faith with ... and preparations, is either
withheld, destroyed, or greatly ... despair, infidelity and ruin, often end the ...
/.../chapter xxvi modern revivals concluded.htm

Blessed Prosperity Meditations on the First Psalm.
... their taste corrupted, and their spiritual constitution destroyed, by feeding ... his
material and his tools, and often to set ... does not speak of the fruits of the ...
/.../taylor/a ribband of blue/blessed prosperity meditations on the.htm

Book 8 Footnotes
... the main island or peninsula itself, and destroyed that old ... miles from Jerusalem,
whither Solomon rode so often in state ... in them of all kinds of fruits: he made ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 8 footnotes.htm

1 Cor. xv. 11
... reductio ad absurdum which also Paul often doeth ... another way, calling Him the
"first-fruits," and pointing ... the enemies of God shall be destroyed, together with ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxxix 1 cor xv.htm

The Cedars of Lebanon.
... Some say that modern science has destroyed it ... a sapling; gorgeous too with flowers,
rich with fruits, timbers, precious ... of His work, who can be, as often as He ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xvi the cedars of.htm

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... flowers, rosy or snowy-white, and green egg-shaped fruits. ... nearly as troublesome
as we have often found the ... public park, close by, is being destroyed by hordes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

On the Firmament.
... this rival element to fire from being entirely destroyed. ... We often find the visible
region called heaven, on ... tribe of Joseph, desires for it the fruits and the ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily iii on the firmament.htm

The Chaff Driven Away
... that coucheth beneath, and the precious fruits brought forth ... I often know Christian
men talk in this fashion ... last general assembly of the destroyed and cursed ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the chaff driven away.htm

Original Sin
... a spring which runs under ground, often breaks forth ... are like Christ, having the
first fruits of the ... the people had embraced Christianity, destroyed all their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/3 original sin.htm

The World, Created by God, Still Cherished and Protected by Him. ...
... replenished with all kinds of herbs and fruits before he ... Prophets he repeatedly declares,
that as often as he ... hard as iron, the crops are destroyed by mildew ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 16 the world created.htm