Leviticus 26:4b ~ Yield ~ Let Go!

Bedouin Tent in the Desert~Painted circa 1884

Welcome, sojourners in the way.  Come in, out of the wind and cold, rest your weary feet, warm yourselves at our fire and sup with us, as we partake of this morning's measure of manna.  I have been working on a sign, to put outside of our tent.  GOD gave the inspiration during our last visit, "Triple S" ... representing Stop, Sit and Sup.  Do you like it?


We last shared Leviticus 26:4a. Click here: to review.  GOD promises to reciprocate, based on our choice (Leviticus 26:3-4): "If you walk in My statutes, keep My commandments and do them, then I will give you rain in due season ..."  He set the table for us, presented us with the first course of of His blessings ... and now, the second course is about to be served:


THE SECOND OF GOD'S CONDITIONAL BLESSINGS:


Leviticus 26:4b ~  "and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."

Oh, how I love this promise!  The land and the trees hold on to their fruit and increase and, when it is due season, they let go of it.  This yielding is greatly due to the seasonable showers of rain that God alone can give; He waters and softens the land.  The same holds true for you and me!  If we abide in the Vine, we also will grow fruit and experience increase.  The LORD will send His rain, in season, moisten our ground ... and ... when the HE says it is time, we are to yield.

In order to yield, one must first relax and become less rigid; as does the earth when it gives under our feet.  The land, the trees and we must become soft and giving.


The land holds tight to her roots; the plants and trees hold tight to their fruit ... until ... GOD sends His blessing and commands them to let go.  Isn't it wild, that even nature has to be prepared, in order to let go??

Watercolor from: Andrew Sinclair Gallery

land 776:  the earth (at large, or partitively a land) -- common, country, earth, field, ground, land, nations, way, + wilderness, world.


Double wow:  This promise not only applies to nature literally, to us figuratively; but also to the nations of the world!  THAT, my friends, is a whole study in itself!


If only we would recognize and obey the laws of God. *sigh*  Sadly, it has become increasingly obvious that the world will not yield, until Jesus comes back to rule and reign!  Then every knee will bow and every nation shall yield!  I pray that you and I do not wait so long to yield the will of the Almighty God.

yield 5414: give forth, give over, give up, deliver, hand over, move, to recede.


In order to yield, we must recede, back off, hand over the increase ... wow!  Again, the work of our Loving Father!  He blesses us, He moves us, it is NOT a work of our own.  We cannot do it ... it requires the hand of God ... whether we recognize or credit Him, or not.  There was no river in Israel, as in Egypt; it was obvious that God was irrigating the land.

Wheat Field in Rain ~ Vincent Van Gogh 1889

Wesley's Notes:  "Rain - Therefore God placed them not in a land where there were such rivers as the Nile, to water it and make it fruitful, but in a land which depended wholly upon the rain of heaven, the key whereof God kept in His own hand, that so He might the more effectually oblige them to obedience, in which their happiness consisted."


Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: "The dependence which the fruitfulness of the earth beneath has upon the influences of heaven above is a sensible intimation to us that every good and perfect gift must be expected from above, from the Father of lights."


We serve such an awesome GOD!  He ALWAYS has a plan for our best good!!  He is SO faithful and loves us SO much!

increase 2981: produce of the soil, a crop or (figuratively) wealth -- fruit. To yield or furnish appropriate offspring, crops, effects, consequences, or results: Webster's dictionary.


fruit 6529:  literal or figurative: bough, first-fruit, reward. Seed vessel(s): Webster's dictionary.


So, in conclusion: when we depend fully on God and obey His laws, He will shower us with His blessings.  His Living Water softens/moistens the soil of our hearts, so that we may give up/let go of (yield) the fruit that He has produced in and through us.  Our yielding results in the bringing forth of much increase and more fruit (which bears more seed) for His Kingdom!  WOW!


What a delicious promise this is ... a gift that literally keeps on giving.  The yielding process is key, the LORD waters and softens, but we must still back up, let go of, yield everything He has grown in us in order for the increase to come.  We must recognize and make this choice.  When we feel the Master's pull ... we must let go!  This gives new perspective to the saying, "Let go.  Let God."

However, there are several factors that can make yielding difficult.  One is unwillingness to step back, recede, release our hold ... and let God do what He needs to do.  It is uncomfortable to give up our "natural" tendency to hold onto and/or control a situation or thing ... fear of the unknown/unfamiliar can actually make us tighten our grip.


Immaturity/self-centeredness, such as witnessed during a kindergarten playtime, can keep us from handing over our fruit.  We all still have a bit of a "Mine!" tendency.  Are we really trusting God???  Gaccckkk!  I am sure there are many more things that tighten our fists  ... including the obvious sin, rebellion, the blatant refusal to submit.  Surely, we have all experienced someone's unwillingness to yield, at a four way stop ... hopefully not our own!  ;D

It is possible for us to allow our hearts to get so hard, that GOD's blessings run right off and cannot sink in.  When this happens, our "soil" becomes like cement and will have a death grip on whatever was planted there.  Not only can it not nourish us (or anyone else), it will be almost impossible to let go of (or pull up) anything and release it from that hard barren ground.  This also includes the weeds that have taken root there.  The plant dies, no longer produces fruit, and in turn, no longer nourishes the soil.  Lose lose lose situation.

For barren land to be made productive again, it must be broken and dug into, by hoe, disc, plow or tractor.  The soil must be furrowed into, turned over, amended with fertilizers; that hurts ... and ... it stinks!  Then, the cycle begins again ... we must open up to receive God's rains, even into our deep broken places ... or ... we remain a hard, dry and barren wilderness. *shudder*  God forbid.


So, we are back to where we started, the LORD our GOD's conditions for blessings ... walk, keep, and do!  And back to this morning's manna: yield!  Whew!  Simple ... yet ... rich!

Our Father God sent His Son, Jesus to us, as the perfect example for us to follow.  Jesus explains very clearly in John 10:10-11 ~ I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep."  Jesus obediently and willingly yielded to the Father's will, and did everything He was sent here to do, without question ... up to, and including, enduring the Cross.  Then, ultimately: "Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." ~ Matthew 27:50  See below:

αφηκεν  verb - aorist active indicative - third person singular 
aphiemi  af-ee'-ay-mee:  an intensive form of eimi, to go); to send forth, in various applications (as follow) -- cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.


Oh, my friends, this is just the "tip of the iceberg," the very beginning of the blessings that the LORD has in store for us, if we just do what He says!


I pray that our fellowship with God's Word has been sweet for you.  I am always blessed to overflowing when we meet here.  I am sure that our Lord has given each one of you, a treasure to add to our "meal" ... please, leave a comment and share with us.  I sincerely welcome your feedback.


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Until we meet again, may God bless you, 우리가 다시 만날 때까지, 신의 가호가 있기를 수 있습니다. (Korean)

I am blessed every day

with some new revelation of God's Word.

I will be sharing my measure of manna

with all who come to my "tent."

Please, let me know if you have been blessed

by the way it was prepared for you this day.

 ~Shalom~