There’s an expression that people in a non-agricultural setting may not get the full impact. In case you’ve not heard the expression it’s something that a farmer must to soil that has been neglected therefore it’s turned hard as stone. Often, it’s also overgrown with weeds, briars, etc. Before a farmer can plant, he has to break up the fallow or hard ground and probably go over it before the ground is ready to receive seed.
Jeremiah 4:3 (ESV) — 3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
This reference and illustration is quite applicable to God’s people to ready themselves to receive the word of God. Too often our minds and our hearts are neglected or hardened by the things in the world so that when we read God’s word or sit under the preaching of the word the seed of the word does not penetrate. Many times, people will complain that they didn’t get anything out of preaching or their daily time in the Bible is as dry as dust. Consider the need to break up the fallow ground so that God’s word will have so “ready” soil upon which to land. Consider the context of this call from God. God’s people had turned hard toward God through neglect and through turning to false gods. Jeremiah, the prophet was used by God to call His people to return and in this case break up the fallow ground of their so they would hear, understand and act upon God’s word.
Jeremiah 4:1–4 (ESV) — 1 “If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, 2 and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.” 3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
Jesus spoke of hard ground in His parable of the soils in which he described the condition of the heart of the people being like soil upon which the farmer’s seed falls.
Matthew 13:1–9 (ESV) — 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
When Jesus’ disciples asked the reason He spoke to the people in parables, here’s what He said (notice the place of the hardness of heart);
Matthew 13:10–15 (ESV) — 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Then Jesus, told His disciples the interpretation of the parable:
Matthew 13:18–23 (ESV) — 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The difference in receiving and not receiving is the condition of the heart. We recognize that God changes the heart in regeneration from a hard and stoney heart to a heart of flesh that feels after God.
Ezekiel 36:26–27 (ESV) — 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
We all, however have a tendency to harden our hearts, so as to “fallow up the ground” so that it needs tending to before we try to receive the grace that flows from God’s word.
James 1:21 (ESV) — 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Break up the fallow ground through repentance, through turning away from distractions, through prayer, and through preparation. As you think about the call to action to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, one of the things we need to do constantly is to keep the soil of our minds and hearts on ready to receive. Therefore, the call to “break up the fallow ground’ is always most applicable.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
Check out our PowerBreak Podcast wherever you download podcasts, or via our website: www.bobbrubaker.com.