Fruitful Land

FRUITFUL LAND OF MOAB

Jeremiah 48:33 Gladness and joy have been taken away from the FRUITFUL LAND of Moab; I have made the wine cease from the winepresses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; the shouting is not the shout of joy.”

Did we not hear the phrase ‘ all that glitters is not gold?’, likewise, everything that looks beautiful on the outside and captivating does not necessarily have to be connected with God. Are you listening? This is very important teaching for the youth today because there is desperate chase for money, fame, popularity and wealth and the people think ‘ the ultimate goal of life is to amass wealth’ which they think is security. Alas, this is deception and the lie of the enemy. Did not Jesus say,” in Luke 12:20 “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” The rich man was called a "fool" because he assumed he had many years of life ahead of him and placed his hope and security in his possessions rather than in God, making no preparation for eternity. Anybody listening?

People are ready to attend 3 hours of online Master class on ‘how to become successful, how to become a millionaire, how to win the job interview’ and so on; however, Bible Study, midweek fellowship, Fasting prayers, Church service and many other spiritual meetings are empty because focus of Christians is on the world and its riches rather than on God and eternity. PROSPERITY IS GIVEN MORE VALUE THAN ETERNITY!!!

I asked the Lord, ‘why was Moab a prosperous and fruitful land’ despite its idol worship and I started meditating on it, here I write the revelations that I received.

Moab was historically known for its fertile land, orchards, and vineyards, which provided both physical sustenance and a source of great joy and celebration for its people. The phrase "fruitful field" or "plentiful field" depicts their prosperity. Whenever a household, city or nation is blessed, they also provide various other blessings like job opportunities, business and thereby they become a reservoir of blessings and there is joy and celebration.

Moab was fertile because it is situated in an area with rivers and springs that made it naturally fertile, The Canaanites' worship of deities like Baal, Anat, and Astarte was related to fertility and rain, but this was a cultural and religious practice of the people, not a cause for the land's inherent fruitfulness.

Reason for judgment: The fall of Moab is a result of its pride and self-reliance, particularly its reliance on its own gods and strength rather than on the sovereign Lord. Read:

29 “We have heard of Moab’s pride—

how great is her arrogance!—

of her insolence, her pride, her conceit

and the haughtiness of her heart.

30 I know her insolence but it is futile,”

declares the Lord,

“and her boasts accomplish nothing.

The prophecy serves as a warning that such pride leads to a profound loss of blessings and joy, listen….

JEREMIAH 48:31,32:

31 Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab [a]I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres. 32 O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer. Your plants have gone over the sea, They reach to the sea of Jazer. The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage.”

"Vine of Sibmah," known for its extensive and prosperous vineyards. The branches reaching "as far as the sea" illustrate the wealth and influence of Moab; nevertheless, even if the plants are vast and has gone over the sea and they reach the sea of Jazer, yet, the ‘plunderer’ will destroy the summer fruit. When blessings come without God in it, alas, then on one fine day, everything will leave you!

PRIDE & SELF RELIANCE RATHER THAN SURRENDER AND DEPENDENCE ON GOD WAS THE CAUSE OF DOWNFALL OF MOAB!

Illustration: I know of a family who had vast wealth, multiple houses and above all the lady of the house had a government job; however, she would also do business in the evening. They were amassing huge wealth, buying properties and they had plans to buy more land and enjoy after retirement. Well, fate had different plans though, she got COVID and died shortly leaving everything behind. They looked successful, fruitful, yet, alas they were not useful and valuable for he Kingdom of God.

Do not try to ‘Shoehorn’ God into your tight, bulging schedule, or giving Him the last dregs of the day - sleepy and tired, instead give Him the top priority in your life. He is your KING!

Prioritize time with God by making it a non-negotiable part of the day, often by waking up earlier or going to bed earlier.