What does it mean that God is the Lord of the harvest (Matthew 9:38)?

Answer

In Matthew 9:35–38, Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching the good news of the kingdom of God and preparing His disciples to continue His ministry. He looks at the crowds in their confused and vulnerable state and is filled with compassion. Due to the great spiritual needs, Jesus asks His disciples to pray for more workers to spread the message worldwide: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).

The harvest is a common biblical metaphor related to the kingdom of God (Isaiah 27:12;Joel 3:13;Amos 9:13;Matthew 7:16-19;9:37;13:24-30;Luke 10:2;Revelation 14:14-16). The lost and hurting people that Jesus sees, and we see all around us, are like ripe pieces of fruit ready to be gathered into God’s kingdom.

God as the Lord of the harvest means He is the One who controls the times and seasons of the harvest (Jeremiah 5:24;Amos 4:7). The harvesting of souls is God’s work, not man’s «And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; », (Colossians 2:13). Salvation—acceptance into God’s kingdom—is a gift from God, through the grace He pours out on us (Ephesians 2:8-9). God chooses us (Titus 3:3-6), gives us the faith to believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 12:3; Philippians 3:9), and seals us with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

God is the Lord of the harvest, which means the success of the harvest depends on Him (Psalm 107:37-38). It is not by human might or wisdom that lost souls are gathered into God’s kingdom, but by His Spirit working in people’s hearts to complete the harvest.

Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:2-9; Luke 8:4-8) shows that God prepares human hearts to receive Him. Many individuals’ hearts are like trampled, rocky, or thorny soil in which the Word of God cannot take root (see Matthew 13:18-22; Mark 4:13-19; and Luke 8:11-14). But some people have hearts tilled by the Lord of the harvest into good, fertile soil ready to receive God’s Word. When they hear it, they accept it and then continue maturing and bearing abundant fruit (Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15).

The workers can’t change the nature of the soil in the field. That job belongs to God—the Lord of the harvest. He is the One who puts “a new heart, and a new spirit” within His people and removes “the heart of stone” (Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:26)

As laborers in God’s field, we are called to participate with Him faithfully by sowing, reaping, and praying. However, the outcomes of our labor rest in God’s hands as He is the Lord of the harvest.

At times, a crop may take years to yield its fruit, with various workers involved in sowing, tending, and gathering in God’s field (John 4:35-38; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9). God oversees the entire process. The term “Lord of the harvest” translates to “Master of the yield” or “Chief of the harvest” in the original language. God Himself is the Commander-in-chief of the harvest, deeply invested in the mission, with every aspect under His sovereign control. The laborers can place their trust in Him for the outcome, even if they never witness the fruit of their work.

Right after Jesus instructs His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers, He calls the twelve and sends them to “the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and declare to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 10:6-7; NLT). This mission would eventually expand to include all of God’s servants, sending them to every nation and all the people of the world to make disciples until His return (Matthew 28:19-20).

Today, the harvest remains plentiful, yet there is still a shortage of workers. Let us all heed Jesus’ call and pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His field.