The human population has well exceeded 7 billion people. As I considered this, I immediately thought “that’s a lot of mouths to feed and that doesn’t include the animals!” Farmers definitely have their work cut out for them. So, how do they manage to figure out how much food to produce per year so that people can eat?
Based on some general information, I discovered that food production is determined by using the measures of crop yield. Crop yield is the amount of crop harvested per area of land. As a rule it is used in reference to corn, cereals, grains, or even legumes.
Crop yield is important because it directly affects how much money we pay for groceries. It’s simple if the crop yields for apples are high one season there will be a lot of apples for sale, so the price will generally be lower. However, if conditions cause a climactic decrease in the apple crop yield the following year, there will be fewer apples for sale, and their price goes higher. This is a simplistic explanation of crop yield and it’s importance.
Crop yield is basically the result of healthy and good seed planted in soil that has been prepared for the planting of the seed. And, as long as the seed is fed appropriately with the sunlight, moisture and compost it needs to produce good fruit, a good crop yield is its end result.
Such as it is in the physical sphere of life is also so in the spiritual. Farmers have an awesome responsibility when estimating their crop yield. It has become a science and not taken lightly. They are part of the component that meets our physical need of food. As I considered this, I asked, “So, how does this relate to my spiritual being and need for its nutrition?” The prophet Hosea referencing Israel wrote in verse 7 of Chapter 8, “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind…”
It is a given that a single seed in the physical can produce multiple fruit in given, good conditions. Thus, in Chapter 8 of Hosea we find Israel having sown its spiritual seed to the wind. Israel had entrusted itself in pursuits with no substance. It lacked protection, security, and solidity because like the wind that comes and goes, Israel’s idolizations and alliances with foreign nations offered nothing.
Sadly, Israel found that its survival apart from God brought out its own destruction. And, like a powerful whirlwind, God’s judgment does eventually come. For Israel it came through the invasion of Assyria. They were defenseless.
We can’t live without a defense. When we live seeking security in whatever except God we are simply exposing ourselves to the enemy of our life. We need the lasting security and protection that only God offers.
The rest of verse 7 of this chapter, “The standing grains has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield , strangers would devour it.” Thus, the crop would yield absolutely nothing. Outsiders would steal anything that did grow. Hosea’s words would have been understood by Israel well. A poor crop or one that was stolen would be devastating. God warns His people that their idolatry would be their demise.
Anything that takes our trust in the Lord or lessens our devotion to Him, or even controls us can be considered an idol and we need to do away with it. I have considered this over and over and realize I must consistently do this before I get caught up in yielding a crop of nothingness and destruction.
ritasalomon 