At the same time, God chooses to partner with us in that work (John 4:36–38). He chooses the right moment to do His work of salvation in the hearts of men and women. God is the Lord of the harvest (see also Luke 10:2). Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Jesus had a similar passionate reaction in Matthew 9:36–38: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The white-robed Samaritan crowd was the harvest Jesus was eager to reap for God, and, indeed, many believed in Jesus and received Him as Lord and Savior (John 4:39–42). Some Bible commentators suggest the Lord’s choice of the word white, also reflected the color of the people’s robes, white against the backdrop of ground and sky.
He urged His disciples to open their eyes, too, and see the crowd of villagers streaming toward them like a ripened field of white, eager and ready to hear the gospel and be gathered into God’s eternal kingdom. He was consumed with the more urgent and gratifying mission of winning souls for His Father’s kingdom. The disciples were focused on physical, earthly concerns like rest and food. Harvest time might have been four months distant in the natural world, but the moment for spiritual reaping had arrived. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2, NLT). People hungry for the truth, ready to receive His salvation, were coming to Him therefore, “the ‘right time’ is now. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand the urgency and the immediate opportunity of His mission. A ripe grainfield looks like a sea of white.
When grain is fully sprouted and in peak condition for gathering, it approaches the color of white. When the fields are “white” for harvest, it means they are “ripe” or “ready” to be harvested. The harvest is a common biblical theme associated with 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). Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:34–35, ESV). Jesus told them that serving the Father by fulfilling His mission was more satisfying than physical food: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Meanwhile, the disciples were concerned about the Lord’s physical state, thinking that He must be tired and hungry. After Jesus ministered to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, the townspeople heard her incredible testimony of salvation and began coming out in droves to investigate her claims about Jesus.
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