Let us get up early to the vineyards

 The third Scriptural passage chosen by Mary Baker Eddy to introduce her chapter Fruitage in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, comes from Solomon's Song, chapter 7, verse 12:

"Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth..."

"Let us" indicates both an invitation and a response. The invitation includes sharing some sort of experience, and the response demands cooperation, willingness, acquiescence and expectation of a satisfactory outcome. We see it's a demand for participation by more than one. It's a call to united action. Is this an invitation from God to see His work, Her vineyard, full of ripened fruit?

A quick look in the concordances indicates that there are 187 instances of "let us" in the Bible, 26 in Science & Health, 28 in the Christian Science Hymnal and 65 in Mrs. Eddy's Prose Works. Genesis employs the word "let" throughout chapter one and verse 26 is translated in the King James Version as: "And God said, Let us make man in our image..." 

We might now ponder the word "early". Does that mean at the start of the day? Probably. I'm sure the farmers of the world know the meaning of the word early. Might it also refer to no delay, excuse, meandering or procrastination? Truth is present right now.

And what about the vineyard? It's all God's. Mrs. Eddy writes: "When God called the author to proclaim His Gospel to this age, there came also the charge to plant and water His vineyard." (SH xi: 22). Our work, done unselfishly, consistently, appropriately, lovingly, and in fulfilment of God's purpose, takes wings and bears fruit, because it is God working through us and with us. "...in Him we live, and move, and have our being" Paul assures us (Acts 17: 28). I am reminded of Ruth in the Bible. She and Naomi were starting life over. They arrived at "the beginning of barley harvest" (Ruth 1: 22). Ruth was led to work in the field of Boaz and she got in early to the field.

Flourish is a marvellous word. The Psalmist assures us that "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Ps. 92:7). But the Psalmist also warns that the wicked might also flourish. Farmers and gardeners are on the alert for pests which don't belong. Jesus' parable of the tares and the wheat includes the admonition to "let both grow together until the harvest...." and then when it is easy to distinguish which are the tares, then let them be burned. (See Matthew 13.)

The inclusion of this verse from Solomon's Song to introduce chapter XVIII gives the reader encouragement and expectation of good results. I love it, because it assures us that the vineyard is God's and therefore the fruit is assured.

Julie Swannell