2 Thessalonians 2:6
From OpenWordBase
“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.”
Agriculture
Crops / Gardening / Soil / Farming / Rain (35)
The husbandman must first till his ground before he can expect a crop; and he must till it according to the proper rules of agriculture, else he cannot have a crop. The combatant must fight and conquer, and fight according to the laws of the agones, before he can be crowned; so the Christian minister must labor in the spiritual vineyard, and labor too under the eye and according to the direction of his Master, before he can expect that crown of righteousness that fades not away.
The “rules of agriculture” entail the idea that a good rain must occur before planting (called “the former rain”) and also before the harvest (called “the latter rain”). Farmers and gardeners know that it is better to have rain before planting because is prepares the soil with aeration and provides a light, moist, and humus texture. This is just right for the plow. This also avoids the hard crusting over the seeds that occurs with rains just after planting in moistureless soil preventing growth. Another factor of rain before, rather than after planting, is that it avoids the formation of a plow pan beneath the surface, which prevents good drainage beneath the soil that is essential for plant growth, during rains.
The “laws of agones” refers to the requirement to go through the struggles that come our way in order to receive victory. The word “agones” is plural for “agon” which means, “persevere”. This is descriptive of what is required to achieve victory or a crown. An analogy might be that the caterpillar struggles from within its cocoon to become a butterfly.
