7 So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains. 8 So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is very near. James 5:7-8 [AMP]
This passage follows the one about the ‘Rich non-Christians’. James is writing to his righteous Brothers and Sisters, most of them poor, who were suffering at the hands of those people mentioned in verses 1 – 6. The start of the word ‘So’ lets us know that in light of this oppression, the saints should be patient in their waiting for the Lord. If I put myself in their shoes, I would be anxious to see the Lord smite down the evil ones and rescue me for this persecution they were suffering under.
The metaphor of the farmer is a good one. The farmer has done the work of planting, he knows the seed is planted well. He waits faithfully on the falling of the rains in late autumn and early spring in the area of Palestine. In the Old Testament, ‘early and late rains’ refer to the faithfulness of God.
Now James says ‘you MUST be patient’ from saying ‘be patient’ in verse 7. Must is joined with the ‘Establish your hearts’ which means you must continually convince your heart that the promise of the Lord’s return and judgement of the wicked WILL INDEED come.
Application:
I believe the Lord’s return is very near and I feel a sense of immediacy in doing my part to grow God’s Kingdom before He comes. First – am I being patient with a heart that believes His return is near, so that I might have the freedom of thought and freedom from worry about those who persecute me and the who are wrecking the world. All of the action James talks about are internal to the Christian to correct – I must be patient, I must have faith, I must strengthen and confirm to my heart that God’s Word is true and He is faithful to bring about His will and purposes. This will free me from worry and fix my sights on my ministry rather than to be distracted by the worldly situation and circumstances.