Jacob 5:61 - 5:65

Jacob 5:61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit.

The master now calls for a full court press by all the servants. This will be a total group endeavor with maximum effort on the part of all the servants. The master wants natural fruit that is far superior to the wild fruit that is now rampant throughout the vineyard.

Jacob 5:62 Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard.

This will be the last time they work in the vineyard. The end of the production years of the trees is near, so the master has determined that this will be their last effort to get the trees to produce good fruit. [This refers to the second coming of the Lord. This is the last days and the last dispensation. There will be no more dispensations.]

Jacob 5:63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.

The order of the regrafting is as follows: the last grafts will be moved first and the first grafts will be done last. The trees will be dug around again and the when the grafting took place will not matter. All trees will get the same treatment.

Jacob 5:64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may grow.

They are to fertilize the trees as well and prune away the bad branches. If this reshuffling will work then the pruning and fertilizing might produce the result the master wants. [Those who had the gospel first will now have to wait until after all the others who have had a chance the hear the gospel. They who hear it last will be the first to enter the kingdom of God on the earth. This refers to the Jews having to wait for the gospel until after the gentiles have had a chance to hear it first. When there are no more gentiles who will accept the gospel then it will be taken to the Jews.]

Jacob 5:65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard.

As the new grafts begin to bring forth good fruit, the servants are to remove from the trees the really bad branches, but all of them at once. The number of branches, good or bad, can only be as much as the roots can nourish. So as the newly grafted branches begin to increase in production of good fruit, the servants are to remove the bad branches to reduce their production of evil fruit just enough to keep the roots producing nourishment at their peak. In other words if the good branches start with 10 pounds of fruit and the bad are producing 10 pounds of bad fruit and later the good branches are producing 12 pounds the servants are to reduce the number of bad branches so their output is 8 pounds. The roots in my example can handle 20 pounds of fruit but no more. Since the master wants the roots caring for the most they can handle whether good or bad, the servants are to keep the enough branches to take up all that the roots can handle. Again if the good branches increase to 18 pounds then the bad branches are to be reduced to 2 pounds. The master feels that if the bad were all removed at once, the power of the roots would be to much for the good branches and they would die from be nourished to much. [Interesting way to handle the wicked and the righteous. Reminds one of the parable of the wheat and the tares. I think it means that if there was no opposition there would not be the growth in the members if they did not have to labor or struggle against enemies who apposed the Churches’ growth. In addition there would not be the appreciation of what they had if their were not wicked around to wake them up to how good they had it. Just think on how the Nephites dealt with prosperity and how they seem to go down hill when they had it all. An another thought, knowledge can only come through asking questions. Questions are usually generated by events that people to wonder about what is happening to them. If there was no one challenging them or their precepts, they probably would not be asking questions or even looking for further enlightenment. So if the Lord were just to give all that He had to share with them, they would not even know what He was talking about or even appreciate what they were being given.]