Three ways Israel fulfills prophecy by filling the world with fruit

In the days to come, Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout, and they will fill the whole world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6)

Prior to the reestablishment of Israel in 1948, much of the farming in the region was sustenance farming, as the land was mostly barren and empty. The lush and fertile areas of Israel today, such as the western side of the Jezreel Valley or the Hula Valley north of the Sea of Galilee, were bogs and swamps that needed to be drained by hand. Yet, once Israel “took root,” things almost immediately began to change.

As Isaiah prophesied, Israel did blossom and sprout and is now literally filling the earth with its fruit and produce in a way that no one in the region had ever done before, including their own Jewish ancestors.

Here are three innovative Israeli methods of farming today:

1)     “Precision Agriculture”

Israel has coined this term by using its tech know-how and applying it to the fields. Precision agriculture is exactly that – shockingly precise. A farmer is now able to use in-field sensors that will give him real-time agricultural data on soil content, individual plant needs and moisture levels that reduce standard evaluation processes anywhere from over a week to under an hour. The farmer is then able to launch his drone, with artificial intelligence (AI) tech, to fly over his field and scan down to leaf growth sizes, potential insect problems or individual water needs to maximize fruit production of each plant in his field and help him make decisions accordingly. He does this while monitoring local weather station info and forecasts on his mobile app which transforms massive amounts of data into useful and practical info to get the very peak production from his field.

2)     Cutting-edge cartons and transport containers

What good is your produce or grain if it goes bad before someone can buy it at the markets and feed their families? It is reported that on an annual basis, one-third of the world's produce intended for local or international markets goes bad and is wasted. That's a lot of lost food and potential income. Israeli companies are correcting that problem by using state-of-the-art materials to help fend off pests, fungal issues and moisture problems that cause rot. They are now sharing this tech with the world. For fruits and vegetables, nontoxic compounds infused with antimicrobial properties are used in cartons that are also oxygen-resistant and have been found to extend shelf life. For grains, a simple yet brilliant bag system keeps air and moisture out, which invites crop-ruining pests and mold. More advanced systems can provide drying, disinfecting and temperature storage containers that have resulted in bringing more and better products to the market.

3)     Software for exporting local goods

Now that the farmer has maximized the farm’s potential and knows the products can arrive at the overseas markets without going bad, how will he get them there, given all the international government regulations?  Because the farmer planned ahead with a cloud-based farm management system that provides real-time updates about new regulatory guidelines in the countries of destination, the farmer has nothing to worry about! If he wants to sell strawberries to a major supermarket distributor in Poland and his cucumbers to a large company in the United States, the software applies the necessary and unique regulatory requirements for each of those countries into a specific growing plan. Those individual plans are complete with checklists, specific target calendar dates, reports, data storage, and shipping info. That way, when the buyers in each location receive the produce containers, they already know that everything complies with their local laws and can track the entire process from the farmer's fields to their shelves. This provides for a seamless transaction for everyone and prevents delays and the potential loss of both revenue and the perishable food items that the farmer spent months growing.

Never before in the 3,000 years of Israel’s history has the land blossomed and sprouted in such a way to fill the earth with fruit, yet Isaiah foretold of this time. There was no allegory, no symbolism, no metaphor. Just the sweet and delicious truth of what God said He would tangibly do in the days to come when “Jacob takes root.”

What this means is the next time you are grocery shopping and find a sticker that reads, “Grown in Israel,” you’ll remember the prophet Isaiah’s words, know the backstory, and have the opportunity to find out what bible prophecy tastes like. Enjoy!