Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
Read Chapter 67
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
8. He exulteth, rejoiceth, exhorteth, he repeateth those same verses in exhortation. "The earth hath given her fruit" (ver. 6). What fruit? "Let all peoples confess to Thee." Earth it was, of thorns it was full; there came the hand of One rooting them up, there came a calling by His majesty and mercy, the earth began to confess; now the earth giveth her fruit. Would she give her fruit unless first she were rained on? Would she give her fruit, unless first the mercy of God had come from above? Let them read to me, thou sayest, how the earth being rained upon gave her fruit. Hear of the Lord raining upon her: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He raineth, and that same rain is thunder; it terrifieth: fear thou Him thundering, and receive Him raining. Behold, after that voice of a thundering and raining God, after that voice let us see something out of the Gospel itself. Behold that harlot of ill fame in the city burst into a strange house into which she had not been invited ...
Fruit, after rain; or, in a spiritual sense, Jesus Christ, the root, or bud of Jesse, (Isaias iv. 2.; Calmet) born in Judea, (Berthier) of the holy Virgin. (St. Jerome)
God. The triple repetition of God's name, insinuates the blessed Trinity, (Haydock; Fathers) and the prophet's earnestness. (Calmet)
The faith of the Trinity is to be preached throughout the world, (Haydock) for the salvation of nations. (Worthington)
