Sickle is not just a word used to describe a tool used to harvest crops and weeds. It’s also the first of two astrology symbols representing Scorpio. Let’s look at 10 spiritual meanings of this agriculturally themed symbol, or better yet, its history and how it became associated with the sign.
Although the sickle was most commonly used for harvesting grain, it was also a versatile farmer’s tool. Repaired tools were kept in the home for any unexpected repairs that might be needed. The combination of its uses made it symbolically important to the prosperity of all family members. Because the sickle was an agricultural symbol, it has been depicted in gods’ hands, on amulets used to protect children and those who harvested crops, and in tomb paintings as part of scenes connected with death and resurrection.
Spiritual Meaning of A Sickle
A sickle is a tool used to harvest crops. It has a curved blade and a handle, and it is designed to cut through the stalks of grain. The term “sickle” is also used as a symbol of death in many spiritual traditions.
There are many ancient stories about sickles and their spiritual meaning. One such tale originates from the Middle East, where one tribe would give another tribe an offering of grain, which tribe would then harvest using their own sickle. This was considered an act of peace between the two tribes.
In Greek mythology, Demeter used her sickle to destroy crops and make them wither as punishment for Persephone’s abduction by Hades (also known as Pluto). She did not allow any crops to grow until her daughter was returned to her, at which point she allowed them to flourish again.
Sickles have also been associated with death in some cultures because they were used for harvesting crops but also for killing people during wars or battles between tribes.
A sickle is a tool used to harvest crops. The shape of the tool is somewhat like a scythe, but the blade of a sickle is curved inward and shaped like half of a circle.
There are several spiritual meanings to this symbol. One such meaning is that it represents the cycle of life and death. In this way, the sickle can be seen as an emblem of death or destruction. It can also represent time, as it represents a harvest from which one must reap what he has sown over time. Finally, it can represent sacrifice or martyrdom, as one must give up something precious in order for others to benefit from it.
What Is A Sickle In The Bible
The sickle is one of the oldest and most common agricultural tools around the world. Its invention coincides with the Agricultural Revolution in the Neolithic Age, when people discovered that they could cultivate and harvest grains from wild grasses (such as barley and wheat). It has a curved blade for cutting down stalks of grain.
The earliest sickles were made of jawbones or other curved bones, wood, or clay and had flint or other sharpened stones set into a groove. Later, sickle blades were made of brass, copper, iron, and other metals and then set into handles made of wood or other material. The blades needed to be kept sharp for the tool to be effective.
A sickle’s blade bunches the grass stems in its curve, allowing the reaper to slice and catch the bunch at the same time, making for an efficient way of collecting the grain-bearing grasses.
Bible Fact
After the Savior Jesus Christ spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, testifying to her that He was the Messiah (see John 4:7–26), He spoke to His Apostles of “fields… white already to harvest” (John 4:35). (“White” was a way of saying the grain was ripe.) The woman told the people of her city about the Savior, leading to the conversion of many in that place (see John 4:28–30, 39–42). So, in speaking of the fields that were white, the Savior was helping His Apostles see just how many people were ready to hear and accept the message of His gospel, including people they may have overlooked.
Sickle Symbolism
What We Can Learn
For behold, the field is white to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but brings salvation to his soul.
Doctrine and Covenants 4:4.
A sickle is:
A tool. People use tools in order to do things that would otherwise be impossible or much more difficult. We have many available tools (including social media, the Internet, and just opening our mouths) to share messages about the gospel of Jesus Christ and invite people to learn more about it. We just need to use them.
Sharp. As a boy on a farm, Elder Kevin R. Duncan of the Seventy learned that a sickle needs to be kept sharp to be effective. “On the farm, we kept a file on hand to sharpen our sickle every day. In missionary work and indeed in all areas of life, we need to keep our spiritual sickles sharp so that we can achieve our own best potential. Reading scriptures daily, praying, and keeping all other commandments help us stay sharp and useful” (“Abandoned Seeds in Rocky Places,” New Era, July 2014, 18).
Common. To participate in the harvest, people needed a sickle. Fortunately, sickles were relatively easy to make and quite common. When it comes to sharing the gospel, there’s no special or incredibly rare thing you need to have before setting out to do it. If you have “faith, hope, charity and love” and “an eye single to the glory of God,” you are qualified for the work (D&C 4:5).
Personal. Though harvesting technology has advanced and many farmers now use vehicles called combines to harvest large fields, the pattern for effective harvesting in missionary work has not changed since the Savior first sent laborers into the field. We thrust in our sickles and serve, teach, and baptize people individually.
As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said: “Covenants are made personally, individually. … Ordinances are performed for individual persons, one by one, no matter how many must ultimately receive them. …
“That’s how the kingdom of God is built—one person at a time, one covenant at a time” (“Keeping Covenants: A Message for Those Who Will Serve a Mission,” New Era, Jan. 2012, 3).
Your Responsibility
“The harvest is the Lord’s. Your responsibility is to thrust in the sickle.”
President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency (1920–2007), “What I Want My Son to Know before He Leaves on His Mission,” Ensign, May 1996, 42.