The Lord of the Harvest, Revelation 14:14-20

 

It’s almost October.

Up north, leaves are starting to show some color.

Fields are about ready. Farmer’s tractors, are fueled and waiting.

Snowbirds will soon be flocking south for the season.

All the planting and praying, weeding and watering; whether it be fields, or children, or retirement plans, it all comes down to this one thing:

Harvest time.

Not only for the here and now, but also, more importantly, for the hereafter.

We’re not the only ones preparing; Heaven is too.

Listen…can you hear Heaven, sharpening the sickles, for the harvest of the ages?  

As we wrap up this chapter, God reveals how He will wrap up this age; with a two-fold harvest. One is reaped and gathered in, the other is cast out, and trampled underfoot.

Lord, help us, have a harvest, that You find, worth reaping; worth keeping.

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.

Without question the, One like the Son of Man, is Jesus.  

Is it just me? Or, does Jesus seem like He's really fun. I mean, the Bible just told us, He's, sitting on a cloud—how fun is that? 

The symbolism is beautiful.

White represents His purity.

The golden crown, represents victory. Some may say it represents royalty. However, the word for “crown” here, is stéphanos—a wreath (garland), awarded to a victor in the Greek Olympics; a crown of victory.

The sharp sickle, in the hands of Jesus, reflects that He indeed is LORD of the Harvest.

 

¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Although most agree that the One on the white cloud is Jesus. Many are divided regarding exactly what He is harvesting.

Souls of saints? Or, souls of sinners?

Remember, the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible and context is king.

Do you remember when we looked at the 144,000 at the beginning of this chapter? In verse four they are called, firstfruits. That’s a clue to what coming.

Firstfruits indicate harvest time is here. The first pickings, are given, to the LORD of the Harvest.

That also helps us determine, our context.

Since firstfruits means first; we can expect more, of like kind and quality to follow.

For example. If our firstfruit is a batch of good ripe nice juicy golden delicious apples, we can expect more apples to follow. Not bananas. Not rotten tomatoes.

So, here we have 144,000 servants of God, standing with Jesus, and they are called firstfruits.  

So, should we expect a harvest of dirty rotten, Jesus hating, antichrist loving, mark of the beast wearing, souls of sinners, for a harvest?

Or, should we expect a harvest of like kind and quality to the 144,000 servants of God?

I think you know.

Furthermore, the customary, ebb and flow, appears to continue here.

What I mean by ebb and flow, is the style in which Revelation is given. It shows first one side and then the other. What God does, and then the devil. Jesus compares this period of time to labor pains, intense, and then calm again. Remember how we compared it to the back and forth of boxers in an arena.

Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we’ll just note that the very next thing we’re about to see, will be very negative, a bloody picture of reaping the whirlwind, the grapes of wrath.

So, the natural ebb and flow, would indicate this picture will be a positive one.

I humbly submit, that his is likely, a picture of Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest, reaping those that are His. As He so Masterfully describes with, wheat and tares, (Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43); and, sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46). 

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

Now the scene changes.

We’re introduced to another angel, that comes out of the temple. 

However, this time the angel, is holding a sickle; like Jesus. 

This is not Jesus. This is another angel.  

 ¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.”

Now we meet yet another angel. Only this time he comes out from the altar and he has a special super-hero power, over fire.

Why is that mentioned?

He came out from the altar. He has power over fire.

What does that have to do with anything?

(Remember, the best commentary on the Bible, is the Bible.)

Is there any other references to an angel, by the altar, that plays with fire?

Well, as a matter of fact, you may remember the angel we already met some time ago, in Revelation 8:5-6.

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, and rumblings, and flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. ⁶And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

So, in chapter eight we see an angel, by the altar, throw fire to the earth; triggering thunder and lighting and an earthquake.

That makes him similar, but doesn't really reveal much. However, when we consider the context, something is revealed: 

That action of the angel in chapter 8, is a prelude to the seven trumpet judgements; where all kinds of hell breaks loose on the earth. A third of the trees, and seas and fresh water, destroyed. A horde of demonic stinging locust from the abyss and an army of fire breathing, lion headed horses, kill a third of mankind.

Now, back here in our text in chapter fourteen, we see an angel, by the altar, with power over fire. And, guess where we’re standing. In the threshold, of the prelude, to the seven bowl (vial) judgements.

Putting all that together, it’s easy to predict that what comes next, isn’t going to be pretty.

Now, notice, the fire ranger angel, tells the other angel, to thrust his sickle, to gather the grapes, for they are fully ripe.   

Some commentators say this is to be taken in a negative sense. In review of original language, I don’t see how they see that. BUT, in context, it makes sense, and in no way compromises the integrity of scripture.

You may remember an interesting, perhaps puzzling conversation God had with Abraham, back in the day.  He said:

In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Genesis 15:16.

God was talking to Abraham about the Promise Land.  Which, we’ve just crossed into in our Joshua study. God told Abraham, hundreds of years earlier, I’m giving you this land…BUT, you can’t have it yet, because, the Amorites haven’t sinned enough, yet, to kick them out.  Their wickedness isn’t quite fully ripe, but when it is, I’ll boot them out, and you’ll move in.

God’s patience is great, but harvest time comes; whether we reap a land flowing with milk and honey, or grapes of wrath, depends upon what’s been sown.

So here, we know exactly what the harvest is—grapes.

Or, is it…?

¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

He thrust in his sickle, just like Jesus does. However, rather than reaping, his harvest, he throws it into the winepress of the wrath of God.

This picture of judgment was the inspiration for The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He is trampling out the vineyard where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on!

 ²⁰ And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

 

trampled outside the city

 

Revelation 22:14-15: Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. ¹⁵But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

To be clear. This is a foreshadow of the battle of Armageddon; the bloody mess will splatter as high as the horse’s bridle, for one thousand six hundred furlongs, (a little less than 200 miles).

The Bible tells us, where. 

The battle will take place. From Armageddon, (Jezreel Valley), south through Kidron Valley (east of Jerusalem west of Mt of Olives) to just south of the Dead Sea, near Edom.

It also lets us in on, who. 

 Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iran, (perhaps some …stans) Libya, Ethiopia. Today, the stage, is being set for this battle, as Russia and Iran strategically place weapons of war in Syria, the neighbors to the north of Israel.

It’s just not too clear about, when…

We’re given signs to watch for, told to be ready, and not fear.

This gospel will be preached to the whole world, then end will come. Matthew 24:14.

Just this past week, Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, was viewed by 4.1 billion. It’s said to have been the most watch broadcast in the history of television. During her funeral, much scripture was read and the gospel of Jesus Christ was told.

The Temple will be rebuilt, sacrifice reinstated, for a time, (Daniel 9:27, 12:11, Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14).

Reportedly, (https://theisraelguys.com/red-heifer/)  for the first in over 2,000 years, red heifers, without spot or blemish, were brought to Israel.

All the way from Texas, the heifers were finally unloaded at the Ben Gurion Airport. The welcoming committee recited blessings of thanksgiving, sang and danced, and blew the shofar. They view this as a sign that the third temple will soon be built, along with the restoration of the temple sacrifices and coming of Messiah.

They may be right. And they are definitely wrong.

Those at the airport, (not far from Armageddon), don’t realize, they’re dancing in the threshold of the worst time in world history. The sacrifice they’re celebrating, is no longer needed. The price has already been paid. The Messiah they’re looking for, already came. His name is Jesus.  

The time indeed is FULLY RIPE.

 

Let’s pray.

Jesus, Lord of the Harvest, we invite You to prune us, to make us, be a bountiful harvest, worth reaping. We raise our hands and volunteer, in any way You want to use us, as laborers, in Your harvest field.

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

We love You.

Amen.