Revelation #45

Moving right along we will finish chapter 14 today!



Revelation 14:14-20



The Harvest of the Earth

14Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." 16So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe." 19So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.



In verse 14 we are told John sees a white cloud and seated on that cloud one like the son of man which is Jesus! Jesus has a golden crown on His head which represents His royalty and He has a sharp sickle in His hand. A sickle is used for harvesting and that is exactly what Jesus is about to do! In verse 15 we are told an angel comes out of the temple and tells Jesus that the earth is fully ripe and ready to harvest and to use His sickle and reap for it is time! Remember Matthew 3:12?



Matthew 3:12



12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."



This was John the baptist speaking of Jesus!



In verse 16 we are told Jesus swings His sickle across the earth and reaps a harvest. This is the first harvest. This harvest is those who received Christ but have been killed for their faith. Jesus harvested those that are HIS! In verse 17 we see another angel come out of the temple in heaven and he has a sharp sickle too. In verse 18 we see another angel arrive but this time from the altar and this angel has authority over fire. This angel calls to the angel with the sickle to reap the second harvest for the grapes are ripe! So the angel swings its sickle and and gathers the harvest and throws into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Look at Isaiah:



Isaiah 63:1-6



The LORD’s Day of Vengeance

1Who is this who comes from Edom,

in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,

he who is splendid in his apparel,

marching in the greatness of his strength?

"It is I, speaking in righteousness,

mighty to save."



2Why is your apparel red,

and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?



3 "I have trodden the winepress alone,

and from the peoples no one was with me;

I trod them in my anger

and trampled them in my wrath;

their lifeblood spattered on my garments,

and stained all my apparel.

4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,

and my year of redemption had come.

5I looked, but there was no one to help;

I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;

so my own arm brought me salvation,

and my wrath upheld me.

6I trampled down the peoples in my anger;

I made them drunk in my wrath,

and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."



A great picture of what is happening in this second harvest....those who have trampled God are now trampled by God! Verse 20 tells us how great of slaughter this will be. This slaughter will take place outside the city(Jerusalem) and the blood will flow as high as a horses bridle which is about 5 feet and for 1,600 stadia which equals about 200 miles! This will be a massive slaughter!



Praise God for your salvation!!!



Tom