JESUS HARVESTING SOULS

JESUS WAS SEATED ON A CLOUD
READY FOR THE HARVEST
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Revelation14:14I looked, and there before me was a
white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son
of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp
sicklein his hand.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Harvest And The Vintage
Revelation14:14-20
S. ConwayIt is held by many that both these refer to the same factof God's
judgment againstsin and sinners. And no doubt, at times, the "harvest," does
mean such judgment (cf. Joel3:13; Jeremiah51:33). In Matthew 13. both
harvests - that of goodand evil alike - are told of "Let both grow together
until," etc. Still more commonly the figure stands for the people of God and
their ingathering into his blessedpresence. And we think that here, whilst
there can be no doubt as to what the vintage means, the "harvest" does not
mean the same, but that gathering of "the wheatinto his garner" which shall
one day most surely be accomplished. Forsee the preface (ver. 13)to this
vision. It speaks ofthe blesseddeadand their rest. And but for the plain
pointing out that the vintage did not refer to them, that also would have been
so understood. And the Lord Jesus Christ - for he is meant - is himself the
Reaper(ver. 14), himself thrusts in the sickle (ver. 16), whilst the vintage of

judgment is assignedto an angel (ver. 17), indicating that it is a different work
from the other. And the figure itself, the harvest, the precious corn fully ripe,
belongs generallyand appropriately to that which is also precious and an
objectof delight, as is the company of his people to the Lord whose they are. It
is not the time of the harvest, but the corn of the harvest, which is spokenof
here, and this is ever the type of good, and not evil. Thus understood, let us
note -
I. THE HARVEST. "The harvestof the earth." This tells of:
1. The multitude of God's people. Who can count the ears of corn even in one
harvest field? how much less in the harvest of the whole earth?
2. The preciousness ofthem. What do we not owe to, what could we do
without, the literal harvest of the earth? Our all, humanly speaking, depends
upon it.
3. The joy of God in them. Cf. "They shall joy before thee with the joy of
harvest."
4. The care that has been needed and given.
5. The "long patience" that has been exercised. Who but God could be so
patient? We often cry, "How long, O Lord, how long?" But he waits - and we
must learn the like lesson - for the harvest of the earth, for that which is being
ripened in our own soul. Harvest comes only so.
6. The evidence of ripeness. We know of the natural harvest that it is ripe by
the grain assuming its goldenhue. "Knowestthou what it is that gives that
bright yellow tinge of maturity to that which erst was greenand growing?
What imparts that golden hue to the wheat? How do you suppose the
husbandman judges when it is time to thrust in the sickle? Iwill tell you. All
the time the corn was growing, those hollow stems servedas ducts that drew
up nourishment from the soil. At length the process ofvegetationis fulfilled.
The fibres of the plant become rigid; they cease theiroffice; down below there
has been a failure of the vital power, which is the precursor of death.
Henceforth the heavenly powers work quick and marvellous changes:the sun
paints his superscription on the ears of grain. They have reachedthe last
stage;having fed on the riches of the soillong enough, they are now only
influenced from above" (Spurgeon). And when it is thus with the people of
God, when the golden light of the Sun of Righteousnessshines onthem and
they are transformed thereby, then the evidence of ripeness is seen, and the
seasonforthe sickle has come.

7. God will certainly gatherin his people. "Harvestshall not fail" - such was
the primeval promise, and it has never failed; nor shall this harvest either.
"Look up, lift up your heads;for your redemption draweth nigh."
II. THE VINTAGE. Under the altar on which was "the fire," over which the
angeltold of in ver. 18 "had power," were the souls of them that had been
slain for the testimony of Jesus (Revelation6:9). They had asked, "How long,
O Lord,... dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth?" And now the answeris given. The vintage of vengeance has begun.
For the "grapes" ofthe "vine of the earth" are fully ripe. It is the judgment of
the whole earth, when "all nations" shall be gathered (Matthew 25.)before
the Sonof man. The square of four - four everthe symbol of the earth -
amplified by hundreds, the "one thousand and six hundred furlongs" of ver.
20, likewise point to the universality of this awful judgment. Minor fulfilments
- presages, predictions, and patterns of the final judgment - of these there
have been many and will be many; but in this vintage of vengeance upon the
world's sin all are summed up and fulfilled. But will there be any such event
at all? Will Christ "come againto judge the quick and the dead," as the Creed
declares? oris it all a myth and imagination, a nightmare, which the sooner
the world shakes offand awakesfrom the better? Many affirm that it is this;
many more would like to think so. But what is the truth?
1. Men have ever felt that there ought to be such judgment. See in the Old
Testament, m the Psalms, Job, in the prophets, what distress of soul God's
people were in, because they feared for the faith of a just God. So many
wrongs were perpetrated, and no one called to account. Wickedmen in great
prosperity, "flourishing like a green bay tree," and all the while godly,
innocent men trampled in the very dust by these wicked, welloff ones. And
many saints of God were heartbrokenunder the pressure of indubitable facts
like these, asking for, and not finding any, redress. Menwho were not saints,
as they could not find any law of judgment, took the law into their own hands.
And hence they added torture to death. For merely to kill a man was no
punishment at all. Who would care for that? Death rids a man of all trouble.
Make him suffer, therefore, whilst he is alive. So they thought and acted, and
hence the whole system of tortures, from the imagery of which some of the
most dread emblems of this book are drawn. But the tears of goodmen, in
view of this problem of righteousness unrewardedand persecuted, whilst
unrighteousness wentnot only unpunished, but held high festival; and the
tortures inflicted by cruel men when they gota criminal into their hands; -
both are testimonies to the conviction that a Divine and perfect judgment
ought to be.

2. And now it is declaredthat such judgment shall be. Conscienceassents to it.
What endorsements of God's Word the guilty consciencegives. Read
'Macbeth' for one illustration out of thousands more.
3. Human law and justice strive after right judgment. What consternation
there is when some greatcriminal escapesandbaffles all means of discovery,
and what joy when such are caught and tried and condemned! It is all
confirmation of the truth taught by this "vintage."
4. And the judgments that come now on ungodly nations, communities, and
individuals are all in proof. History rightly read reveals the truth in luminous
light: "Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth." This harvest for God's
holy ones, and this vintage of those for whom his holy vengeance awaits, are
both to be. When the sharp sicklesthat gatherthe one and the other are put
in, where shall we be found? That is the question of questions for us all to
answer. God, of his mercy, give us no rest until we cananswerit aright! - S.C.
Biblical Illustrator
Thrust in thy sickle, andreap.
Revelation14:14-20
The harvest and the vintage
S. Conway, B. A.It is held by many that both these refer to the same fact of
God's judgment againstsin and sinners. And no doubt, at times, the "harvest"
does mean such judgment (Joel3:13; Jeremiah51:33). In Matthew 13. both
harvests — that of good and evil alike — are told of. "Let both grow together
until," etc. Still more commonly the figure stands for the people of God and
their ingathering into His blessedpresence.And we think that here, whilst
there can be no doubt as to what the vintage means, the "harvest" does not
mean the same, but that gathering of "the wheatinto His garner" which shall
one day most surely be accomplished. Forsee the preface (ver. 13)to this
vision. It speaks ofthe blesseddeadand their rest. And but for the plain
pointing out that the vintage did not refer to them, that also would have been

so understood. And the Lord Jesus Christ — for He is meant — is Himself the
Reaper(ver. 14), Himself thrusts in the sickle (ver. 16), whilst the vintage of
judgment is assignedto an angel (ver. 17), indicating that it is a different work
from the other. And the figure itself, the harvest, the precious corn fully ripe,
belongs generallyand appropriately to that which is also precious and an
objectof delight, as is the company of His people to the Lord whose they are.
It is not the time of the harvest, but the corn of the harvest, which is spokenof
here, and this is ever the type of good, and not evil. Thus understood, let us
note —
I. THE HARVEST. "The harvestof the earth." This tells of —
1. The multitude of God's people. Who can count the ears of corn even in one
harvest-field? how much less in the harvest of the whole earth?
2. The preciousness ofthem. What could we do without the literal harvest of
the earth? Our all, humanly speaking, depends upon it.
3. The joy of God in them. "They shall joy before Thee with the joy of
harvest."
4. The care that has been needed and given.
5. The "long patience" that has been exercised. Who but God could be so
patient? We often cry, "How long, O Lord, how long?" But He waits — and
we must learn the like lesson — for the harvest of the earth, for that which is
being ripened in our own soul.
6. The evidence of ripeness. We know of the natural harvest that it is ripe by
the grain assuming its goldenhue. And when it is thus with the people of God,
when the goldenlight of the Sun of Righteousnessshines on them and they are
transformed thereby, then the evidence of ripeness is seen, and the seasonfor
the sickle has come.
7. God will certainly gatherin His people. "Harvestshall not fail"; nor shall
this harvest either. "Look up, lift up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh."
II. THE VINTAGE. Under the altar on which was "the fire," over which the
angeltold of in ver. 18 "had power," were the souls of them that had been
slain for the testimony of Jesus (Revelation6:9). They had asked, "How long,
O Lord dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth?" And now the answeris given. The vintage of vengeance has begun.
For the "grapes" ofthe "vine of the earth" are fully ripe. It is the judgment of
the whole earth, when "all nations" shall be gathered (Matthew 25.)before
the Sonof Man. The square of four — four ever the symbol of the earth —

amplified by hundreds, the "one thousand and six hundred furlongs" of ver.
20, likewise point to the universality of this awful judgment. Minor fulfilments
— presages,predictions, and patterns of the final judgment — of these there
have been many and will be many; but in this vintage of vengeance upon the
world's sin all are summed up and fulfilled. But will there be any such event
at all?
1. Men have ever felt that there ought to be such judgment.
2. And now it is declaredthat such judgment shall be. Conscienceassents to it.
3. Human law and justice strive after right judgment.
4. And the judgments that come now on ungodly nations, communities, and
individuals are all in proof.
(S. Conway, B. A.)
A coronationsermon
G. Clayton.I. THE ILLUSTRIOUS PERSONAGEINTENDED. This we
conceive to be no other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the exalted Messiah, who,
for the suffering of death, was made a little lower than the angels, and is now
crownedwith glory and honour.
1. His characteristic designation— "The Son of Man." This was the form or
similitude He wore. The manhood of Christ is exalted to the throne of Deity.
2. His high exaltation. He is said to be throned on the clouds of heaven, and
dignified with the highest honours.
3. The insignia appropriate to His office. He is advancedto the dignity and
authority of a king, and therefore is invested with a crown of gold, and a sickle
— an emblem of power, answering to a sceptre or sword, but put in this form,
as having a relation to the service which was immediately to be performed in
reaping the harvest of the earth. These are the regalia of His kingly office.
II. THE MAGNIFICENT APPEARANCEHE ASSUMED.
1. He is seatedon a white cloud. On a cloud, to betokenHis elevationand
empire. On a white cloud, to signify the immaculate purity of His nature, as
the Holy One of God; the unimpeachable rectitude of His administrations,
transparent as the fleecyvapour of which these visible heavens are composed;
and the blessedconsequencesofHis government, when purity shall be
universally established, and "white-robed Innocence," returning to our
forsakenworld, shall take place of fraud and rapine, violence and blood.
Furthermore, on this luminous cloud He is said to have been seated, as ona

throne, expressing at once the high dignity and perfect repose which He
enjoys.
2. On His head was a goldencrown. The crown is an emblem of empire and
dominion, and a crownof pure gold fitly represents the validity of His title,
and the honour and glory by which He is encircled.
3. In His hand there is a sharp sickle. This I apprehend to be an emblem of
His judicial authority and retributive vengeance. To Him the Fatherhath
given authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man, and hath
put all things into His hands. What havoc and slaughter shall be made by the
sharp sickle, with which He is invested, when His irreclaimable enemies shall
be made the helpless victims of His inexorable indignation! When the great
day of His wrath is come, who shall be able to stand?
III. THE PRACTICAL LESSONS INCULCATED BY THE
CONTEMPLATION OF THE SUBJECT.
1. We infer the high and honourable conceptions we should form and
entertain of the Lord Christ.
2. We infer that, "before honour is humility."
3. Let us learn how important it is to ascertainwhetherwe are among the
subjects of this exalted Prince.
4. Let us learn to rejoice in the perfection of His administration.
5. Let us learn how terrible will be the final doom of all the enemies of this
mighty Prince.
6. If such be the advantages andpleasures connectedwith the sight and
contemplation of a glorified Saviour in this world, what will the beatific vision
include? To see Him as He is, without the interposition of any obscuring veil,
any dense medium!
(G. Clayton.)
The harvest of the earth
R. Tuck, B. A.The expressionis a singular and, indeed, a striking one.
I. GOD PREPAREDTHE EARTH FOR HIS SEEDING. Scientific men may
wrangle over the ages and order of creation. It is enoughfor us to know that,
at a given time, God had prepared the earth to be the scene ofa moral trial
for a new race of beings. The farmer cleans, and ploughs, and manures, and
harrows, and ridges, his fields, in precise adaptation to the cropthat he
intends to grow upon it; and earth is the prepared field of God, made ready
for His sowing.

II. GOD SEEDS HIS PREPAREDEARTHWITH MEN. Scattering the seed
all over the earth, that man's probation may be carriedon under every
varying condition of soil, and landscape, and climate, and relationship. God
keeps on seeding the earth with men; every seedwith a great possibility in it;
every seedset where its possibility may freely unfold, and where the God-
provided influences all tend to the nourishment of all its best possibilities.
Men, men everywhere are the seedof God. They are quick with Divine life,
and sownin the earth to grow into a harvest for God.
III. THE HARVEST GOD SEEKS FROM HIS SEEDING IS CHARACTER.
God sows His earth with moral beings, in the hope of reaping moral
character. But what is moral character? It is the proper fruitage of the earth-
experience of moral beings. But can we understand it a little more fully than
that? A moral being is one that canrecognise a distinction betweengoodand
evil, and, when the distinction is seen, can choose foritself which it will have,
the goodor the evil. But a moral being must be put into such circumstances as
will offer it the choice betweengoodand evil. And substantially the test
amounts to this: goodis doing what is known to be the will of the Creator: evil
is doing the will of the moral being himself, when that is knownto be not the
will of the Creator. The story of a life is the story of that conflict. It is the
growth, through the long months, of God's seedinto the "full corn in the ear"
of establishedmoral character. It is the unfolding of what God would gather
in from His seeding of men, the righteousness ofthe acceptedwillof God. One
thing only does man take through the great gates — the characterthat he has
gained. It is the full earthat heads the stalk, and ripens for the reaper.
IV. GOD HAS ANXIOUS TIMES WHILE HIS SEED OF MEN IS
GROWING INTO HIS HARVEST OF CHARACTER. Every blade that
breaks the earth in the farmer's field has to fight for its life with varied foes:
insects, worms, mildew, rust, living creatures, varying temperatures,
crowding weeds;the growthof every blade to stalk and ear is a hard-won
victory. The stalk can do its best, and be its best, only at the costof unceasing
struggle and watchfulness. And the field of earth is but a type of the world of
men. Every characteris the product of a stern experience, the issue of a
hundred fights; a triumph from an unceasing struggle. The problem of each
man's dealings with his surroundings — helpful be they, or injurious — God
is intensely interested in. He is anxious as the farmer is anxious over his
growing blades. The one thing of profoundest interest to God is the making of
characters in His greatearth-fields. Be it so;then a fact of infinite sadness has
to be faced. The issue is disappointing, for God's harvest-hope of reaping
characterfrom His sowing of men is only partially fulfilled.

(R. Tuck, B. A.)
The twin mysteries:life and death
J. Stoughton.I. THE TRUE THEORYOF A GOOD MAN'S LIFE
RIPENING FOR THE HARVEST. Did you ask, while you saw the farmer
plodding his wearyway, what means that sowing? Did you ask, as you saw the
wind and the snow fulfilling the word of a higher power, what means the
white flake and the rough blast? You have now the plainest answerin the
growing of the corn. And if you againinquire, What is it growing for? the
harvest will explain that. When the earhas been well filled, and the heat hath
ripened and moulded the wheat, and the goldentreasures are gathered home
amid the reapers'song of joy, and the barns are filled with plenty, the result
will sufficiently explain the theory of agricultural toil and of natural
influences. And in like manner the growthof the soul explains the moral
discipline of life; and the harvest of souls in heaven explains their growth on
earth. The days we spend at present are all days of discipline. Now, is this the
theory of your life? Are you conscious ofsuch growth and ripening? "No,"
says some poor, timid, cast-downChristian, "there is no growth, no ripening
in me; my heart is as hard and cold as ever it can be." But, are you not
conscious ofresisting temptation? You cannotdeny that you are fighting
againstsin. H you cannotboast of any good, and have a greatdeal of evil to
lament, still you canconscientiouslyadmit that if you did not make a decided
stand you would have a great dealmore of evil than you have at present. And
is there not hope in that fact — that casting off of evil, and striving and
praying and wishing to getrid of spiritual death? — is not that a sign of
spiritual life, of spiritual growth, at leastin its earlieststage?Thank God,
there is hope. It is God working in you; He will not fail to watch overyou for
your good.
II. THE TRUE THEORYOF DEATH as illustrated by the text. First of all, it
is never premature. If the wickedare not cut down until they are ripe for
judgment, we cannotbelieve that God's people are cut down till they are ripe
for glory. Fitness for heaven, be it remembered, consists not in the particular
state of mind in which a man may happen to be when the death-stroke
overtakes him. It does not depend upon his being in a state of religious
consciousness. No;it depends upon the habits in previous life, upon the
principle of his previous history. Norshall we be dismissed till we have had
full opportunity of doing all that the Masterintends us to do. There are
different degrees ofservice, evenas there are varied kinds of service. The
terms of service are sometimes long and sometimes short. Norforget that
there may be much living to goodpurpose when the length of life has been

very limited. We often measure life by length. Does not God measure it by
depth and breadth? We look at quantity, does not He look at quality? The
harvest is never premature, and is always carefully gatheredin, and nothing
lost. There is something very instructive in the signs of careful preparation for
the harvest, which are indicated in the text. Before it is commenced, a voice
announces the arrival of the time, and the purpose is calmly and deliberately
executed. In the death harvest there is no haste and nothing lost. "Ofall that
the Fatherhath given Me," said Christ, "have I lost nothing." He is as careful
of what there is of value in the soul as of the soul itself. How very apt are we to
fancy, when such an one is suddenly cut off, that the greatstores ofhis mind
are wasted, that his acquirements by study and discipline are now lose to him.
No, no, we may rely upon it, that there is not anything worth carrying into the
eternal world that that sanctifiedsoul will leave behind it; not one noble
affectionbut is nobler than it everwas;not one greatprinciple but it is
strongerin the soul than ever, not one spiritual habit but it has grown in
force, not one true excellence but it excels in beauty. And the harvestgathered
in without less is preservedafterwards without loss:"Gatherthe wheatinto
My garner." Cornis laid up to be preserved; but that is not all, it is also laid
up that it may be used. At the death harvest, the soulis placed for everbeyond
the reachof harm. The accidents to which it was exposedwhile growing, the
moral frost, and blight, and mildew, and the blast of the lightning, they are all
among the former things, and have passedaway. But the soulis preserved
where it will be of greateruse than it ever was. The best use of the corn comes
when it is cut. All before was subordinate usefulness, beautifying the
landscape and furnishing subjects for poets and painters; but when it is cut, it
feeds and sustains the nations. So the best use of the soul and its acquirements
will be in heaven, not here.
(J. Stoughton.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
And another angel - The fourth in order, Revelation14:6, Revelation14:8-9.
Came out of the temple - See the notes on Revelation11:19. Came, as it were,
from the immediate presence of God; for the temple was regardedas his
unique dwelling-place.
Crying with a loud voice to him that saton the cloud - To the Messiah,
Revelation14:14. That is, the command was borne directly from God by the

angelto the Messiah, to go forth and reap the greatharvest of the world. It is
not a command of the angel, but a command from God the Fatherto the Son.
This is in accordance withall the representations in the New Testament, that
the Son, as Messiahor Redeemer, is subordinate to the Father, and performs
the work which has been given him to do. See John 3:16-17;John 5:19; John
10:18;John 12:49;John 14:31. Compare the notes on Revelation1:1.
Thrust in thy sickle, andreap - Into the greatharvest of the world.
For the time is come for thee to reap - That is, “the harvestwhich thou art to
reap is ripe; the seedwhich thou hast sownhas grownup; the earth which
thou hast cultivated has produced this golden grain, and it is fit that thou
shouldst now gather it in.” This language is appropriately addressedto the
Son of God, for all the fruits of righteousnesson the earth may be regardedas
the result of his culture.
For the harvest of the earth is ripe - The “harvest” in reference to the
righteous - fruit of the goodseedsownby the Saviour and his apostles and
ministers. The time alluded to here is the end of the world, when the affairs of
earth shall be about to he wound up. The design is to state that the Redeemer
will then gatherin a great and glorious harvest, and by this assurance to
sustain the hearts of his people in times of trial and persecution.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Revelation14:15". "Barnes'Notes onthe
Whole Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/revelation-
14.html. 1870.
l " return to 'Jump List'
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And another angelcame out from the temple, crying with a greatvoice to him
that saton the cloud, Send forth thy sickle, and reap: for the hour to reap is
come;for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Send forth thy sickle and reap ... The astonishing thing about this is that the
command to reap appears to come from an angelof far lesserrank than the
Christ on the white cloud. Rist, however, gave a very excellentexplanation of
this:

It seems strange that the angelwould give orders to the heavenly Christ
to begin his work ... of harvest, until we realize that he (the angel)is
merely a messengerbringing the command from God himself who is in
his temple. This is quite in harmony with Matthew 24:36, that no one,
not even the angels, nor the Son, knows the day or the hour of the end,
save the Father himself.[75]
Send forth thy sickle and reap ... This sickle is Christ's. The judgment is in his
hands. The figure of the harvest for the end of the world is a frequent New
Testamentmetaphor, as in Matthew 13:30. The fact of the harvest here being
particularly of the redeemedis in harmony with the imagery of Matthew
13:11,12. Yes, the wickedare mentioned there also, but not under the figure of
"the wheat." The wickedare "the chaff," or "the tares."
ENDNOTE:
[75] Martin Rist, op. cit., p. 475.
Copyright Statement
JamesBurton Coffman Commentaries reproducedby permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/revelation-14.html.
Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And another angelcame out of the temple,.... Notthe Holy Spirit, who, being
God omniscient, knows the day and hour of judgment, which is a secretto
men and angels, as Napierthinks; since though he dwells in the church as his
temple, yet is never called an angel;nor does this angelrepresentthe souls
under the altar, who come out from thence, and importunately desire
vengeance onthe inhabitants of the earth, the worshippers of the beast, who
had shed their blood; but rather the mighty angels who shall descendfrom
heaven with Christ, and who shall be employed by him as reapers, to gather in
his electfrom the four winds, as well as to bind up the tares in bundles, and
burn them; unless a setof Gospelministers, as before, should be intended,
who either by divine revelation, or by the signs of the time being come, and
observedby them, will know that the harvest, or end of the world, is come;

since this angelis said to come out of the temple, the church, which had been
measured, and was now openedin heaven, and from whence angels are saidto
come, Revelation11:1
crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud: as the first and third
angels did, Revelation14:7 denoting greatvehemence and importunity: thrust
in thy sickle, and reap: which being spokenby an inferior angel, whether this
designs the ministering spirits, or preachers ofthe word, must be understood
not as commanding, nor even directing what should be done, but as
beseeching and entreating:see Psalm132:8. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, and not
without reason, that there is here some allusion to the putting in of the sickle,
and reaping the first corn in Judea, at the feastof the passover, by the order
of the sanhedrim, which satin the temple; nor did any reap till they had the
word given them, "reap", by the messengers ofthe court, called‫יחולש‬ ‫תיב‬ ‫,ןיד‬
"the angels", ormessengers "ofthe sanhedrim": to whom the reaper said,
shall I reap? and they say to him, ‫רוצק‬ F1
, "reap":the reasons follow:
for the time is come for thee to reap; the time of the end of the world, and of
the judgment of it, which is fixed by God; and of Christ's coming to judge
both quick and dead, and of the first resurrection, or the resurrectionof the
saints:
for the harvest of the earth is ripe: the measure of the sins of wickedmen will
now be filled up, and the afflictions of the saints will be accomplishedin them,
and the number of God's electwill be completed in the effectualcalling; they
will be all called, and so things will be ripe for the secondcoming of Christ.
There seems to be some reference to Joel3:13 "put ye in the sickle, forthe
harvest is ripe": the Jewishdoctors askF2
, to whom is this said? R. Phineas, in
the name of R. Hilkiah, says, ‫,םיכאלמל‬ "to the angels";so the mighty ones, in
Revelation14:11 are by Kimchi interpreted of the angels.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "The New John Gill
Exposition of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/revelation-14.html. 1999.

Geneva Study Bible
13
And another angelcame out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him
that saton the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, andreap: for the time is come for
thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
(13) Christ gives a commandment in this verse, and the angel executes it
in (Revelation14:16).
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Revelation14:15". "The 1599 Geneva
Study Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/revelation-
14.html. 1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thrust in — Greek, “Send.” The angeldoes not command the “Son of man”
(Revelation14:14), but is the mere messengerannouncing to the Son the will
of God the Father, in whose hands are kept the timesand the seasons.
thy sickle — alluding to Mark 4:29, where also it is “sendeth the sickle.”The
Son sends His sickle-bearing angelto reap the righteous when fully ripe.
harvest — the harvest crop. By the harvest-reaping the electrighteous are
gatheredout; by the vintagethe Antichristian offenders are removed out of
the earth, the scene ofChrist‘s coming kingdom. The Son of man Himself,
with a golden crown, is introduced in the harvest-gathering of the elect, a mere
angelin the vintage(Revelation14:18-20).
is ripe — literally, “is dried.” Ripe for glory.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.

Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Revelation14:15". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/revelation-14.html.
1871-8.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Send forth (πεμπσον — pempson). Firstaorist(urgency) active imperative of
πεμπω — pempō“Thrustin thy sickle now,” this angelurges Christ.
And reap (και τερισον — kai therison). First aorist(urgency) active imperative
of τεριζω — therizō old verb (from τερος — theros summer), as in Matthew
6:26. See Revelation14:7 for “the hour is come.” Τερισαι — Therisai (to reap)
is epexegeticalinfinitive (first aoristactive of τεριζω — therizō).
The harvest (ο τερισμος — ho therismos). Old, but rare word (from τεριζω —
therizō to harvest), as in Matthew 13:30; John 4:35, here only in Revelation.
Is over-ripe (εχηραντη— exēranthē). First aorist (prophetic as in Revelation
10:7; Revelation15:1) passive of χηραινω — xērainō(cf. James 1:11), to
wither, to dry up. Perhaps just “ripe,” not “over-ripe.” Cf. Joel1:17.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright Broadman
Press 1932,33, Renewal1960.All rights reserved. Used by permission of
Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "Robertson'sWord
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/revelation-14.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
Thrust in ( πέμψον )
Lit., send. Rev., send forth.
Harvest ( θερισμὸς )
See on Luke 10:2.
Is ripe ( ἐξηράνθη )

Lit., wasdried. Compare Mark 11:20;John 15:6. Rev., is over-ripe.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Revelation14:15". "Vincent's
Word Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/revelation-14.html.
Charles Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
And another angel cameout of the temple — "Which is in heaven," verse17.
Revelation14:17 Out of which came the judgments of God in the appointed
seasons.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "JohnWesley's
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/revelation-14.html. 1765.
Scofield's ReferenceNotes
angel
(See Scofield "Hebrews 1:4").
Copyright Statement
These files are consideredpublic domain and are a derivative of an electronic
edition that is available in the Online Bible Software Library.

Bibliography
Scofield, C. I. "ScofieldReferenceNoteson Revelation14:15". "Scofield
Reference Notes(1917Edition)".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/revelation-14.html. 1917.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
15 And another angelcame out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him
Ver. 15. Thrust in thy sickle]This is not a command, but a request of the
faithful, which is soonfulfilled. It is like that of the Church, Psalms 102:3;
"Arise, O Lord, and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea,
the settime, is come."
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". JohnTrapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/revelation-
14.html. 1865-1868.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
In the fifteenth verse we have a manifestationof the church's fervent desire
that Christ would make speed, and hastenhis work, and come quickly to
judgment, both for the consummation of their glory, and for the destruction
of his own and their enemies: Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, for the harvestis
ripe; that is, it is full time to execute thy judgment on the wicked, for their sins
(which callfor these judgments) are now come to the height.
Behold here Christ's day of judgment is like a day of harvest; when the corn is
ripe, the sickle is got ready; when the sickle is gotready, it is set to work;
when it is set to work, it cuts down all, wheat and tares, corn and grass,
without discrimination; but the Lord of the harvest sooncommands a
separationto be made of the goodgrain from the tares, of the righteous form
the wicked, laying up the former in the granary of heaven, binding up the
latter for the fire of hell.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". ExpositoryNotes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/revelation-14.html. 1700-
1703.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Revelation14:15.ἐξηράνθη, isdried)having attained to ripeness, in a good
sense, forreaping. Matters at the presentday reachvery close to this point;
and the things which remain scarcelyadmit of further increase.—V. g."
class="bible_footnotealt_foreground_dark bold" id="168" style="display:
inline; "(168)τῆς γῆς, of the earth) Thus also Revelation14:18, in the vintage.
The earth is not here used in contradistinctionto the sea: but yet the
amplitude of this word is restrictedin Revelation14:20 by the city.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". Johann
Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/revelation-14.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Mostinterpreters understand this of the prayers of God’s people, from the
church, soliciting the Lord Jesus Christ (say some)to gather in the Jews, or
the number of his elect, the fields being now white to that harvest, (as Christ
useth the metaphor of the Samaritans, John 4:35), or, (as others say, with
whom I rather agree), to execute vengeance onantichrist and his adherents.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Revelation14:15". Matthew Poole's
English Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/revelation-14.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Another angelcame out of the temple; the dwelling-place of Jehovah,
signifying that he was the bearer of a messagefrom Him.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "FamilyBible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/revelation-
14.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
15. ἄλλος ἄγγελος. It is probably not relevant to argue that in classicalGreek
this would not necessarilyimply that the previously named Personis an
Angel, even if “another” is meant to distinguish the Angel from him. But
comparing Revelation14:6, it appears that the angelmay be called“another”
simply to distinguish him from those of Revelation14:6; Revelation14:8-9 :
and then no decisive inference can be drawn as to the figure of Revelation
14:14.
ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ. See Revelation11:19 and note on Revelation4:6.
πέμψον. Lit. “send,” cf. ἀποστέλλει, St Mark 4:29. It maybe implied here, as it
probably is in St Mark, that the Son of Man does not reap Himself, cf. St
Matthew 24:31. See on the next verse.
ἐξηράνθη. Lit. “is dried,” hence R.V[499]
“is over-ripe”:—possiblya more
literal translation than St Mark’s accountof our Lord’s words in the parable,
to which there is probably a reference.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Revelation14:15". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor
Schools and Colleges".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/revelation-14.html. 1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And another angelcame out of the Temple, crying with a greatvoice to Him
who saton the cloud, “Send forth your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap
has come and the harvest of the earth is dried up (overripe)”.’
The angelcomes from the Temple of God with direct instructions from Him
Who sits on the throne. Everything has its time, and even the Sonof Man may
not actbefore the time (compare 1 Corinthians 4:5). The greatvoice, as
always, emphasises the importance of what is about to happen.
‘Send forth your sickle and reap.’The words are reminiscent of Joel3:13.
‘There will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle and
reap, for the harvest is ripe, come, tread, for the winepress is full, the fats
overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of
decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision’. This then is
the judgment of the nations in Matthew 25:31-46. The righteous have been
gathered‘on the right hand’, on the heavenly Mount Zion (Revelation14:1-5
see Joel3:17)to enjoy eternal life, and those who are remain are gatheredon
the left hand and will be reaped and thrown into the winepress ofGod’s
wrath.
‘The hour to reap has come’. Everything has its hour, a conceptwhich is a
favourite of John’s. Jesus had His hour when He went to the cross (John7:30;
John 8:20; John 12:23; John 12:27;John 13:1; John 17:1 compare Matthew
26:45;Mark 14:35). The earth must face its hour of trial (Revelation3:10).
The ten kings of the beast will have their hour (Revelation17:12). Great
Babylon will have its hour (Revelation18:10; Revelation18:17;Revelation
18:19). Now has come God’s final hour, it is the hour of judgment.
‘The harvest of the earth is dried up (overripe).’ The goodfruit and the good
harvest has already been gathered in (Revelation14:1-5). What was left is now
gatheredin, overripe and useless, fit only to be burned. Their fruit is not

edible. It is ‘the harvestof the earth’ contrastedwith the heavenly harvest of
Revelation14:1-5.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "PeterPett's Commentary
on the Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/revelation-
14.html. 2013.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
15. Another angel—Besidesthe three menacing-angels above described.
Out of the temple—Still at Jerusalem.
Crying—The angelsuperintendent of the Lord’s field pronounces the harvest
to be ripe. The earth, or land, was reaped. It takes but a single thrust of that
sickle!
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "Whedon's
Commentary on the Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/revelation-14.html. 1874-
1909.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Another angel(cf. Revelation14:9) came out of the openedheavenly temple
(cf. Revelation11:19;Revelation15:5) and announced that the time to judge
those living on the earth had arrived. Three previous angels ( Revelation14:6-
7; Revelation14:9) announced that judgment was coming, and now this one
conveyedthe command to execute it without delay. The harvest was "ripe"
(Gr. exeranthe). Some scholars take this word as describing an over-ripe
harvest and others simply a ripe one. The earth-dwellers during this late stage

in the Tribulation were ready for judgment (cf. Revelation19:11-21). Some
believe that this is a judgment of believers. [Note:E.g, Alford, 4:691-92;et al.]
But this runs counter to the context ( Revelation14:1-5;Revelation14:12-13),
which is a judgment of unbelievers (cf. Joel3:13).
"The harvest is an OT figure used for divine judgment ( Hosea 6:11;Joel
3:13), especiallyon Babylon ( Jeremiah51:33). Jesus also likens the final
judgment to the harvest of the earth ( Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:39)."
[Note:Johnson, p543.]
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon Revelation14:15". "Expository
Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/revelation-14.html. 2012.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Revelation14:15. ἄλλος ἄγγελος, as in Revelation14:6. The alternatives are
(a) to translate “another, an angel” ( ‫רחא‬ ‫)ךאלמ‬ which might be the sense of the
Greek (cf. Od. i. 132, Clem. Protrept. ix. 87. 3) but is harsh, or (b) to take the
figure of Revelation14:14 as an angel(Porter) and not as the messiah at all
(which, in the face of Revelation1:13, is difficult). The subordinate and
colourless characterofthe messiahis certainly puzzling, and tells againstthe
Christian authorship of the passage. Messiahis summoned to his task by an
angel, and even his task is followedup by another angel’s more decisive
interference. He seems an angelic figure (cf. on Revelation19:17), perhaps
primusinterpares among the angels (so En. xlvi. 1: “and I saw another being
[i.e., the Son of Man] whose countenance had the appearance ofa man, and
his face was full of graciousness,like one of the holy angels”). The conception
was inconsistentwith John’s high Christology, but he may have retained it,
like so much else, for its poetic effect, or as part of a time-honoured
apocalyptic tradition. That the messiahshould receive divine instructions
through one of his comrades (Hebrews 1:6; Hebrews 1:9; cf. Zechariah 2:3-4)
was perhaps not strangerthan that he should require an angel in order to
communicate with men (Revelation 1:1). πέμψον κ. τ. λ. The double figure of
judgment (harvest and vintage) is copied from the poetic parallelism of Joel
3:13; the independent rendering of ‫חלח‬ by πέμψον and ἔβαλεν, and the change

of agentfrom messiah(Revelation14:14-16)to an angel (Revelation14:17-20,
so Matthew 13:39 f.), show that the writer is using the Hebrew of that passage
(where God does the reaping).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/revelation-14.html. 1897-
1910.
Gary Hampton Commentary on SelectedBooks
-16 Goddwells in his temple. This angelcomes out from the temple shouting
the command of the Father. Since he alone knows some seasons,particularly
the time of the end, it is appropriate that he should direct Jesus when to begin
the harvest. (Acts 1:7; Matthew 24:36) The word "ripe" carries the idea of
dried, as when the growing period is over, and ready for harvest. Jesus, of
course, does as the Father directs.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Hampton, Gary. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "GaryHampton
Commentary on SelectedBooks".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ghc/revelation-14.html. 2014.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
out of. App-104.
Temple. Greek. naos. See Revelation3:12 and Matthew 23:16.
Him That sat. literally The One sitting.
Thrust in. App-174.
time = hour.

for Thee. Omit.
ripe. Literally dried up.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/revelation-14.html. 1909-
1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
Thrust in - `Send.' The angeldoes not command the "Sonof man"
(Revelation14:14), but, as messenger, announces to the Sonthe will of God
the Father, in whose hands are the times and the seasons.
Thy sickle - (Mark 4:29, where also He 'sendeth the sickle.')The Sonsends
His sickle-bearing angelto reap the righteous.
Harvest. By the harvest-reaping the electrighteous are gathered; by the
vintage, the anti-Christian offenders are removed out of the earth-the scene of
Christ's coming kingdom (Matthew 13:41-43). The Son of man Himself, with a
golden crown, is introduced in the harvest-gathering of the elect, a mere angel
in the vintage (Revelation14:18-20).
Is ripe - `is dried:' all the bitter elements removed. Ripe for glory (Job 5:20).
Is ripe - `is dried:' all the bitter elements removed. Ripe for glory (Job 5:20).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Revelation14:15". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole

Bible - Unabridged".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/revelation-14.html. 1871-
8.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
came
16:17
crying
6:10; Isaiah 62:1,6,7
Thrust
14
harvest
13:12;Jeremiah 51:33;Joel3:13; Matthew 13:30,39
ripe
or, dried.
18; Genesis 15:6;Zechariah5:6-11; Matthew 23:32; 1 Thessalonians 2:16
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "The Treasuryof Scripture
Knowledge". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/revelation-
14.html.
Walter Scott's Commentary on Revelation
Revelation14:15. — "Another angel came out of the temple." Another, as
distinct from those previously numbered in the chapter (Revelation14:6;
Revelation14:8-9). The throne and the temple, both in "the Heaven," are the

respective sources ofjudgment on earth. The throne judgments are characteristic
of the first greatportion of the book, closing with chapter 11:18.The temple
chastisements are in question from chapter 11. 19, and on to the pouring out of
the Vials (Revelation16:1-21). In the seventh Vial, which brings the wrath of
God to a conclusion, the temple and throne are united in action (v. 17).Forthe
throne see Revelation4:5; for the temple see ?Revelation11:19. The throne sets
forth the exercise ofdivine government; the temple refers to the immediate
presence ofGod. In the secondmain part of the Apocalypse, from chapter 11:19,
the judgments are of a severercharacterthan the preceding ones, as the evil to
be dealt with is of a more acute kind, more open, daring, blasphemous, and of a
religious-secularcharacter. Hence judgment comes out from the very presence of
God, i.e., the temple — the nature of God as light is roused to action.
15. — The angelfrom the temple cries "with a loud voice." It is a call for
immediate actionon the part of the divine Reaper. "SendThy sickle and reap;
for the hour of reaping is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up," or
"overripe" (R.V.). There are two reasons assignedwhythe Son of Man should at
once proceedto gather in the harvest. First, the appointed hour of final dealing
has come;second, the harvest was fully ripe, yea,"driedup" (see Revelation
16:12). The hour of judgment(v. 7) and the hour of harvest (v. 15, R.V.) are both
said to have come, and both refer substantially to the same characterof action.
15. — "Send Thy sickle and reap." The Sonof Man does not Himself personally
reap. He superintends.Instrumentally He reaps. The actualreapers are the
angels (Matthew 13:39).
15. — "The harvestof the earth" is both political (Joel3:9-14) and religious in
character(Matthew 13:24-30).Theformer is directly connectedwith Israel, and
has its sphere of operationin the valley of Jehoshaphat(Joel3:12);the latter is of
much wider extent, embracing within its range the whole scene ofChristendom
(Matthew 13:38).
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition available at
BibleSupport.com. Public Domain.
Bibliography
Scott, Walter. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "WalterScott's Commentary
on Revelation". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/sor/revelation-
14.html.

E.M. Zerr's Commentary on SelectedBooksofthe New Testament
Another angelis said because angels have been named previously in this chapter,
and because those heavenlybeings are so often employed to act as attendants
upon the Lord or sometimes upon other angels as will be done yet in this chapter.
There are to be two kinds of crops ::gatjhered on the day of judgment as
generallyhappens after any growing season. One kind is the goodand the other
is the bad, and they are always separatedone from the other and different
dispositions made of them. In the present case the good is representedin the
ordinary phraseologyof a goodharvestwhich implies sheaves ofgrain. "l‘he bad
is representedby g rapes which we have just seenabove symbolize the wrath of
God upon the wicked. The attending angelsignalled to Him who was on the cloud
to use his sickle to gatherthe ripe harvest.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Zerr, E.M. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". E.M. Zerr's Commentary on
SelectedBooksofthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/znt/revelation-14.html. 1952.
Hanserd Knollys' Commentary on Revelation
Revelation14:15
Revelation14:15 And another angelcame out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that saton the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is
come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. {ripe: or, dried}
For the time is come for thee to reap;
that Isaiah, Gods appointed time;
for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Knollys, Hanserd. "Commentary on Revelation14:15". "HanserdKnollys'

Commentary on Revelation".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hkc/revelation-14.html.
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/heg/revelation-14.html#15
Revelation14:15. And another angel wentout of the temple, and cried witha loud
voice to Mm that sat on the cloud, Send thy sickleand reap, for the hour for reaping
is come; for the harvest of the earth has becomedry.
The heavenly temple (comp. on ch. Revelation7:15, Revelation11:19), is the
symbol of the church; and the seatof God, not generally, but only in so far as the
affairs of the church are concerned. It is simply on this account, that the
command to reap goes forth from the temple, the misdeeds to be punished being
such as had been committed againstthe church, and so the judgment had its root
in the relation of God to his church on earth.
The callto send the sickle, rests on a personificationof the sickle, the instrument
is representedas an assistant.[Note:In Mark 4:29, the expressionἀποστέλλει τὸ
δρέπανον occurs exactlyas here. The poeticalexpressionpoints to a poetical
ground, the passagein Joel. In other respects also the passage in Mark is the
most nearly relatedto ours of all the Evangelists.]
The expression, the hour is come, occurs in no part of Scripture so often, as in the
Gospelof John, comp. John 2:4, John 7:30, John 8:20, John 16:21, John 16:25,
John 16:32, John 17:1, etc. There are not properly two reasons assignedfor the
call, as Bengelsupposes,but only one—the hour is come; and this againis based
on the consideration, that the harvestof the earth has become dry. The
punishment must not be delayed, if the measure of iniquity has become full (see
Genesis 15:16;Matthew 23:32), "Where the carcaseis, there the eaglesshallbe
gatheredtogether." If any one, therefore, would know, whether a new phase of
the harvestmay be drawing nigh, he has only to inquire, whether the fields are
becoming "white to the harvest." That such is the case in the present day, that
now the harvest of the earth has become dry, who can doubt? Bengeleven in his
day complained, "Any one that will carefully investigate the matter will find, that
formerly people were wont to dig more deeply, that they possesseda spirit of
greaterseriousness, thatthey held more firmly by the word of God, that the
obligations of holiness and the experiences of spiritual influence were much more
inward, more savoury and tender, and more deeply rootedthan they appear to
be now. It seems as if much of what had been provided in earliertimes, still
continued to exist, but with enough ado to save itself from ruin." And during the
century which has passedsince he wrote thus, matters have been retrograding
more and more.

PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
CHRIS BENFIELD
The Lord’s Harvest (Message# 35)
Revelation14:14-20
Tonight we have been given a glimpse of the time when Jesus returns to judge
the world. We need to remember that Revelationisn’t written entirely in
chronologicalorder. Chapters 4-11 coverthe Tribulation from the rapture
through the end of tribulation. Chapters 12-14 go back and coverthe same
period in more detail. These verses revealthe judgment that will come at the end
of Tribulation as the Lord returns in power.
Jesus came the 1st time as a Lamb of sacrifice;He will return as the Lion of
Judah. He came as Savior of men; He will return as the righteous Judge. There
won’t be a crownof thorns, but a crown of glory. There will be no cross to bear
or tomb in which to be laid, just a throne to rule and reign in power!We will deal
with this hour later in more detail as we move further through Revelation.
Tonight let’s see whatthese verses revealconcerning:The Lord’s Harvest.
I. The Return of the Lord (14) – And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and
upon the cloud one satlike unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden
crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. Jesus came some 2,000 years agowith a
promise to come again. There are those who doubt and even deny His return, but
Jesus will come as He said. What canwe discoverabout His 2nd coming?
A. He will Return in Clarity (14a) – John saw a white cloud with the Son of Man
upon it. This is one of the titles often used referring to Christ. Jesus used this
title 84 times in the gospels referring to Himself. In fact it was the title that He
used more than any of the others. John is clearly referring to the coming of the
Lord.
 Jesus came the first time with little fan fare. Mostof the world was unaware
that the promised Messiahhad come with the exception of a few to whom the
Lord revealedHis birth. As He walkedand lived upon the earth He was

overlooked, despised, andrejected. The world did not acceptChrist as the Son of
God, Saviorof the world.
 He may have been overlookedand rejectedduring His 1stcoming, but the
world will see Him as He is when He comes again. There will be no doubt that the
Lord has returned. Jesus spoke ofHis return in Lu.21:27. And then shall they see
the Sonof man coming in a cloud with powerand greatglory.
B. He will Return in Victory (14b) – John speaks ofa golden crownupon His
head. This is significant to the Lord’s return. The gold reveals the deity of the
coming King. He alone is
worthy to wearthis crown. The crownthat He wears is identified as a victor’s
crown, a stephanos. The word comes from the crown given to those victorious in
the ancientOlympic Games.
 He came as a humble Babe, born in a lowly manger; lived the life of a
carpenter; living among the poor and lowly without a place to lay His head. The
Son of God had come to earth and men rejectedHim. He was abusedand beaten,
crucified of sinful men. John does not see one defeated, but One who wears a
crownof victory. He bore the sins of mankind, conquered death, hell, and the
grave. This is not one who is weak and desperate, but the King of glory in all His
powerand might. We are victorious in Him!
C. His will Return with Authority (14c) – Jesus is seenwith a sharp sickle in His
hand. A sickle is used to harvestwheat from the fields. We will deal with this in
the next few verses, but there is significance in this verse. Jesus stands with the
authority to divide the wickedfrom the redeemed. He has returned to judge the
sinner and gather the saved. There will be no mock trials, no Sanhedrin or false
witnesses;Jesus willpass judgment and His judgment will be final and absolute!
 This world likes to portray the Lord as only a Godof love and mercy, and I
praise Him for His longsuffering, but He is also a holy God who will judge sin! II
Tim.4:1 – I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Anyone
who denies the judgment of God upon sin is teaching false doctrine. Jesus paid
the debt for the sins of all who believe, but those who deny Him will stand
accountable to God for their sin and they will be judged according to His Word.

I. The Return of the Lord (14)
II. The Reaping of the Lord (15-19)– These verses reveala two-fold harvest; one
of grain and one of grapes. Keep in mind that Jesus came to earth to sow the
gospelseedof salvation. He will return to reapthe harvest that was sown. The
savedwill be gathered into heaven and sinners separatedas chaffand thrown
into the lake of fire. Let’s considerHis reaping.
A. The Harvest of Grain (15-16)– And another angelcame out of the temple,
crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and
reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
[16] And he that saton the cloud thrust in his sickle onthe earth; and the earth
was reaped. These verses paint a picture of the earth as a field ready for harvest,
the grain of the earth. The fullness of time has come and Jesus begins to reap the
harvest.
 He spoke ofthis often in the gospels. There willcome a day when He will thrust
His sickle into the fields of the earth and separate the wheatfrom the tares.
Mat.13:30 – Let both grow togetheruntil the harvest: and in the time of harvest I
will sayto the reapers, Gatherye togetherfirst the tares, and bind them in
bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. While growing
togetherthere is little difference, but when they are ripe the difference is clear.
The tare is filled with little black seeds, that cause nausea andeven death, and
stands upright. The wheatbows toward the ground under the load of its bounty.
What a picture of the world and the redeemed. Many appear to be Christians,
but are filled with deadly sin, standing proudly in defiance to God.
 The true Christian bows in humbleness, offering thanksgiving for the bounty of
their salvation. There is coming a day when Jesus will separate the wheatfrom
the tares!Matt.13:49 – So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall
come forth, and severthe wickedfrom among the just. Matt.25:32 – And before
him shall be gatheredall nations: and he shall separate them one from another,
as a shepherd divideth his sheepfrom the goats:The Lord’s harvest will one day
be a reality. Forthose who are savedthey will be gatheredinto the Lord’s barn
to enjoy the blessings of God. For the lost there will be swift judgment, castinto
eternal fire and damnation, separatedfrom the presence and mercies of God.
Are you wheat or a tare?

 Before we leave this thought, we must considerthe phrase in V.15, for the
harvest of the earth is ripe. This is a different word from the one used in V.18.
There it has the idea of “being mature, ready to harvest.” Here it means “to be
dry, having become withered.” The idea is “a harvest that is over-ripe.” This
reveals the longsuffering, mercy and grace ofGod. The fields have been ripe,
ready for harvest, but the Lord has delayed His judgment. It is His desire that
men would come unto Him in repentance. II Pet.3:9 – The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;but is longsuffering to us-
ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
B. The Harvest of Grapes (17-19)– And another angelcame out of the temple
which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. [18]And another angelcame
out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him
that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrustin thy sharp sickle, andgather the
clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. [19]And the angel
thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and castit
into the great winepress ofthe wrath of God.
Here we find a picture of a vineyard that is filled with ripe grapes, ready to be
harvested. The angelcame out from the altar. Remember this is where the
prayers of the martyrs are kept. Countless millions have suffered the persecution
of this sinful world and now the time of judgment before God has come. The
Lord will gatherthose who have lived in rebellion and sin, placing them in the
winepress of His wrath.
 Satan and Antichrist have dominated the world, but their reign is about to end
as the Lord crushes the world systemand the wickednessthatit promotes. These
are sobering
verses as we think about those who will face the undiluted wrath of God as He
pours it out upon the earth. JonathanEdwards said: “The wrath of God is like
greatwaters that are damned for the present; they increase more and more, and
rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the higher the stream stopped,
the more rapid and mighty is its course when it is let loose. If God should only
withdraw His hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the
fiery floods of the fierceness andwrath of God would rush forth with
inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power.”
I. The Return of the Lord (14)
II. The Reaping of the Lord (15-19)

III. The Retribution of the Lord (20) – And the winepress was trodden without
the city, and blood came out of the winepress, evenunto the horse bridles, by the
space ofa thousand and six hundred furlongs. This chapter closes witha vivid
description of the Lord’s wrath being poured out.
A. The Descriptionof His Judgment – We find that the wickedwill be trodden in
the winepress. This literally means “to trample upon; to crush with the feet.”
Those precious feetthat Mary held as a child, those feet that walkedthe dusty
shores of Galilee, those feetthat were anointed by Mary as she wept before Him,
those precious feet that were nailed to a cross by sinful men will one day return
in judgment as He tramples upon those who have rejectedHim and denied His
offer of salvation! We serve a merciful Lord, but His mercy will end as He brings
judgment upon the earth!
B. The Locationof His Judgment – The winepress was trodden without the city.
The city refers to the city of Jerusalem. The Dayof Judgment will take place
outside of Jerusalem. This is speaking of the Battle of Armageddon. It will take
place in the valley of Esdraelon, calledMegiddo.
 This was the site of significant battles in the past. It was here that Gideon
defeatedthe host of Midian. This is where King Saul and Jonathanwere slain,
where King Josiahdied in battle. NapoleondeclaredMegiddo the greatest
natural battlefield on the earth.
 Armageddon has been a topic of discussionand debate for centuries. It has
been the topic of movies and fantasy, but this will be no Hollywoodscript; it will
be a final reality. It is here that the armies of the world will assemble themselves
for the final battle on earth, with Christ standing as the Victor!
C. The DevastationofHis Judgment (20b) – This is hard to imagine, but it
reveals the enormity of what God will do as He judges this world. As He begins to
trample the armies of the world, their blood will run for a span of approximately
200 miles with a depth of four to five feet.
 This world has never seenthis scale ofdeath and devastation. Men have chosen
to fill themselves with the wine of Satan and his Antichrist, denying the true Vine
and Jesus will destroy them here at Armageddon. Those who have rejectedthe

cleansing blood of Jesus our Lord will die amidst their own blood and the blood
of millions of others, lostfor eternity and destined for hell.
We now live in the day of grace. The Lord is calling men unto Him through
the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Behold, now is the acceptedtime; behold, now is
the day of salvation. As horrifying as these events are, they will come to pass. The
Lord stands right now as the Savior of men’s souls. You have a choice to make. It
will either be to acceptJesus andfeel His loving embrace or reject Him and face
the wrath of His judgment. The choice is yours. Your decisionwill determine
your eternal destiny.
ALAN CARR
Rev. 14:14-20 THE HARVEST OF THE ENDTIMES
Intro: Ill. The two previous visions. In this vision, John uses two agricultural
metaphors. One of grain and one of grapes. These events picture the Feastof
tabernacles. Atime when the Jewishpeople came together to celebrate the
Lord's
goodness andblessing. Before that Feast, there came the harvest of the grain
and the
grape. Remember, that we are seeing a preview of things that will be
consideredmore
deeply later. We are preparing for the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus.
But, before
He can come, there must be a harvest. Before the celebration, there must be
judgment
and the cutting off of the wicked. Let's look at these two scenes ofjudgment.

I. v.14-16 THE GOLDEN HARVEST
A. v.14 The ReaperOf The Harvest - This is Jesus! (Ill. The cloud - Rev.
1:7)
The Son of Man (Ill. He was presentedas the Son of Man in Matt.
8:20, and this
is the lasttime He is identified as the Son of Man. The first had to do
with His
event, the secondwith His return in victory.) (Ill. A reference to the
Lord's
parable in Matt. 13. In Mt. 13, He is the Sower, here He is the
Reaper!)
B. v.15 The Ripeness Of The Harvest - The time is now for the harvest to
take
place. (Ill. The parable of the Tares - Matt. 13:24-30) This is the time
for the
ultimate harvest and for the final separation. (Ill. This is a picture of
Christianity. There are 2 kinds in the church! We cannot tell the
difference. God can!
(Ill. Differences in the tares and the wheat!)
1. Wheatand tares are identical at the beginning
2. At the end, tares stand tall, turn black and get ugly!
3. Wheatturns it's heads downward. (A picture of humility)
4. As wheatgrows upwards, it dies downwards.

5. Wheatgrows through the seasons andis harvestedannually. (Ill.
We have
our harvest, John 4:35)
6. The tares are poisonous, a natural emetic. When harvested along
with the
wheat,. they must be harvested grain by grain or they will cause
sickness.
C. v.16 The Reaping Of The Harvest - For 2,000 years, the saints have
watched
Satanicallyinspired cults and religions spring up and flourish. They
will do
even better after the rapture! However, the Lord knows them that
are His and He will
reap His people and gatherthem into His barn, the others He will
bind and
prepare for the fire! (Ill. Matt. 13:41-42) (Ill. The tares are burned to
keepthem
from reproducing! Ill. Why there is a Hell!)
Ill. This harvest has to do with those savedduring the Tribulation. The
harvest has
primarily to do with the saints. The vintage of grapes, on the other hand,
have to do
mainly with the world.

II. v.17-20 THE GORY VINTAGE
(Here, we are presentedwith a picture of the Lord finally and ultimately
dealing with
those who have opposedHim and His truth. He steps into the arena of the
battle of
Armageddon to judge His foes. The time of the Lord's vengeance and
judgment has
finally come upon the earth!) Notice:
A. v.17-19 It Is Timely - Men have rejectedthe true vine of John 15. They
would
not have Jesus, insteadthey reachedout to the world, and now it is
time to face
the Lord. (Ill. Grapes gatheredand placed in the winepress. A place
of pain and
destruction) (Ill. Isa. 63:1-3 is fulfilled here!) This will be a terrible
time to
face God.
B. v.20 It Is Terrible - This is a picture of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16;19:17-
19),
not a single battle, but a greatmilitary campaign, Ill. Eze. 39:8-16. All
the nations
of the earth come againstthe nation of Israelto do battle! It will
happen! )Ill. The
blood will run to the horses bridles, 4ft. deep. It is 1,600 furlongs (200
miles)

from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. (Ill. A river of blood
4 ft. deep
and 200 miles long!) Men have rejectedthe saving blood of the Lord
Jesus, now
they will wallow in their ownblood! It's Jesus or destruction!
Conc: Evil days are coming! We must be sure that we are ready to meet the
coming
of the Lord. We must do all we can to help other prepare foe that day as well!
Are
you ready for the harvest?
Revelation 14:14-20
1-6-63 10:50 a.m.
We have come to the Revelation. And in our preaching through the
Revelation, we have come to chapter 14. And last Sunday morning, we left off
at verse 13. And the messagetodayis an expositionof Revelation14,
beginning at verse 14 and reading to the end of the chapter. If you would like
to turn in your Bible to this place, you can easilyfollow the exposition of this
hour. This is the reading of the text:
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto
the Sonof Man, having on his head a goldencrown and in his hand a sharp
sickle.
that saton the cloud, ‘Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for
thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth
was reaped.

And another angelcame out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a
sharp sickle.
And another angelcame out from the altar, which had power over fire, and
cried to him that had the sharp sickle saying, ‘Thrust in thy sharp sickle and
gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gatheredthe vine of the
earth and castit into the greatwinepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the
winepress, evenunto the horses’bridles, by the space of1,600 furlongs."
[Revelation14:14-20]
I do not suppose that in this book of wonders there is a more wondrous and
awesome visionthan these two that we’ve just read closing the fourteenth
chapter of the Apocalypse. The expressive imagery and the awesome
administration of God that unfolds would strike terror to a heart that wasn’t
given in trust to God.
In this fourteenth chapter of the Revelationthere is the announcement of the
hour of the judgment of God, that it is come. That is followedby another
announcement that Babylon, the greatcity, is on the brink of destruction.
That is followedby the announcement that those who follow the beast, who
give themselves to blasphemy and rejection, are now to be judged, and their
judgment is an everlasting unending torment. Then that is followedby these
two visions that depict the final administrations of God in this earth. It is the
vision of the harvest of the earth and the vision of the gathering of the grapes
of wrath.
Now, there are many who, when they read these two visions, are persuaded
that they are the same – the first vision, the vision of the gathering of the final
harvest and the vision of the vintage, the gathering of the vine of the earth.
There are those who are persuadedthat these two visions depict the same
thing, that there’s no difference betweenthem, that they revealthe same final
end of this earth, exceptone under the imagery of a harvest and the other
under the imagery of a winepress.
Now, I would see why they’d be thus persuaded. There’s a sharp sickle in both
and there is a reaping in both. But there are also differences in the two visions
that to me are remarkably meaningful and significant. And the visions, after
all, are not alike. They are different in many details. And anotherthing: Why
if they refer to the same and identical thing, why recordthem? One would
have done and we didn’t need two.

They are alike only in this, that a harvest and a vintage describe the end. But
they are greatly unlike in the reference that eachvision bears. And to me, that
difference of reference lies in this: the harvest is superintended by the Son of
God. That’s the first thing describedin the vision. The harvest is
superintended by the Son of God. And the harvest is a discriminating reaping.
It isn’t all the same. There is a harvest of wheat, and at the same time there is
a harvest of tares. There is a discrimination presided over by the Son of God
taking care of His own. There is a discrimination in the first vision in the
vision of the harvest of the earth. In the secondvision, presided over by an
emissaryof God, by an angel, there is no discrimination, for it is the harvest of
the grapes ofwickedness.It is the winepress of the unmitigated, unadulterated
wrath and fury of Almighty God.
Now, we’re going to look at these differences and their meanings for us who
live in this earth. "I looked, and behold," kai eidon kai idou, Isuppose in that
day was a very common idiomatic expressionamong Greek-speaking people.
Kai eidon kai, I looked, and behold." But where it’s found in the Word of God,
it introduces a remarkable and significantrevelation.
I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one satlike unto the
Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp
sickle.
And an angel came out of the temple, crying to him who satupon the cloud,
Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come, the harvest of the earth is
exeranthe, dried up, dead, ripe.’
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle and the earth was reaped.
Even in this day of the vastand last Tribulation, God has His own in the
earth. They are so many that they cannot be numbered. In the seventh
chapter of the Book ofthe Revelation, Johnsaw them in the holy and
incomparable and celestialvision. After these 12,000were sealed, each12,000
out of the 12 different tribes of Israel – these evangelists andpreachers of
power– then John saw their converts, the multitude who’d come out of the
villainy and wickednessandblasphemy and rejectionof this world, who had
washedtheir robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
God has His own in this earth, even in those terrible last and dark days. And
in this reaping there are those both. There are God’s children, the wheat
harvest, and there are the children of the evil one, the tares. Foryou see, in a
harvest, you have both. As there is a harvestof good, of the blessing and favor

of the Almighty, so there is a harvest of evil. Wickednesshas his harvest; its
woe and its misery; its judgment and its damnation.
And when this Son of Man sends forth His reapers and with His sharp sickle
He cuts down the harvest of the earth, both are reaped: the harvestof good
and the harvest of evil. And those two, the reaping of the wheat into the
garner and the gathering of the tares into bundles to be burned with
unquenchable fire, those two are presentedfaithfully in the Word of God.
For example, in the thirteenth chapter of the first gospel – and on Wednesday
night, I hope by that time we have come to the thirteenth chapter. If we ever
get beyond the first verse of the first introductory word, if in the grace ofGod
by Wednesdaynight we’re in the thirteenth chapter – that is the chapterof
the parables of the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
And the disciples came to Jesus and said, Declare unto us the parable of the
tares.
And Jesus answeredand said unto them, He that soweththe goodseedis the
Son of Man,
And the field is the world, the goodseedare the children of the kingdom, but
the tares are the children of the evil one.
He that over-sowedthem is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and
the reapers are the angels.
Therefore, as the tares are gatheredand burned in the fire, so shall it be in the
end of this world.
The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, they shall gatherout of his
kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity,
And shall castthem into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing
of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth – the wheatin the garner of heaven – then
shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who
hath ears to hear, let him hear.
[Matthew 13:36-43]
That sounds like the Revelation, doesn’tit? "He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear." In the harvest, there is both the reaping of the goodand the bad. Now,
that’s all through the Word. In this same chapter of the mysteries of the
kingdom,
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was castinto the sea and
gatheredof every kind,

Which, when it was full, they drew to the shore; and they satdown and they
gatheredthe good, and they castthe bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come forth and sever
the wickedfrom among the just,
And shall castthem into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth.
[Matthew 13:47-50]
This is the vision of the harvest of the earth. There is a discriminatory, there is
a discriminating harvest that is carefully superintended, watchedover by the
Son of Man Himself. Notthe leastone who has placed his trust in Jesus shall
fall into the fire. For an angel may superintend the execution of the wrath of
the judgment of Almighty God, but when the Lord harvests this earth, He
Himself carefully watches overlest one of His littlest, least, smallest, humblest
saints might be forgotor might be overlooked. There is just everything in the
Book to comfort and to give assurance to those who lean on the strong arm of
our Lord.
May I pause here just for a moment? The difference betweenthat harvest of
wheatand that harvest of tares. Wheatis a beautiful and a magnificently
meaningful representationsymbol of God’s children. When it ripens the full
rich heads are bowedto the earth. When the tares ripen they stand up erect,
but when the wheat ripens it bends its face to the ground. As God’s children
grow in grace – could I sayit – as they are made heavy with the knowledge
and the presence and the goodnessofGod, the lowlierthey bow toward the
ground.
When you see one of the church members walking by and he’s proud, he’s
proud of himself, he’s proud of his goodness,he’s proud of all that God has
bestowedupon you. He walks by in his self-sufficiencyand in his adequacy.
Some of them don’t even deign to speak to others and they feel themselves
better than others. When you see one of the church members walking by,
proud and lifted up, we’re not to judge, but the Book says he’s a tare.
Then when you see a church member walk by, and he’s lowly and he’s
humble, and in honor he prefers others, and his life is given to intercession
and to appeal and to prayer in behalf of those who don’t know God, he
belongs in the garnerof heaven. And as we grow in grace and in the
knowledge ofthe Lord, the more our faces will bow to the earth, weighted
down with the presence and the grace of God.

I don’t know any exception to that. When Isaiahsaw the Lord, he cried of the
woe of his life, for he was a sinful man. When Simon Peterrecognizedthe
deity of Jesus, he fell to His feet and beggedthe Lord to depart from him,
"I’m a sinful man." When the proud apostle, whenthe proud Saul of Tarsus,
who became an apostle, going to Jerusalemwith a high head, when he finally
met the Lord, they were leading him by the hand into the city of Damascus.
It’s always that. The finer, the nobler the children of God, the more they bow
in humility and in lowliness. That’s God’s wheat.
Another thing about wheat, the harvest of God: as the wheat ripens upward, it
dies downward. As it ripens greatunto God, the stalk and the roots die that
hold onto this earth. As they ripen upward, Godward, they die downward,
earthward.
I read in my studying of this passage, in preparing this sermon, I read one of
the most meaningful sentences, one ofthe most spiritually significantI ever
read in my life. The sentence was, "This" – referring to the ripening upward
and the dying downward– the sentence was, "This is the sanctityof the
relaxing grasp." You just think about that sentence. "This is the sanctity of
the relaxing grasp." As we grow Godwardand heavenward, and as we near
what God hath in store for His people, more and more and more there will be
the relaxing of our home upon this earth and this life, until finally, when we
near the gates ofheaven, it is all glory and all God and the scenes ofthis
present earth fade away. "The sanctity of the relaxing grasp."
One other thing: we just – I don’t know how the time goes just thinking about
some of these things. Another thing about wheat, the symbol of God’s child,
wheat: it’s an annual that is helpless before the storm. And it is reaped in
successive harvests. And if the sun beats down upon it, it turns searedand
brown and ripens to death, to the harvest.
So it is with God’s children in the earth. In the trials of life, in the heat of the
sun, in the burning, blazing heavens, God’s children ripen toward God. We
are made saints because ofthe storms and the tempests that sweepoverour
lives. And helpless before them, God is just preparing us for the greatand
heavenly garner in heaven.
Two or three times this past week I have been askedto pray. "I have met,"
says a family, "we have met an insoluble problem. We know not where to
turn. Pastor, pray for us. Nothing you can do, we know. But just callour
names. Remember us." Others – I hesitate to delineate because they listen on
the radio, I don’t like to parade our tears and our sorrows. But God’s
children always go through the valleys.

I suppose there would be no mountaintops without them. I suppose if it were
all daylight and sunshine, we’d never know the sweetnessandthe blessedness
of the presence ofthe grace ofGod. It takes the dark to make us consciousof
the light. It takes the tears to make us conscious ofthe joys. It takes the age
and the death to make us conscious ofthe celestialpromises ofheaven. That’s
God’s way of leading His dear children along.
Sometimes on the mount
Where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along.
Sometimes through the valley
In the deepestof night,
God leads His dear children along.
Sometimes through the fire,
Sometimes through the flood,
Sometimes through the waters,
But all through the blood.
Sometimes through greatsorrows,
But God gives a song.
In the night season
And all the day long.
["God Leads Us Along," George A. Young]
We are under the burning sun, ripening towardGod. Dying earthward, living
heavenward. This is the harvestof the earth.
Now, the secondvision is one of terror.
And another angelcame, and this angel came from the altar who had power
over fire. And he saidto him that had the sharp sickle, Thrust in thy sickle
sharp and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully
ripe.
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gatheredthe vine of the
earth and castit in the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city. And blood came out of the
winepress, evenunto the bridles of the horses, by the space of a thousand and
six hundred furlongs.

That vision has reference to a very definite and terrible holocaustthat is
prophesied through all of the Word of God. Now, look at it as God writes it
here in His Book. "There came anangelfrom the altar who had powerover
fire," this fire angel. You look where he comes from.
In the sixth chapter of this Revelation, verses 9 through [10],
When they opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar, I saw under the altar
the souls of those who had been beheadedfor the witness and for the
testimony of Jesus.
And they cried unto him that liveth forever and ever, ‘How long, O Lord, how
long dost thou not avenge our blood in the earth?
That is the altar from which comes this angel of fire with indignation, with
wrath and burning fury concerning the evil in this earth, the wickednessof
men, and the injustice of mankind. He comes to answerthat cry, like the cry
of Abel’s blood unto God; like the cry of the wickednessofSodom and
Gomorrah unto heaven; like the cry describedhere in the Revelationof that
sinful Babylon that reachedthe very throne of God: the cry of judgment and
of wrath and of indignation.
And that angelcomes from that altar, this fire angel in fury. And he said to
the angelwith the sharp sickle, "Gather, gatherthe clusters of the vine of the
earth, for they are fully ripe." The lastday of God’s permissive will for
wickednessand violence and evil and rejectionand blasphemy and unbelief,
that last hour has finally come.
"And the angelthrust in his sickle in the earth and gathered the vine of the
earth." That’s the imagery used in counterdistinction to the vine of heaven.
Our blessedLord, He’s the vine and we are the branches. "The vine of the
earth," the vine of rejectionand unbelief and blasphemy and wickednessand
unrepentance, "the vine of the earth and they castit into the greatwinepress
of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and
blood ran out." You cansee the imagery. It was grapes that were castinto the
winepress. But when it was ground down under the heel of the omnipotent of
the Almighty, blood ran out.
And it was such a flow of the crimson of life that to the bridles of horses it
flowed by the space of1,600 furlongs – stadia in Greek. That’s an eighth of a
mile. Divide eight into a 1,600 andyou get 200. For200 miles there was a river
of blood in this final holocaustof the greatday of the Almighty. What does
that refer to? What does that refer to? That is the first intimation in the

Apocalypse of the awful, awesome and terrible and indescribable, final battle
of the greatday of the Lord that the Apocalypse calls the Battle of
Armageddon.
Oh, the judgment of God upon unbelieving and blasphemous men! You see,
they said the anti-Christ, that first beast, is invincible. "Who can make war
againsthim? Look at the powerhe has. Look at the ingenuity. Look at the
forces. Invincible. Who can make war againsthim?" He’s not invincible now,
crushed under the heel of Almighty God. And they said of the false prophet,
"Look at his power to work miracles. He can even make fire fall down from
heaven." He can’t make fire fall down from heaven now, for he’s under the
judging hand of the Lord God Almighty.
What an imagery here! This chapter opens with the gathering of God’s
children to the Lamb on Mount Zion and the beautiful song that they sing.
And it closes withthe gathering of the rejecting and unbelieving, the kings
and the mighty and the armies of the earth. It closeswith the gathering of
those vast hosts in that little land of Palestine, that according to the Word of
God – and we shall read it in a moment – that measures from Bozrah where
Isaiahdescribes, to the valley of Jehoshaphatthat Joeldescribes, to the hill of
Megiddo that John describes, measuring exactly 1,600 furlongs.
Now, we must close in a moment. Just to read it and to listen to the Word of
God, for this greatend time has been before the mind of the prophets since
the world began. How this age shallend and how this earth shall come to its
final historicalconsummation in the intervention of God.
Now, listen to Isaiah as he speaks in the sixty-third chapter of his book,
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, He
that is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness ofhis strength?
Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like Him that
treadeth the winepress?
I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with Me.
For I would tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and
their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all of My
garments.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemedhas
come.
And I looked, and there was none to help, and I wondered that there was none
to uphold; therefore, My own arm shall intervene in human history and bring
salvationto Me; and My fury shall uphold Me.

And I will tread down the people in Mine anger, and make them drunk in My
fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
[Isaiah 63:1-6]
These garments that are red, that’s the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
shall be clothed with. They are red with the blood of His enemies. Now, you
turn over here to the Book ofthe Revelationand in the description of that
greatand final battle of the Lord.
He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood.
Out of his mouth goetha sharp sword. With it he shall smite the nations with
a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of a fierceness andwrath of
Almighty God.
And He hath on his vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
[Revelation19:13, 15, 16]
Blood! His vesture dipped in blood. That is the blood of His enemies. That is
the greatand awful day of the judgment of Almighty God.
Now from Joel,
Proclaimye this among the nations, Prepare war! Wake up the mighty men,
let all of the men of wardraw near, let them come.
And beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weak say, I’m strong.
Assemble yourselves and come, all ye heathen, and gatheryourself round
about. Thither, thither cause thy mighty ones to come.
Let the nations be wakenedand come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;for
there will I sit a judge upon them, saith the Lord.
Put ye in the sickle, forthe harvest is ripe. Come, get ye down, for the press is
full, the winepress overflows, fortheir wickednessis great.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!For the day of the Lord is
near in the valley of decision.
The sun, the moon shall be darkened, the stars shall withdraw their shining.
The Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem;and the
heavens and the earth shall shake in that greatvintage day of the Lord God
Almighty
[Joel3:9-16]

And this is the way that John says it in chapter 16. How do all of those kings
come together? How do all of those assembledof armies converge? How is it?
I saw three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the
mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of evil men, evil workings, working miracles, which go
forth into the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty . . . .
And he gatheredthem togetherin a place calledin the Hebrew tongue,
Armageddon.
[Revelation16:13, 14, 16]
The hill of Megiddo, the vale of Jezreel, "And the winepress was trodden, and
blood came out of it up to the horse’s bridles by the space oftwo hundred
miles." [Revelation14:20] There never has been in the history of mankind,
there never has been recordedon the pages of the chronicles of man, such a
deluge of blood and war that shall end this earth, in which great battle the
Lord Christ intervenes. This is the vintage of the earth, the day of the wrath of
God.
Don’t you ever persuade yourself that evil will be here forever. Don’t you ever
be persuaded that death will reign king forever. Don’t you be persuadedthat
violence and wickednessandlying and greed and murder and war shall be
rampant in this earth forever. It rises, according to the Word of God, it rises
to an ultimate and a final climax. And when it comes to its worst, God shall
judge. And in that intervention the kingdom shall come. And these future
sermons in the Revelation, whenwe come to them, soonin the intervention of
God,
I saw heavenopened and behold a white horse. And He that satupon him was
true and faithful.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.
He was dressedin the vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called The
Word Of God.
In the closing vision of Joel, in that awful day, the Lord will be the hope of His
people. "Judah shall dwell safely forever, and Jerusalemfrom generationto
generation. ForI will cleanse their land." [Joel3:20] Then you have in the
Revelationthe beautiful picture of the Millennium, describedby the poet,
prophet, preacherIsaiahwhen,

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