INTRODUCTION:
We’ve been studying the appearances of Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation. We’ve seen Him as the Son of Man and the Head of the Church. We’ve worshiped him as the Lamb who was slain. In Revelation 14, he appears as the LORD OF THE HARVEST.
I 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 sickle in his hand. Revelation 14:14
· Notice that Jesus is seen seated on a cloud.
Now I’ve never given clouds a lot of thought, but my wife loves to look at clouds. She says it’s because she grew up in the Panhandle of Texas where there was not much else to look at. Everything’s flat and brown year round on the high plains. But the sky is wide and the clouds are impressive.
Well, clouds hold a significant place in scripture. After his resurrection, John and the other Apostles saw Jesus ascend into heaven right before their eyes. Acts 1:9 tells us He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Jesus left the earth in a cloud, and when He returns it will be the same. Matthew 24:30 says, … they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
· While seated on a cloud, Jesus is wearing a crown of gold.
When the apostles saw Jesus leaving the earth, he was not wearing a crown. In fact, he had no sign of royalty. When we see Jesus returning in the clouds, he will be wearing his rightful crown! He will return as King of all His Creation. And, in this scene, he returns as Lord of the Harvest.
· Notice that He is holding a sharp sickle in his hand.
Most of us are not familiar with a sickle. But the farmers of Jesus’ day would immediately recognize the harvesting tool with a wooden handle and a razor sharp, curved steel blade. And Jesus is about to swing that sickle in the first great HARVEST described in Revelation: THE HARVEST OF GRAIN.
1. The Harvest of Grain Revelation 14:14-16
Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Revelation 14:15-16
Jesus taught about this harvest in the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds. He told the story of a man who sowed Wheat in his field. In the night, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When his workers saw what had happened, they asked him: Do you want us go into your wheat field and pull up the weeds the enemy has planted?
But the owner answered: No. Because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. Matthew 13:29
The Church today is a mix of Wheat and Weeds. It’s likely that we have Wheat and Weeds sitting in this Worship Center today. But don’t start looking around you trying to figure out who’s who! Jesus warns us against trying to label people who claim to be Christians as truly SAVED or NOT really SAVED. The fact is, Jesus says if we do that, we’re bound to get it wrong. Only JESUS sees the heart.
Now, while you shouldn’t judge the salvation of others, it’s wise to look honestly into your own heart. Philippians 2:12 tells us: …continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This does NOT mean that we work to earn salvation, but it does mean that we need to be sure we genuinely love the Lord … heart, body, mind, and soul. Keep in mind that Jesus said, If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:15 We may be able to fool other people, but Jesus Christ sees only the Truth.
In Revelation __ , we read that Jesus will destroy an entire army of the wicked with ONE BREATH from his mouth. Here we see that Jesus will Harvest the entire earth with ONE SWEEP of his blade. When it’s time for the HARVEST, you can bet the LORD OF THE HARVEST will not leave a single stalk of Wheat behind.
Another Harvest is described right after the Harvest of Grain. It is THE HARVEST OF GRAPES.
2. The Harvest of Grapes Revelation 14:17-20
Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.
Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe."
It will help us understand the symbolism here to realize that scripture tells us about 3 different Vines.
· When we look in scriptures like Isaiah 5:1-7, we read that Israel was God’s vine, planted in the land to bear fruit for God’s glory. But the nation failed God and had to be cut down.
· Today, Christ is the Vine and believers are branches in Him.
John 15:1-8 where Jesus said, I am the vine and you are the branches.
· The world system is also a vine. It is the “earth’s vine,” and it is ripening for judgment. This vine will be cut down and destroyed.
The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. Revelation 14:19
It’s interesting to notice that for the Harvest of Grain, Jesus Christ himself swung the sickle. But the Harvest of Grapes is delegated to the angel who had charge of the fire.
When I first read this, I thought maybe it referred to the fires of Hell. But the meaning is clear if we look back in Revelation chapter 8. John described the prayers of the saints as rising up to God’s throne, like smoke from the fire on the altar. Look at the result of these prayers for Divine Justice:
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelation 8:3-5
Have you ever wondered how God can watch violence and brutality without taking action to save the victim? I think about that every time I hear about child abuse --- or horror stories from regimes like Sadaam Hussein --- or the terrible persecution that Christians are enduring in other countries. Most of us live very sheltered lives, but we need to know that every day, Christians endure hardship … and even atrocities … at the hand of those who hate the very name of Jesus.
And every day, the prayers of believers are ascending to the throne of God. We cry out to Almighty God for justice and retribution against wicked men. Sometimes we wonder if God is listening.
Well, on the day of the HARVEST OF GRAPES, no one will wonder if God is listening. And no one will wonder how He feels about those who do harm to His people.
They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. Revelation 14:20
The Wrath of Almighty God is pictured in graphic language that matches the description of the terrible Battle of Armageddon. John describes a river of blood 4 feet deep and almost 200 miles long. Picture I-10 between San Antonio and Houston running 4 feet deep in blood and you’ll understand the enormity of God’s final vengeance.
God is incredibly patient. He wants every person to accept Salvation through Jesus Christ. But the book of Revelation makes it graphically clear that those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ will some day suffer the Terrible Wrath of Almighty God.
I cannot understand why anyone would chose the horrible fate described in Revelation 14:10-11: He will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."
Notice the words there is no rest day or night and contrast it with the beautiful promise to those who accept the free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ:
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." Revelation 14:12
CONCLUSION:
The choice is clear: eternal torment or eternal rest. And the choice is yours.
The day of the Harvest will come, no matter what you do or believe. But whether you will be part of the HARVEST OF GRAIN or the HARVEST OF GRAPES is entirely up to you.
Revelation 14: 6-7 describes the Salvation God is offering every one of us today. Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people.
He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
We may not be able to see the angel flying overhead, but we are able to hear the angel’s message today. How will you respond to this eternal Gospel of Grace?
