Revelation 14 -- The Harvest

Revelation 14:13-20

The Harvest of the Earth

In our last lesson, we studied the lamb (Christ) on Mt. Zion (Jerusalem). And the fall of Babylon

(Rev 14:12) Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

(Rev 13:10 NKJV) He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

It means that the saints are going to need faith and patience to get through the tough times, if they are caught up in all of this:

If they have not been counted worthy to escape the horrors of the Anti-Christ.

(Luke 21:34-36 NKJV) "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. {35} "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. {36} "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

(Rev 14:13 NKJV) Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

(1) A statement that is true for all time.

(2) Especially for those who die during the time of persecution, because their suffering is over.

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

One like the Son of Man, -- The name Jesus used most to refer to Himself.

(Mat 24:30 NKJV) "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

(Rev 14:15 NKJV) And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."

Harvest Time is usually a good time, but Jesus takes it a step farther to look at what really takes place at Harvest Time: Namely judgment time!

(Mat 13:38-42 NKJV) "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. {39} "The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. {40} "Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. {41} "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, {42} "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Rev 14:16 NKJV) So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

(John 5:22 & 27 NKJV) "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, . . . {27} "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

(Rev 14:17-18 NKJV) Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. {18} And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe."

Back to (Matt. 13:39 NKJV), "The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

Thrusting in the sharp sickle is apparently the harvest, so we have reached the end of the age.

I take this to mean that man’s wickedness has reached its limit with God. In the Old Testament, God waited until the iniquity of the Amorites was full.

God waited to punish the Amorites, while His people were suffering in Egypt.

(Gen 15:16 NKJV) "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

Today, why does the Lord wait?

(2 Pet 3:9 NASB) The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

(Rev 14:19) So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

“the vine of the earth”

Not the Lord’s vine, but the vine of the earth!

“the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

--Clearly God’s judgment of the wicked and those who do not know God and didn’t obey the gospel.

(2 Th 1:7-9 NKJV) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, {8} in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

(Rev 14:20 NKJV) And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

for a distance of two hundred miles. (NASB)

“up to the horses' bridles”

Not necessarily flowing as some have interpreted it. It may be as others have interpreted it to mean “spattered” “up to the horses' bridles.”

(Isa 63:1-4 NKJV) Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?; "I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." {2} Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? {3} "I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. {4} For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.

(2 Pet 3:10-14 NKJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. {11} Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, {12} looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? {13} Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. {14} Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;