Study of End Times

A Harvest of the Earth - wk 37

Last week we looked at verses 6-13 of Revelation chapter 14, and seen the corruption by the beast.

In that we heard from three angels, and the message that they had, angel one proclaimed the gospel message, angel two proclaimed that Babylon the great had fallen, and angel three proclaimed about the consequences of taking the mark of the beast.

We then seen in verse 13, that there are three things that comfort us for our loved ones that are in heaven: first they are rejoicing, second they are resting, and last they are rewarded.

Tonight we are going to look at the harvest of the Earth and look at three more angels that are giving a proclamation to the earth and its in habits.

Angel 4

Revelation 14:14–16 CSB

14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and one like the Son of Man was seated on the cloud, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

The first three angels give warnings if you will, and now we have three more angels, these angels proclaim, as did the first three, but they are giving instructions to act on the warnings if you will that have been given.

John looks, in this vision, he sees seated on a white cloud one like a Son of Man wearing a crown of gold.

The title Son of Man, is a title that Jesus Christ used the most often for Himself during his earthly ministry, which is seen 81 times in the Gospels, 25 times just in the Gospel of Matthew.

Daniel 7:13–14 CSB

13 I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14 He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

As Jesus the Son of Man is sitting in the white cloud He will be wearing a gold crown, the victor’s crown, of biblical time was a laurel wreath, worn by those who celebrated victory in war or athletic competition. Christ now wears this particular crown, in this case made of gold as a triumphant conqueror coming out of heaven to prevail over His enemies.

Jesus will be carrying a sickle which is a harvesting tool with a razor-sharp, curved steel or iron blade and a wooden handle, commonly used by ancient farmers to cut grain. It represents swift and devastating judgment.

In verse 15, we see the fourth angel come forth from the temple, that is the heavenly temple, and cry out in a loud voice that is to the Lord, to Jesus.

The message from the angel is use your sickle, your harvesting tool, your judgment tool and reap, harvest, bring judgment because the time of reaping has come, the time of harvest is upon us, the time for judgment is now.

The grain of this harvest in this case is the ungodly people of the world, and it is ready to be gathered up and judged.

This is the proclamation of the angel from the temple, the temple being where God dwells, therefore, the angel was giving instruction from God almighty.

Now in verse 16, we see the action, the one seated on the cloud, that is Jesus Christ, swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested, that is judgment was brought to the earth.

Angel 5

Revelation 14:17 CSB

17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the temple in heaven.

Here we have the fifth angel who also holds a sickle, again a symbol of judgment but instead of this angel making a proclamation we are only told that this angel comes out of the temple in heaven.

This is not the temple that is build in Jerusalem during the tribulation period, it is not a temple any where on earth but it is specifically the temple in heaven.

This is temple is the dwelling place of God Almighty, it is the eternal temple, a temple that cannot be destroyed.

Angel 6

Revelation 14:18–20 CSB

18 Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes have ripened.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle at the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.

Now we have the sixth angel, who has authority over fire and comes from the altar. The fire and altar is symbolic of the prayers of the saints.

The angel is coming from the heavenly altar to ensure that all the prayers of all the saints for judgment and the coming of the kingdom are answered and this angel calls for judgment to start.

The sixth angel’s message is spoken to the angel with the sharp sickle, that is the fifth angel.

As we seen in verse 14, that the sickle is symbolic of judgment, and this angel’s sickle is also symbolic of judgment, and the message of the sixth angel to the fifth angel is that it is time for judgment to begin.

In verse 19, we see that the angel, that is the fifth angel swung his sharp sickle at the earth and gathered grapes, now we may wonder what does gathering grapes have to do with judgment, but if we continue on in the story, in the Scripture we will see exactly what it means.

As the fifth angel harvested these grapes from the earth, the angel threw them into the winepress of God’s wrath, this is to prepare the wine of God’s wrath that those who are not believer’s, not followers of Jesus Christ, will drink.

Revelation 14:10 CSB

10 he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb,

Last week we seen this verse, that the third angel warned the people if they worship or take the mark of the beast that they will drink of the full cup of the wrath of God, that is being prepared in the winepress by the fifth angel now in verse 19.

This is also the cup that Jesus is asking God to remove if it is possible but if not thy will be done.

Matthew 26:39 CSB

39 Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

This is not a cup of wine that you want to drink, if you are a believer you will not drink of this cup, as Jesus has already taken this cup for us, but those that are unbelievers will partake of this cup of wine, this cup of wrath from the winepress of God.

The fifth angel has harvested the grapes and is filling the winepress of God’s wrath.

This is a vivid imagery signifying a horrendous slaughter or bloodbath. Here it refers to the slaughter of all the enemies of God who are still alive, facing the destruction at Armageddon, the final battle against God’s enemies. The blood imagery comes from the fresh juice of stomped grapes splattering and running down a trough from the upper vat to the lower vat of a stone winepress.

The result of the making of this wine from the grapes that have been harvested by the fifth angel, we see in verse 20.

Revelation 14:20 CSB

20 Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.

The battle will occur outside the city of Jerusalem, therefore, protecting the city from the blood bath that will take place.

We are told that blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles or some say 200 miles.

The severity of the slaughter is indicated in the imagery of the blood of those killed in the Battle of Armageddon splattering as high as the horses bridles roughly 4 feet high.

Some believe this is just a symbolism, of the depth of the blood, but with the Battle of Armageddon taking place in a valley, this could be a possibility.

This is a graphic picture of a great slaughter, that will take place at the time of the second coming of Jesus Christ, and this is a partial fulfillment of the Great battle of Armageddon that will take place.

Verses 18-20 is the preparation of that great battle.