Revelation 14:1-20

INTRO

When I was in middle school I did corn de-tasseling… anyone else ever do that ?

Since being married I have picked blueberries … anyone ever done that ?

Since being a pastor here at ABC I have cut hay and helped store it… anyone ever done that ?

Watermelon

You can always tell when a watermelon is ripe—or when it isn't—by the color on its bottom. To pick the best, most ripe watermelon look for a slightly yellow, almost creamy color on its base. When you see this, you know that the watermelon will be perfectly ripe and ready to be eaten.

Pineapple

4 Signs Your Pineapple Is Ripe

Color: The more yellow a pineapple's exterior is, the riper the fruit will be. ...

Texture: The firm shell presents a slightly soft texture when squeezed, says Gonzalez. ...

Weight: The fruit should be heavy in the hand.

Smell: It should have a syrupy sweet smell on the bottom, says Jones.

Banana

Under Ripe - source of prebiotics

Barely Ripe - High Fiber / low sugar

Ripe - High antiox good fiber

Very Ripe - lowest vitamin and min content

Over Ripe - High sugar and low fiber

PRAYER

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MESSAGE

The Reaper of the Harvest

Note His Title

Son of Man

Daniel 7:13 “13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.”

Matthew 26:63–64 “63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.””

He who came to seek and save now comes to claim !

He loves His bride !!

Note His Seat

Cloud

On the Mountain with Moses

Leading in the Wilderness

In the midst of the Tent

In the midst of the Temple

On the Mount of Transfiguration

In the Ascension

Note His Adornments

Crown

Stephanos

Wreath = Mk 15.17.

a woven victory garland / A Prize / A symbol of successful activity !!

Note His Instrument

Sickle

Not a sword

instrument of harvesting

Mark 4:29 “29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.””

Jesus is the ultimate judge of the world. The first time He came to seek and to save, but the next time He will come to harvest and separate and judge!

The Rapidity of the Harvest

Rev 14:15 = The Hour has come

Revelation 14:16 “16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.” … V19 TOO

Matthew 24:31 “31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

it will be in an instant no time for repentance

The Ripeness of the Harvest

Note The Fruit

The Grain is Dry

ready for the harvest !!

READY to be transformed !!!

mature in the faith

The Grapes are Ripe

brimming with transgression

“the sin of the Amorites

Note The Timing

The Reality of the Harvest

It is Guaranteed

Mark 13:24–27 “24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”

It is Glorious

1 Thessalonians 5:9 “9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:52 “52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

It is Grizzly

listen to this description

184 miles / 6ft

eternality of Hell

Separation from God

absolute horrific state of the damned !!

C. H. Spurgeon

I beg you to take Christ as your Saviour, this very hour; lest this night you should die unsaved. Lay hold of Jesus, lest you never hear another gospel invitation or warning. If I have seemed to speak terribly, God knoweth that I have done it out of love to your souls; and, believe me, that I do not speak as strongly as the truth might well permit me to do, for there is something far more terrible about the doom of the lost than language can ever express or thought conceive. God save all of you from ever suffering that doom, for Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen.

CLOSE

PRAYER

GROUP QUESTIONS

What stood out to you most from this weeks message?

What are some other instances in scripture that include the connection with God and clouds? Consider and discuss the symbolic meaning of clouds in biblical literature and how they relate to divine presence.

Do you agree or disagree that this passage is dealing both with salvation as well as judgement? Why? What about this passage makes talking about judgement a hard thing to do?

Spend some time with your group looking at the following passages and discussing how they relate to the one here in Revelation 14.

Isa 63:1-6; Dan 7:13-14; Joel 3:12-14.

Matt 9:37-38, 13:24-30, 13:36-43.

What does the phrase “the hour to reap has come” imply about the timing of God’s judgement?

What can we learn about the finality of the judgement of God from this passage?

How does the description of the winepress in Revelation 14:19-20 relate to the themes of judgement and wrath?

Discuss the implications of final judgment for the Christian faith and the hope it offers to believers, as well as the seriousness it poses for those who reject God.

Analyze and discuss how this imagery reflects God's justice and the ultimate separation of the righteous from the wicked.