Reaping a Bad Harvest

Many of us love a good movie where the plot leads up to a climatic battle of good versus evil.

Whether it is Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Batman, Harry Potter, Will Smith, or name your own.

One thing is sure, evil most be overcome in order for good to triumph.

The Revelation is not a movie, it is a foretelling of how things come to a head, and then come to an end.

For several months we have studied the Revelation. We saw Jesus in all his glory in chapter 1. We saw Jesus speaking to the churches in chapter 2-3. I heard Jim Cymbala say recently, Jesus is never depicted as walking among the Democrats or Republicans. He is seen as walking among the churches. WE (the church) are God’s instruments to accomplish His purposes on the earth.

Starting in Revelation 4 and 5 is the preparation for the tribulation scenes that begin unfolding in chapter 6-11, first half, 12-13 half way mark, and 14-19 second half.

The message today focuses in on an overview of God’s final wrath being poured out on the earth, and then from 15-19, we will see the details unfold.

Revelation 14:14–20 HCSB

14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 Another angel came out of the sanctuary, 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. 17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. 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 earth’s vineyard, because its grapes have ripened.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth’s vineyard, 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.

This is hard to fathom, but it is the overview of the climatic scene between God and His Kingdom and the Devil and His Kingdom.

It is evident that God’s throne of grace has been exhausted and his throne of judgment takes the stage.

Remember that God is patient not wanting any to perish, but eventually the clock winds down on his mercy and patience.

In these verses we see two previews of what is about to happen.

Jesus is going to execute judgment on the earth

Revelation 14:14–16 HCSB

14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 Another angel came out of the sanctuary, 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.

How do we know this is Jesus?

Daniel 7:13 HCSB

13 I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him.

Can I just say in general that you need to understand the second half of Daniel to understand Revelation. They are like OT and NT gloves.

And this is one of Jesus’ favorite ways to describe himself in the Gospels. Just take a look at Luke 17

Notice he is wearing a crown. This is not diadem (the crown of royalty) but stephanos (the crown of the victor). Jesus is seen here as victorious over all the enemies of God.

He gets orders from the heavenly Temple (God the Father) That the hour to reap has come. The earth is ripe.

Don’t miss the symbolic language here. Jesus is not literally swinging a sickle. He is executing the wrath of God.

Many believe judgment is seen in detail in chapter 16. Sores, death of oceanic life, rivers and streams kill, and alternating scorching of sun, and extension of darkness. In other words, Antichrist’s Kingdom is going to be reduced to nothing bit by bit.

And Jesus will be the active agent in this (with angels executing the bowl judgments)

Antichrist will initiate a great war on the earth

Revelation 14:17–20 HCSB

17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. 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 earth’s vineyard, because its grapes have ripened.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth’s vineyard, 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.

What a dreadful passage.

The first thing you should think is “I didn’t see the Antichrist doing anything, but angels. And you would be right.

Angels are the heavenly agents. One with a sickle ready to harvest the grapes of God’s wrath. and another that tends the heavenly altar where the prayers of the saints cry out “how long” remember? They were told to wait a little longer. But now there is no more wait.

Outside the city, the grapes of wrath are presses and blood flows 180 miles out from the city, splattering and running as high as a horses bridal.

The world has seen some bloody wars, but nothing like this one.

John doesn’t tell us much about it here, but Ezekiel 37-39 fills in lots of details. One of the most important thing that you can know about this war is that God predicted it ahead of time. As a matter of fact, he lets us know that it will happen in Israel after the Jews have returned to the land after being away for a long period of time. And if you study Ezekiel you will learn that God plans to take out Antichrist thousands of years before he ever exists.

Ezekiel lets us know that this war involves troops coming from Northern Africa, the Middle East, the far East and from the distant North.

Did you know that Moscow is almost due north to Jerusalem?

Even today we see a Muslim hatred for Israel. Iran, Iraq, and the Muslim controlled nations of Northern Egypt. Russia frequently is sympathetic to these nations. Add China and its massive population to the mix.

Did you know that Napoleon referred to the Megiddo valley (Armeggedon) as the perfect battlefield?

Application!

You know I think the application of these tribulation passages is just about the same.

Make sure you are saved.

Make sure others are saved.

As a Christian rest in the confidence that God is working everything together for your good. Whatever you are going through. The God who predicts the destruction of the Antichrist in a certain place in a certain season, thousands of years before it happens, can handle what yo are dealing with. What do you need to turn over to his care?