Final Grain Harvest
Two different “harvests” occur at the end of the age – The reaping of the “grain,” and the ingathering of the “fruit of the vine” – Revelation 14:14-16.
In anticipation of the “harvest,” three angels
issued warnings to the “inhabitants of the earth”: The summons to heed
the “everlasting gospel”; the announcement
of the fall of “Babylon”; and finally, the ominous warning that everyone
who takes the “mark of the beast” will “drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared, unmixed” – (Revelation 14:6-10).
Everyone who follows the
“Lamb wherever he goes,” and who has his “Father’s name”
inscribed on his or her forehead, will be “reaped” by the “Son of Man”
and gathered into his “sanctuary.” In contrast, all who “take the
mark of the beast, or his number,” will “drink of the wine of the wrath of
God.”
- (Revelation 14:14-16) – “And I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having upon his head a crown of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came forth out of the sanctuary, crying out with a loud voice to him that was sitting upon the cloud: Thrust in your sickle, and reap; because the hour to reap is come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that was sitting on the cloud thrust in his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.”
“And
upon the cloud, one sitting like a son of man.” The clause is a link
to the book’s first vision, in which John saw Jesus as the
glorious figure arriving with the “clouds”:
- (Revelation 1:7-12) - “Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, such also as pierced him… And I turned round to see the voice that was speaking with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands, and in the midst of the lamp-stands, one like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe reaching to the feet, and girt about at the breasts with a girdle of gold” – (Daniel 7:13-14, Matthew 24:30, 26:64, Mark 13:26, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:17).
In the first vision, the “Son of Man”
was arrayed in priestly garments and walking among the “seven golden
lamp-stands,” which represented the “seven churches of Asia.” The
same figure then issued seven “letters” to the “seven churches.” From
the start, Jesus as the “Son of Man” is linked inextricably to the
churches. And in the book’s prologue and epilogue, his appearance “with the
clouds” is connected to his arrival in glory at the end of the age:
- (Revelation 1:7) – “He is coming with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him.”
- (Revelation 22:12, 20) – “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is… He who testifies these things says, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus.”
The image of the “Son of Man” is based
on the vision of Daniel when he saw “one like a Son of Man” coming “on
the clouds” towards the “Ancient of Days” to receive the “kingdom”
for the “saints”:
- (Daniel 7:13-14, 18) – “I continued looking in the visions of the night, when behold, with the clouds of the heavens, one like a son of man was coming, and unto the Ancient of days he approached, and before him they brought him near; and to him were given dominion and dignity and kingship, that all peoples, races and tongues unto him should do service… but the saints of the Highest shall receive the kingdom.”
“Having
upon his head a crown of gold.” “Crown” translates the
Greek noun stephanos, or “victor’s wreath,” which
highlights his overcoming victory achieved through death. To the church at
Smyrna, the “Son of Man” promised to give the “victor’s wreath of
life” or stephanos to every member who remained “faithful unto
death” – (Revelation 2:10).
Next, “another angel” cried with
a “loud voice” to the “Son of Man” to reap the earth with
his “sickle,” for the “hour to reap is come.” The language echoes a
passage from the Book of Joel:
- (Joel 3:12-14) – “Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the wine-press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision.”
The passage from Joel also provides the basis for
the two “harvests” now pictured in Revelation – the reaping of the grain,
and the gathering of the grapes – (“Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe… tread ye; for the wine-press is
full”). Sickles were not used to gather grapes, but instead, to reap stalks
of grain.
The “hour to reap” is the “hour of his
judging” announced by the angel with the “everlasting gospel” - (Because the hour of his judging is come; therefore, render homage to
him that made heaven and the earth”). That men were called
to honor to God demonstrates that this “hour” does not necessarily mean
destruction.
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| Photo by Veri Ivanova on Unsplash |
When the grain “harvest” is reaped, all the “dead who died in the Lord” and received “rest from their labors; for their works followed with them,” are gathered into the “sanctuary of God” by the “Son of Man.” Once again, throughout this chapter, the fates of two distinct groups are presented - that of the overcoming “saints,” and that of the “inhabitants of the earth,” that is, all who “took the mark of the beast.”
The “hour to reap”
is the same as the final “hour” of Judgment portrayed variously in the
book, as the “hour of trial,” the hour when Jesus “comes,” the “hour”
when Babylon falls, and the time of judgment when God rewards the “saints,”
but also, “destroys them that destroy the earth.” The final “hour”
means vindication for some, but destruction for others - (Revelation 3:3, 3:10, 11:13-19,
18:10,18:19).
The “everlasting gospel” has been
announced. Men must either render homage to God or to the “beast.” All who
give their allegiance to God are “reaped” and gathered by Jesus in the
grain harvest. In contrast, all others participate in another and quite
horrific “ingathering.” Although one “everlasting gospel” has been
proclaimed, it produces two very different results, depending on how one
responds to it.
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