March 15 - The Great Harvest (pt. 2)

March 15 - The Great Harvest (pt. 2)

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)

Matthew 25:31-33 is the harvest as well. Remember, Matthew 24 and 25 comprise Jesus' teachings on the end times.

"All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left" (Mt. 25:32)

Jesus goes on to offer the sheep their inheritance, the kingdom that has been prepared for them since the creation of the world. And in Matthew 25:41, he orders those on his left hand, the goats, to leave him and go to the eternal fire. One receives eternal punishment, the other group receives eternal life. (Mt. 25:46)

The things that we read in the Revelation are not new concepts. The Great Harvest is very familiar territory. The only thing that is different is that it is no longer simply a concept, it has become very real. This is final, eternal punishment for those that refuse to be a part of God's kingdom.

Let's look at the harvest of the ripe grapes. It won't be an easy harvest, it will be painful. Who is announcing it? The angel that is in charge of the fire. We've met this angel before in Rev. 8:4-5. After this angel offers up the incense together with the prayers of the saints before God, it flung judgment out on the earth. This is the angel that called forth the beginning of judgment.

The grapes are mature. In fact, they are so mature that they are beginning to dry up and become withered. In Luke 8:6 we find that seeds with no moisture become plants that dry up. In Matthew 21:19, this same word is used again regarding a fig tree with no fruit on it. It isn't productive and Jesus causes it to wither.

The grapes in Revelation 14 have nothing left in them that is good, yet they are about to be trampled in the winepress.

The Day of God's Vengeance is prophesied in Isaiah 63:1-6. The Lord will come through, his garments stained the color of crimson, blood spattering and staining his clothing. He tramples the nations in His anger. The rest of these verses speaks of the Lord trampling the winepress with great detail.

The grapes were trampled in the winepress and blood flowed out in Revelation 14:20. An incredible amount of blood flowed from that press, it will rise as high as a horse's bridle for a distance of 1600 stadia or approximately 180 miles. In other words, all of Israel will be flooded with blood at least 3 foot in depth. That is a lot of humanity lost to the heavenly kingdom.

As I work through this lesson, I can't help but hear the words of Julia Ward Howe:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My condemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

All mankind will be part of the grain harvest - reaped by Jesus Christ, or part of the grape harvest - reaped by an angel.