THE HARVEST OF THE WORLD IS COMING! In the book of Revelation, John describes Jesus as “the Son of Man. He depicts Him as having a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle or knife in his hand. What does this description of Jesus have to do with us today?
In this video, we look at the significance of Jesus as the Son of Man with a golden crown and sharp sickle. As you look at it, we must remember that our orders for the present day are found in the three angels’ messages of Revelation chapter 14.
These messages make up the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are the present truth for our time. Therefore, in this series, we are studying the messages surrounding the three angels in Revelations 14 and their relevance to the gospel and the times in which we are living.
If you want to review any of our previous videos, you can find them at SabbathSchoolDaily.com. Additionally, you can obtain the study guide for these lessons at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org.
Inviting God’s Presence
Heavenly Father, let your light shine on us. Give us a clear understanding of your word, and let it change our characters so that we may be more like Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
The word written as “crown” in Revelation 14:14 comes from the Greek “Steph-a-nos.” A “Stephanos” is defined as a victor’s or winner’s crown.
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. (Revelation 14:14)
When an athlete won an important contest, he was given a “stephanos.” This crown represents a transfer of honor, glory, and victory to the winner.
When on this earth, Jesus, just before he was crucified, was given a crown of thorns. This crown symbolized shame, mockery, and defeat.
You see, Jesus was hated and rejected by the very people he came to save. They spit on Him. They made fun of Him. They beat and whipped Him. But was he defeated?
This same Jesus, the Son of Man, wears a crown of honor. Jesus comes back as King of kings and Lord of lords with a sharp sickle in his hand.
What is the purpose of the sharp sickle?
Revelation 14:15 and Mark 4:26-29 give us clues.
Revelation 14:15
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (Revelation 14:15)
Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)
So, we see in Revelation 14:15 that an angel comes out of God’s temple, from out of God’s presence, from before God’s glory, and cries out to Jesus saying: It’s time. The harvest is fully ripe.” “ ‘Cut the grain. The earth is ready to be harvested” (Revelation 14:15, NIrV).
As expressed in a previous video, Jesus often used agriculture or farming to give illustrations about his Second Coming.
Thus, the harvest in Revelation 14:15 is used to illustrate the time of Jesus’ Second Coming. So, the angel tells Jesus that it is time to go get his children and bring them home.
Several times, Jesus uses the symbol of a ripening harvest to illustrate the growth of the seed of the gospel in the lives of His people.
The following is an explanation of how the gospel seed grows:
Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 65, 66
“The germination of the seed represents the beginning of spiritual life, and the development of the plant is a beautiful figure of Christian growth. As in nature, so in grace; there can be no life without growth. The plant must either grow or die. As its growth is silent and imperceptible, but continuous, so is the development of the Christian life. At every stage of development, our life may be perfect; yet if God’s purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be continual advancement. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. As our opportunities multiply, our experience will enlarge, and our knowledge increase.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 65, 66.
In other words, the growth of the seed of the gospel is the ripening of the golden grain that represents all those whose lives are transformed by God’s Amazing Grace.
Their lives are motivated by His love. Therefore, they live obedient lives that honor Him. Because their hearts are united with Jesus’ heart, their desires are in harmony with His desires. Thus, they want what He wants.
We can achieve spiritual perfection, or “Christian perfection,” whereby we are fully surrendered to God and living in harmony with His divine will.
But this does not mean that we will be free from all flaws or defects in our character.
Instead, it is a continual process of growth and transformation through the power of God’s grace.
As we progress in our spiritual journey, we become increasingly aware of our faults and weaknesses, but we should not be discouraged.
Rather, we should trust in God’s power and strive for greater levels of spiritual maturity and perfection through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As we move to complete maturity, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God, washed by the blood of Jesus, we become fully ripened for harvest.
But notice that in Revelation, if you read further, Revelation 14:17-20 talks of two harvests: grain and grapes. What’s the difference?
Keep Watching. View the Second Part of this Video: Every Seed Produces a Harvest
Day: 6 Every Seed Produces a Harvest
So, Revelation 14 talks of two groups, two harvests or times when crops are collected. There is the harvest of grain and the harvest of grapes.
The harvest of grain represents the righteous, and the harvest of grapes represents the unrighteous or the lost. Both harvests of grain and grapes or fully ripe. In other words, every seed planted is fully mature and fully ripen.
But notice in Revelation 14:17-20 that the harvest of grapes is covered in blood. These grapes represent the people who have rejected God.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.”
19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:17-20).
In Revelation 14:19, it says: the angel swung his blade over the earth. Notice that the riper of the grapes is not Jesus, the Son of Man, but another angel. He gathered the grapes. Then he threw them into a huge winepress The winepress stands for God’s anger”
It emphasizes God’s wrath and judgment upon the wicked. The winepress of the wrath of God symbolizes the punishment that will be inflicted upon the unrepentant sinners. It suggests that God’s judgment will be severe and that the wicked will face a terrible end.
It also suggests that God is powerful and just and that he will eventually judge the earth and punish the wicked for their sins. The same is expressed in Revelation 14:10
10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. (Revelation 14:10)
Revelation 15:1
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. (Revelation 15:1)
And Revelation 16:1
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” (Revelation 16:1)
Revelations 14:18 expresses that “Another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire” revealing that God puts this angel in charge of the special fire that He will use to punish the wicked. This angel is given command over the fires of God’s final judgment.
The harvest is ripe. Sin has reached its limits. Rebellion and has crossed the line of God’s mercy. God will, at that time, no longer tolerate sin.
What we need to know is that although things have been bad in the past, they are going to get much worse before it is all over.
God, in his loving mercy, will have done everything He can do for us. He has given His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
This is the point that 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 3:13 makes.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Galatians 3:13
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), (Galatians 3:13)
What more could Jesus have done for us than die on the cross for our sins?
God can’t do anything to save people who reject His Holy Spirit again and again, refusing to accept His mercy. God cannot force our wills. That would not be love.
Revelation 14 is a powerful end-time prophetic message. It demonstrates that God’s people reflect His image. They show that their hearts are filled with love, compassion, mercy, and obedience to God’s commands. (Split)
In contrast, Satan’s followers reflect His image. The lives of his follower are filled with selfishness, hatred, lust, jealousy, greed, and disobedience to God’s commandments.
In the end, there will be only two groups. You cannot be neutral. There will not be a third group.
The character of Jesus is fully revealed in one group, and the character of Satan is fully revealed in the other group.
Hebrews 5:14 indicates that as we mature and grow to full age, we will be able to discern between good and evil.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
Thus, the contrast between good and evil, right and wrong, and obedience and disobedience will be apparent to the entire universe.
God calls us now to give our lives to Him. He wants us to choose the good. However, the longer we delay responding to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the harder and harder it becomes to respond to His promptings, and the longer our delay, the more susceptible we are to falling for and believing the lies told by Satan, the evil one. Why not yield your heart today to the prompting of the Holy Spirit?
Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church
7902 Wheatly Street
Houston, TX 77088
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