Now is the time for the harvest! God has given everyone who knows Him, the responsibility to go to every nation, tribe, language and people and tell them about His Son, Jesus. We can’t all physically go to another country; but we all can play a part and need to play a part in sharing Christ with everyone. We can give to those who go, pray for those who go, learn and go on short term mission projects. We can even share the love of Christ with those right around us. Regardless of how we get involved, God still tells us to be part of His harvest, the harvest of people!
144,000 With Father’s Name On Their Forehead
John looked, before him was the Lamb and 144,000 on Mount Zion. The 144,000 had the father’s name written on their forehead. Isn’t that interesting? Satan’s followers have the Mark of the Beast on either their wrist or their forehead but God’s own people have their Father’s name on their forehead! The Holy Spirit has marked God’s people for millennia and now Satan is counterfeiting it, but as the Beast makes his mark visible, God has a special mark for these special people who hold strong amidst the great tribulation that the world is experiencing. This is the sequence of the rest of John’s vision in the first 5 verses in Revelation 14.
- He heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and a loud peal of thunder
- It was a loud sound but beautiful as there were harpists playing their harps
- The 144,000 sang a new song before the throne, the four living creatures and elders
- No one else could learn this song though except the 144,000 redeemed from the earth
- These 144,000 did not defile themselves with women, they remained virgins (they stayed wholesome, pure)
- They followed the Lamb wherever He went. They were purchased among mankind and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb
- No lies came out of their mouths, they were blameless
The Messages Of Three Angels
The First Angel flew in midair, to share the gospel to the earth from every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Go To All The World and Preach the gospel!
The Second Angel followed the first angel and said “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
Sin has consequences and You reap what you sow!
The Third Angel followed the other two angels and said If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand
- They, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath
- They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
- And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever
- They will have no rest, day or night
Blessings and Rest For The Faithful
13 Then I (John) heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Those with the mark of the beast will not rest! Those who die in the Lord will rest!
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus!
The critical take away from the Third Angel is the very strong warning to not worship the beast and receive his mark! The consequence of receiving the mark is that they will live under God’s fury and wrath.
Do not receive this mark!
Reap The Harvest
Next, John saw a white cloud with a man sitting on it. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
A Fourth Angel came out of the temple to call to the other man sitting on the cloud. He said with a loud voice, “Take your sickle and reap, because it is time to reap, the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
This shouldn’t be new to us as John says in his gospel: “look onto the fields, for they are ripe and ready to harvest” (John 4:35) In this passage, John uses the same metaphor to talk about people who need to hear the good news of Christ who as come. But in this case, he is harvesting those who have not believed.
The minute the fourth angel gives him the order, the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle and reaped the harvest! (Wow, that was fast) God’s timing is not our timing!
A Fifth Angel had charge of the fire. He came from the altar and called loudly to the man with the sharp sickle, take your sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe. This angel swung his sickle, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great wine press of God’s wrath!
It was time for the grapes to face punishment and judgment for worshiping the beast!
Process For The Grapes That Are Trampled Upon
- The fifth angel with the sickle said to go gather the grape clusters that are ripe
- These grapes are the ones who worshiped the beast and had the beasts mark on them
- The grapes are trampled on in the wine press
- The grapes which are trampled and go through the wine press are those who have God’s wrath and fury. Blood then flowed out of the wine press up to the height of a horses bridle, covering approximately a distance of the length of 1 and 3/4 soccer fields.
What Do You Want To Be Part Of? The Harvest or Trampling?
The verses in this chapter describe angels and the harvest or trampling that they are part of. A Harvest for those who come to Christ, from angels who shared the good news and went into all the world to preach the gospel.
Then there are angels who warn of sin and the eternal consequence for wearing the mark of the beast and worshiping him. These angels tell how those who reject Christ and who are following, worshiping Satan and wearing his mark are trampled on and go through the wine press, receiving God’s wrath and fury.
If you are unfamiliar with some mission organizations that you can serve with, give to and pray for, here are some that I am familiar with:
Please share other organizations that are unlisted, that you are familiar with and are sharing the gospel! If you need to keep the name or the country private, that is ok. Let us know if we can pray, give or serve.
Becky, I deeply appreciate your clear treatment of Revelation.
Just picked up a new book (new to me) recommended by an excellent Bible scholar, Dr. Ron Gifford.
The book is The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal. He takes an even different tack from the pre-, mid- and post-tribulationalists, and different from my favorite view espoused by Dr. James Christie (a tri-part rapture accommodating all three views). Mr. Rosenthal asserts that God will rapture the Church after the 5th but before the 6th trumpet. 😲 (😉)
My own conclusion is that I will stay ready and not argue with the Lord whenever He returns. The future is intentionally left vague for us even though it is clear and plain to Father. The bottom line is none of us know “the day nor the hour” and we will not know for certain until it happens per John 14:29.
❤️&🙏, c.a.
Yes, just stay ready, prepared! That’s the best thing to do! The Lord knows and has everything we need, prepared! Thanks again!
I love Revelation 14. It is so deep and yet so promising. I believe we will see the harvest very soon! I enjoyed all you wrote! We must take it all seriously and for today. I am looking for that White Horse! Look forward to 19!
yes! and take all the opportunities that we can to share the gospel, show and share Christ in our life and our words. Thanks again! I hope that you have a great weekend! We are going to visit my sister and her family this weekend. They are here in the USA right now but have been missionaries in Africa for over 15 years now. They have shared the gospel with their village and have several believers now. Also have translated some Scripture for them in their own language now. PTL!
That is great. What country in Africa? I do pray for a couple of them. I love Africa. I know there is so much danger in some of them with the Radical Islamists. You have a safe trip!
Thank you, I have to be very careful what I say on here because of the Islamists. Maybe I can figure out another way to tell you where it isn’t clear on here. It is more on the east side of Africa. It is for safety concerns. Sorry
No, I am sorry. I have not dealt with anything like that before. The Lord knows where she is. I’ll still pray for her and her family. You are blessed!
Thank you, it is tough. I wish I could say. I have to be careful especially on the internet.
I agree. Her safety is too important. You have a good trip!
Thank you, got home safe, but tired now😁
Thank you for letting me know. I hope you can share some of your sister’s stories. Rest now!
I understand too, in some places, it’s ok to say where they serve but not in other places. It’s a risk. I have another friend who can’t tell much over the internet either. Just pray, it’s the best thing we can all do for them. Thanks again🙏🏻