‘Day 260

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16. (NASB)

We have had the Three Angels Messages of V6-12. This was God’s last warning message to the world in the Spirit and Power of Elijah. Now there are another 3 angels.

The “son of man” sitting on a cloud (Rev 14:14) represents the Second Coming of Jesus. Although terms like wheat or grain are not used here, the language implies a grain harvest. Later in the chapter (14:17-20) there is a grape harvest, with the subsequent juicing of the grapes. The grain harvest of this text represents the gathering up of the righteous to be with Jesus. Symbolically, they are “the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth” (Rev14:3). They are “the great multitude, which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues…” Rev.6:9. For the human race, the Second Coming of Jesus is the ultimate “way out” from its painful condition. It is the curtain call on the reign of sin and suffering.

There are those who follow the beast and those who follow the Lamb. The angel coming out of the heavenly temple is proclaiming that the earth’s harvest is ripe. Christ is coming back to reap the harvest. On His head is a golden crown, a symbol of His Majesty in Heaven; in His hand is a sickle for reaping.

Jesus told a parable concerning this reaping in Matthew 13, which outlines clearly who is involved in the reaping process. These are the same two reaping’s described here in vs14-17. Daniel 12:10 describes the people that The Lord is getting ready for this harvest, “Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.” There are clearly two groups in the harvest at the end of time.

Life today can be as confusing as finding your way around the streets and subways of an unknown city. But no matter how confusing our lives may have become; the Word of God points us to Jesus. He is always there. If you take time to connect with Jesus, He will be there to guide you where you need to go. He will bring your day into His light. And if you make it a habit to look for Him each day, He will one day lead you out onto the streets of gold! (Gold because what we value down here is just pavement up there.)