". . .Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” [1] The end of the end is described in terms of harvest. "The great drama John has been watching from his “theatre seat” in heaven now reaches the grand finale in two short scenes. Each begins in heaven and ends on earth." [2]
John sees someone "like the son of man" on a cloud with a sharp sickle. An angel emerges from the presence of God giving to all the signal that the end has come. The final return of Christ is depicted this way in Mark 13:26 (ESV), And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. “And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”” (Mark 14:62, ESV). An earlier verse in Revelation promises His coming “with the clouds” (1:7).
"The Gospels use the language of harvest to depict the return of Christ in glory. The Parable of the Weeds (Matt. 13:24–30; 36–43) is foremost Matthew 13:39 interprets the parable, 'The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.' In Matthew 13:30, the landowner had told the harvesters to 'gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' On another occasion, Jesus had said, 'He [the Son of Man] will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.'” [3]
This is the Scriptural "rapture." Although the words are not here in Chapter 14, the events are synonymous with Paul's teaching to the Thessalonians. Then when the elect who are alive are called to Heaven the swing of the sickle brings devastation. "The Lord will trample nations that have trampled God’s holy city, as Isaiah foretold (Isa. 63:1–6). Their blood is shed outside the city (probably Jerusalem), where all defiled things belong (cf. Rev. 21:27)." [4] "It spreads out in all directions to the extent of sixteen hundred stadia. Remember that four is the number of theuniverse and the earth. This is the judgment of the wicked. Ten is the number of completeness. So, sixteen hundred, which is the product of four times four, times ten times ten, would seem to indicate that this is the thoroughly complete judgment of the wicked." [5]
Father there is joy to know that Christ bore Your wrath in our place. It is joy to know that justice has already been satisfied on behalf of those who have trusted in You. But Lord there is fear for those who oppose You. As the Scriptures teach, the Day of the Lord is a terrible day. Lord send Your Word by Your power to the nations and bring salvation, we pray.
_________________________________________
1. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Re 14:15). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
2. Easley, K. H. (1998). Vol. 12: Revelation. Holman New Testament Commentary (252). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
3. Easley, K. H. (1998). Vol. 12: Revelation. Holman New Testament Commentary (253). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
4. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2484). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles
5. Hendriksen, William (1998-06-01). More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (p. 156). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
No comments:
Post a Comment