The Harvest
Today’s passage: Revelation 14
Focus verse: “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (Revelation 14:15)
A heading later added to Revelation 14:6 in some Bibles says, “The Three Angels.” Yet a careful reading of this chapter reveals seven.
The first angel flies in midair to warn the people of the coming judgment and urge them to give God glory and worship him (Revelation 14:6–7).
The second angel announces that Babylon has fallen (Revelation 14:8).
The third angel warns that anyone who worships the beast and wears his mark will receive everlasting torment (Revelation 14:9–13).
A fourth angel, one “like a son of man,” comes next. He wears a golden crown and carries a sickle (Revelation 14:14).
Though this could be a veiled reference to Jesus—and some think it is— the rest of Revelation refers to Jesus more directly, so we can accept this as an angel who looks like Jesus, as one who resembles the Son of Man (Son of God).
The fifth angel comes out of the temple and encourages the fourth angel to begin harvesting, for the time has come and the harvest is ripe. The fourth angel does just that (Revelation 14:15–16).
A sixth angel comes from the temple, also carrying a sickle (Revelation 14:17).
Still another angel, the seventh one, who oversees the fire on the altar, encourages the sixth one to begin the grape harvest (Revelation 14:18). The angel does, throwing the grapes he picks into God’s winepress of wrath. Blood flows.
The purpose of the seven angels in this evocative passage is to bring about the harvest over the whole earth.
When it’s time to harvest their crops, farmers can’t increase the yield. It’s too late. The time to affect the outcome has already passed. This comes earlier in the season when the crop is planted, tilled, weeded, and watered.
This means that what we do now can increase God’s harvest later.
Questions:
- How can we plant seeds for Jesus?
- What does it mean to till the field?
- What does it mean to weed the field?
- How can we water the crop for Jesus?
- What can we do today for a better harvest in the future?
[Discover more about planting and harvesting in Matthew 9:37–38, Matthew 13:1–30, Luke 10:1–3, and 1 Corinthians 3:6–8. Read two other verses that reference someone like a son of man in Daniel 7:13 and Revelation 1:13.]
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Read more in Revelation Bible Study: Discover Practical Insights from John’s Epic Vision.
Discover practical, understandable insights from the book of Revelation.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.