REVELATION 14 v 14-20
Are we ready for the harvest?
The picture of God being a farmer is very symbolic, to the culture of the day and is still relevant in our culture today. A farmer would harvest the crop at the same time every year. When he harvests he cuts the wheat from the chaff. He collects all the good but leaves the bad. A farmer does not harvest when the crop is not ready or unripe. A farmer waits for the right time. God harvests at the perfect time but it isn't an every year harvest it is a once and only harvest.
John 5 v 24 - "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." This verse speaks of the harvest and of who will and won't be harvested. We have the opportunity to show other people how to become part of the harvest. The harvest is an image of separation between the faithful and unfaithful.
Jesus talked about a harvest but not a one off harvest but a harvest where different get ripe at different times but this harvest can only happen if there are more workers. Matthew 9 v 35-38 - "35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”" Jesus went out sowing the seeds by spreading the good news of the Kingdom. We too can sow seeds in this way and we also have the opportunity to harvest the ripened fruit. Jesus is calling all believes to sow the seeds and work to reap the harvest. But we don't always harvest what you sow. John 4 v 34-38 - " 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.”" We work hard and sowing into a people’s lives but we may never see the fruit. If we sow faithfully and we just want someone to reap the harvest then God will grow the seeds. But if we chose to sow just we can reap we might never see a harvest.
Where will you sow?
Why will you sow?
Where are you reaping?
The more we sow the more people will be reaped with us in the final harvest.
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