After
writing about the “beast
or
the antichrist” and “the
dragon –
the devil or Satan” being worshiped by people upon the earth, John
the apostle wrote how “another
angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that
sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle, and reap: for the time is
come for you to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he
that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the
earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is
in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle”,
and in chapter fourteen and verse eighteen of Revelation John saw
how,
“another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire”
where
we read:
And
another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and
cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying,
Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of
the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
The
verse reads, “And
another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and
cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, ...”
John
began with the words, “and
another angel”
which means “and an other messenger, envoy and one sent” “came
out”
or “departed and proceeded”
“from the altar”
which means “”away and out of the place for slaying and burning
of victims used for sacrifice and incense which stood in the
sanctuary or the Holy Place, “which
had power”
or “who held, owned and possessed choice, liberty, ability,
strength and authority” “over
fire”
which means “above fiery lightning”; “and
cried”
or “and shouted, spoke and addressed” “with
a loud cry” which
means “using a great, abundant and massive shout, speech and
address” “to
him”
or “to the One” “that
had the sharp sickle”
which means “who owned, possessed and held the quick, rapid and
swift pruning-hook a hooked vine knife such as reapers and
vine-dressers use”, “saying”
which means “uttering, declaring or proclaiming”. John saw
“another
angel”,
and this one came from “God's altar”
who had “power
over fire”
and shouted to the other “angel”
who held the “sharp”
reaping
“hook”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...
Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of
the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.”
John
continued with the words, “thrust
in”
which means “insert and send in” “your
sharp sickle”
or “the angel's quick, rapid and swift pruning-hook or a hooked
vine knife such as reapers and vine-dressers use”, “and
gather” or
“and collect” “the
clusters”
which means “the bunch of grapes” “of
the vine”
or “which are on a branch like a grapevine” “of
the earth”
which refers to “the arable land, country, territory or region”;
“for”
which means “because, on account of and since” “her
grapes”
or “the earth's cluster and bunches of grapes” “are
fully ripe”
which means “flourish and have come to maturity”. John heard the
“angel”
instruct the other “angel”
to “insert” his “sharp
pruning-hook” into the “earth”
to harvest the “grape”
or “fruit” within it.
When
we think through John's words in this verse, we see yet another time
of “reaping” the “harvest” upon the earth. This time it was
not to rescue people from judgment, but to expose them to it. God
offered “salvation” through His Son Jesus to these people, and
they rejected Him. Those left upon the earth at this time will be
harvested by the “angel” with “a sharp sickle”,
and woe be to them for the suffering they shall endure.
Next
time John shares how this angel was told to take this last “harvest”
and, “cast
it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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