Revelation: When the Harvest Comes

Revelation 14:14-20

No matter how you interpret Revelation, we can all agree on these two points. First, “In the end, we win!” That’s eternally great news to share with family and friends. The study of Revelation should inspire us with a renewed passion to tell others about Jesus. 

And to amplify that passion, Jesus doesn’t hold back in revealing what will happen in the last days. He taught about these topics when he walked on earth, and now, in Revelation, he shares the same message from heaven. So, there is one more thing we can be certain of — as life on earth winds down, there will be indescribably horrible death and destruction. 

The response to this study of Revelation has been overwhelmingly positive, although some have said, “I can’t wait until this is over.” On one level, I understand that reaction. Judgment, as we will see in today’s passage, is neither positive nor encouraging. However, I must remind you—these are the words that Jesus himself spoke to John through an angel. Whether we die before Jesus returns or meet him in the air, whether there is first a rapture of believers or we endure the tribulation, this one fact is indisputable. Every person will spend their eternity in either heaven or hell. Jesus doesn’t want us to ignore this sobering truth. He desires for this solemn knowledge to be a motivation for sharing the good news of the gospel.  

Let’s examine Revelation 14:14-20, which is very challenging to interpret, and then revisit our responsibility to share the truth about Jesus and his steadfast love for us. 

In today’s passage, John looked and saw “a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand” (Rev. 14:14). Is the one seated on the cloud Jesus or an angel? Conservative commentators disagree. But it seems best to see the one sitting on the cloud as Jesus. He is also described as the “son of man” in Revelation 1:13, and in the Gospel of Matthew, this title is attributed to Jesus twenty-five times.[1]  

Jesus holds a “sharp sickle in his hand,” signifying he is coming for the harvest. An angel called out loudly to Jesus, “‘Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.’ So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Rev. 14:15-16). Bible scholar John Walvoord explains that the word “ripe” (Grk: exēranthē) used in verse 15 describes something withered or overripe. This seems to represent those who know Jesus and are worn down and ready to be “harvested” for heaven.  

Then we see another angel arrive to continue the “harvesting.” This time, it is the angel who swings the sharp sickle. 

Revelation 14:17-18
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 

Here, a different word is used for “ripe” (Grk: ekmasan), which describes grapes that are fully grown and in prime condition. These grapes were ready for harvest. The angel swung his sickle, gathered the grapes, and threw them into “the great winepress of the wrath of God.” John says that “the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle for 1,600 stadia” (Rev. 14:19-20).

It was common to place harvested grapes in a stone winepress and walk on them to extract the juice. What happens here is shocking: a fierce battle is raging, with blood flowing freely. The phrase “outside the city” is understood as referring to an area near Jerusalem. “1,600 stadia” is roughly 180 to 200 miles, most likely indicating a judgment zone around the city. A brutal fight is shown, with so much blood spilled that it splatters as high as horses' bridles. The violence is hard to comprehend.

As I mentioned earlier, this passage is difficult to interpret. However, we can see that it vividly depicts a massive slaughter that will happen at the end of time on earth before Jesus returns. 

I will wrap up with this.

First, this world is winding down. There will be a definitive moment when God finally and forever defeats Satan and his followers. This raises an important question: Whose side are you on? Do you know without a doubt that you have trusted in Jesus alone, by grace alone, through faith alone? We can discuss the rapture and the timeline of Revelation, but the truth is—none of us is guaranteed another day. So once again, I ask: Do you know for sure that if you died today, you would spend eternity in heaven? 

Second, are you sharing the message of Jesus with others? Instead of spending our time debating the events of Revelation, we should be focused on proclaiming the message of the One it is about! 

Let’s allow this study to ignite our hearts with an urgency to share Jesus.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Revelation 14:14-20.

Talking to God: If Jesus were to gather his people today, are you confident that you belong to him—and what evidence in your life affirms that confidence?

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