The beans and corn are ready to be harvested here in Indiana.  As we drove through the countryside on our way to our grandson’s tennis match, Randy and I noticed how dry and brittle the bean and corn stalks are becoming—signs of harvest!  We noticed some of the farmers opening the barn doors to begin pulling out all the equipment necessary to sweep over the fields—ripe for harvest.

Because Randy pastored a church with many farmers in the congregation, we learned their habits and moods during each season.  Harvest was like Christmas for farmers!  This was the time to finally reap what they eagerly sowed last spring with anticipation and promise.  Yes, it is fascinating to observe the work of farmers who tirelessly care for their crops through spring and summer; making sure the weeds do not overtake what was planted so that the harvest is greater still.  Those who are in it for life do not grow weary of the work.  They will grow tired in the work; but most do not give up. This is their life.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  Galatians 6:7-10

Revelation 14, The Message

A Perfect Offering

14 ^1-2 I saw—it took my breath away!—the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 144,000 standing there with him, his Name and the Name of his Father inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice out of Heaven, the sound like rapids, like the crash of thunder.

^2-5 And then I heard music, harp music and the harpists singing a new song before the Throne and the Four Animals and the Elders. Only the 144,000 could learn to sing the song. They were bought from earth, lived without compromise, virgin-fresh before God. Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering.

Voices from Heaven

^6-7 I saw another Angel soaring in Middle-Heaven. He had an Eternal Message to preach to all who were still on earth, every nation and tribe, every tongue and people. He preached in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory! His hour of judgment has come! Worship the Maker of Heaven and earth, salt sea and fresh water!”

⁸ A second Angel followed, calling out, “Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon ruined! She made all the nations drunk on the wine of her whoring!”

^9-11 A third Angel followed, shouting, warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and its image and takes the mark on forehead or hand, that person will drink the wine of God’s wrath, prepared unmixed in his chalice of anger, and suffer torment from fire and brimstone in the presence of Holy Angels, in the presence of the Lamb. Smoke from their torment will rise age after age. No respite for those who worship the Beast and its image, who take the mark of its name.”

¹² Meanwhile, the saints stand passionately patient, keeping God’s commands, staying faithful to Jesus.

¹³ I heard a voice out of Heaven, “Write this: Blessed are those who die in the Master from now on; how blessed to die that way!”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “and blessed rest from their hard, hard work. None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.”

Harvest Time

^14-16 I looked up, I caught my breath!—a white cloud and one like the Son of Man sitting on it. He wore a gold crown and held a sharp sickle. Another Angel came out of the Temple, shouting to the Cloud-Enthroned, “Swing your sickle and reap. It’s harvest time. Earth’s harvest is ripe for reaping.” The Cloud-Enthroned gave a mighty sweep of his sickle, began harvesting earth in a stroke.

^17-18 Then another Angel came out of the Temple in Heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Yet another Angel, the one in charge of tending the fire, came from the Altar. He thundered to the Angel who held the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle. Harvest earth’s vineyard. The grapes are bursting with ripeness.”

^19-20 The Angel swung his sickle, harvested earth’s vintage, and heaved it into the winepress, the giant winepress of God’s wrath. The winepress was outside the City. As the vintage was trodden, blood poured from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle, a river of blood for two hundred miles.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is revealed in full, majestic view before John, His beloved disciple.  When we pause to take it all in, doesn’t this image take our breath away, too?  Imagine Jesus with His beloved who never gave up in doing good, standing with Him!  The 144,000 who never compromised their faith in God for anyone or anything else became an offering unto God.  Their worship was reserved only for God. “Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering,” John writes.

I am reminded of what God told his prophet, Micah and later to Paul, a committed, compelling, uncompromising convert of Christ. Paul, daily gave himself as an offering to God as his new way of life with God. 

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”—Micah 6:8, NIV

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2, NIV

Walking humble with God is key to knowing God’s will for us.

Though beaten by officials in the towns he preached; Paul worked tirelessly to tell others of Jesus’ saving grace. Being imprisoned for spreading the salvation message didn’t stop him.  He used his jail time to tell the message of Jesus to all who would listen among those who guarded him.  He wrote letters of encouragement and sent them to all the churches in the “field” for the purpose to keep out the “weeds” of evil behaviors among the people.  He encouraged all to “make the most of every opportunity” to freely spread the message of Jesus who freely gave Himself to us so we could be saved and set free!  (See Colossians 4)

The Message:  Jesus, Son of God, suffered and died so our sins could be forgiven, removed, and forgotten by almighty God. With resurrection power, God brought His Son back to life in full view of his followers on earth.  Do not forget, this same power is available to us!  This is Hope that we, too, will be resurrected has been given to us by Jesus.

Redemption is possible by humbly repenting our sins to Jesus His Son. As soon as we repent to Jesus believing He has set us free from our sins; our new life begins.  We sing a new song!  We are daily being changed and transformed from the inside out!  We revel in our new intimate, growing, loving relationship with God knowing that it will last forever—all because of His great love planted in the fertile soil of our yielded hearts, minds, and souls.  We love Him with all that is within us because He first loved us.  His love is unchanging and unfailing.  His love will outlast all our changing moods and the troubles of this world.  His love never quits and never gives up on us.  Wow.

We learn that we will become more and more like Jesus if we do not grow weary and give up, offer ourselves daily to Him, and keep a close watch on the weeds. When weeds of evil appear, we will call on the Name of Jesus who, by the power of His Holy Spirit living in us, will eradicate what does not belong in our field of grace that will soon be harvested.  This is the blessed assurance that give us confidence to keep walking humbly with our God!

Lord,

Wow, how you love it when we really believe what you say as the whole Truth.  Thank you for saving us as we call on your Name to forgive us and help us live this new life.  Continue to weed out what is not of you.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us.  Fill us with all you know we need to produce your goodness in our lives.  I’m yours. I’m listening.  I’m waiting for your return.

In Jesus Name, Amen