Revelation 14
I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. Revelation 14:14-20 NIV
God’s final harvest (aka the final judgment) is coming. It is absolutely certain, and it will be complete. In this chapter we get a small glimpse of some vivid and disturbing images that portray what God’s anger and wrath will look like at the time of His final judgment. In John’s vision, those who rejected God were trampled like grapes, and their “…blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle” (Revelation 14:20, NLT). The massive scope of God’s judgment is hard to fathom, but this river of blood gives us a picture of just how much blood will be shed during this punishment. This image should make us stop and pause. It should make us think about our loved ones who do not believe in God. It should also prompt us into action. For people who are receptive to hearing about the message of Jesus, we should be bold in sharing the Gospel and all it offers believers. For those people who are a bit more stubborn about welcoming Jesus into their lives, the best thing we can do is to continue to model Jesus’ example and to ask God to soften their hearts toward Him. We can also ask God to give us the right words to say and the right opportunity to plant seeds that will eventually lead them towards a relationship with Him. Coming to terms with the necessity of God’s judgment enables us to see our desperate need for His mercy for ourselves and for others. God is a perfect, merciful and loving judge who demands righteousness from His believers. If this wasn’t true, then there would be no need for our repentance, obedience, and worship. Although hard to accept, God has promised harsh punishment for all those who reject Him. Those who know God well enough to fear His wrath also know God well enough to desire His mercy and grace. The crushing wrath of God is coming. What must we do to prepare for this final judgment? First and foremost, we must firmly establish our relationship with God by fully trusting in His plan, His promises, His timing, and His Son. Jesus spilled His blood on the cross so that our blood does not have to be spilled during the final harvest. Thank God that He prepared a way for all believers to experience His love and mercy forever. Now it is up to us to pass on that blessing to our friends, family, or anyone else that God puts in our path in order to lead them towards God’s mercy. The judgment of God is a difficult thing to talk to unbelievers about, but it is a necessary truth that must be discussed so that everyone has an opportunity to prepare for this day of final judgment. Today God speaks in grace. Soon He will speak in wrath. Today God speaks in mercy. Soon He will speak in judgment. And when the judgment starts there will only be two classes of people: those whose names are found written in the book of life, and those whose names are not. Many are relying upon their moral life and good deeds as their hope for eternity, though they may be utterly worldly and godless. Whatever human expectations may be, God’s Word makes it very plain how everyone will fare on the day of judgment. As harsh as it seems, let us remember that it is not the fault of God the Father. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It is not the fault of the Son. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). It is also not the fault of the Spirit, who is constantly guiding us, helping us and giving us wisdom. The choice is simple and is completely up to each individual person, as outlined in John 3:18, AMP: “Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].” The more people that know, the more that can be saved from judgment. Who can you tell today?