Harvest Of The Earth

Others are also to benefit in this day of judgment, as John goes on to tell us: "And I saw, and look! A white cloud, and upon the cloud someone seated like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel [the fourth] emerged from the temple sanctuary, crying with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: 'Put you sickle in and reap, for the harvest of the earth is thoroughly ripe.' And the one seated on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped." -Revelation 14:14-16.

The identity of the one seated on the white cloud is not in doubt. Seated on a white cloud, resembling a son of man and with a golden crown, he is clearly Jesus the Messianic King that Daniel also saw in vision. (Daniel 7:13, 14; Mark 14:61, 62) But what is the harvest here prophesied? while on earth Jesus likened disciplining work to the harvesting of the world field of humanity. (Matthew 9:37, 38; John 4:25, 36) The climax of this harvesting comes in the Lord's day, when Jesus is crowned as King and executes judgment on behalf of his Father. Thus,his time of ruling since 1914, is also the joyful time for bringing in the harvest. -Compare Deuteronomy 16:13-15.

Although he is a King and a Judge, Jesus waits for word from Jehovah his God before beginning to reap. That word comes from "the temple sanctuary" by means of an angel. Immediately, Jesus obeys. First, from 1919 on, he has his angels complete the harvesting of the 144,000. (Matthew 13:39, 43) Next, the harvest in gathering of the great crowd of other sheep takes place. (Matthew 25:31-33; John 10:16; Revelation 7:9) History shows that between 1931 and 1935 a goodly number of these other sheep began to appear. In 1935 Jehovah opened to the understanding of the John class the real identity of the great crowd of Revelation 7:9-17. Thenceforth, much emphasis was placed on the in gathering of this crowd. By the year 1988, its number has far exceeded the three million mark, and it is still increasing. Surely, the one like a son of man has reaped a bountiful, joyous harvest during this time of the end. -Compare Exodus 23:16; 34:22.

Next time: Treading The Vine Of The Earth.