Strength in Trying Times:Strength in Trying Times:Lessons from Lessons from

the Book of Revelationthe Book of Revelation

Part 6: Part 6: Know Your Know Your Blessed HopeBlessed Hope::

Think HarvestsThink Harvests

Revelation 14Revelation 14

RecapRecap•Rev 1: Rev 1: Know Your LordKnow Your Lord

•Rev 2-3: Rev 2-3: Know the Shepherd’sKnow the Shepherd’s

VoiceVoice

•Rev 4-5:Rev 4-5: Know Your True HomeKnow Your True Home

•Rev 6-7:Rev 6-7: Know Your AssignmentKnow Your Assignment

•Rev 13 and 17: Rev 13 and 17: Know Your EnemyKnow Your Enemy

•Rev 14:Rev 14: Know Your Blessed HopeKnow Your Blessed Hope

My Wife Pauline Had a Dream My Wife Pauline Had a Dream . . .. . .

My Friend Rob Had a Dream My Friend Rob Had a Dream . . .. . .

Remember How Prophecy Remember How Prophecy Takes You To Another PlaceTakes You To Another Place

Your Life in Your Life in HeavenHeaven

Your Life on Your Life on Earth NowEarth Now

Your Life in Your Life in the Futurethe Future

As We Saw, Rev 6:9-10 . . . On As We Saw, Rev 6:9-10 . . . On EarthEarth

As We Saw, Rev 7:9 . . . In As We Saw, Rev 7:9 . . . In HeavenHeaven

Revelation Also Takes You Revelation Also Takes You To the Future To the Future

Your Life in Your Life in HeavenHeaven

Your Life on Your Life on Earth NowEarth Now

Your Life in Your Life in the Futurethe Future

What is Revelation’s Prophetic What is Revelation’s Prophetic Picture of Your “Blessed Hope” Picture of Your “Blessed Hope”

(Titus 2:13)?(Titus 2:13)?

Rather, This is the Picture: Rather, This is the Picture: A Grain HarvestA Grain Harvest

And This is the Picture:And This is the Picture:A Vineyard HarvestA Vineyard Harvest

Revelation 14:14-16Revelation 14:14-16Grain HarvestGrain Harvest

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.

Revelation 14:14-16Revelation 14:14-16Grain HarvestGrain Harvest

15 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.”

16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

This is the Gathering of This is the Gathering of BelieversBelievers

Matt 13:30Matt 13:30

Let both grow together Let both grow together until the harvest. At until the harvest. At that time I will tell the that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them the weeds and tie them in bundles to be in bundles to be burned; then gather the burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into wheat and bring it into my barn.’”my barn.’”

Revelation 14:17-20Revelation 14:17-20Vineyard HarvestVineyard Harvest

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.

18 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.”

Revelation 14:17-20Revelation 14:17-20Vineyard HarvestVineyard Harvest

19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.

20 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

This is the Destruction This is the Destruction of God’s Enemiesof God’s Enemies

Why Think of Jesus’ Return Why Think of Jesus’ Return as a Harvest, a Farming as a Harvest, a Farming

Event?Event?

First, Jesus’ Return is On an First, Jesus’ Return is On an Unknown, But an Assured, Unknown, But an Assured,

DayDay

No Farmer Really Knows No Farmer Really Knows What His Harvest Day IsWhat His Harvest Day Is

No Farmer Really Knows No Farmer Really Knows What His Harvest Day IsWhat His Harvest Day Is

USDA report: New York State FarmsUSDA report: New York State Farms

PlantingPlantingHarvestingHarvesting

CORNCORN Apr 25 – June 5 Apr 25 – June 5 Sept 5 - Oct 15Sept 5 - Oct 15

No Farmer Really Knows No Farmer Really Knows What His Harvest Day IsWhat His Harvest Day Is

USDA report: New York State FarmsUSDA report: New York State Farms

PlantingPlanting HarvestingHarvesting

CORNCORN Apr 25 – June 5 Apr 25 – June 5 Sept 5 - Oct 15Sept 5 - Oct 15

POTATOPOTATO Mar 25 – June 15Mar 25 – June 15 July 15 – Nov 5July 15 – Nov 5

No Farmer Really Knows No Farmer Really Knows What His Harvest Day IsWhat His Harvest Day Is

USDA report: New York State FarmsUSDA report: New York State Farms

PlantingPlanting HarvestingHarvesting

CORNCORN Apr 25 – June 5 Apr 25 – June 5 Sept 5 - Oct 15Sept 5 - Oct 15

POTATOPOTATO Mar 25 – June 15Mar 25 – June 15 July 15 – Nov 5July 15 – Nov 5

WHEATWHEAT Sept 1 – Nov 1Sept 1 – Nov 1 July 20 – Aug 5July 20 – Aug 5

But He Trusts and Prays But He Trusts and Prays That Day Will Come SoonThat Day Will Come Soon

So Hang onto HopeSo Hang onto Hope

“ “I quit!”I quit!” “ “ I didn’t.”I didn’t.”

Second, Jesus’ Return Will Second, Jesus’ Return Will Be a Reaping of What is Be a Reaping of What is

Sown Sown

Outward “Seals” and Outward “Seals” and “Marks” “Marks”

Symbolize Inward Heart Symbolize Inward Heart ChoicesChoicesRev 14:1 (seal)Rev 14:1 (seal)

Then I looked and Then I looked and there before me was there before me was the Lamb, standing on the Lamb, standing on Mt Zion, and with him Mt Zion, and with him the 144,000 had the 144,000 had his his name name and his Father’s and his Father’s name written name written on their on their foreheadsforeheads

Outward “Seals” and Outward “Seals” and “Marks” “Marks”

Symbolize Inward Heart Symbolize Inward Heart ChoicesChoicesRev 14:1 (seal)Rev 14:1 (seal)

Then I looked and Then I looked and there before me was there before me was the Lamb, standing on the Lamb, standing on Mt Zion, and with him Mt Zion, and with him the 144,000 had the 144,000 had his his name name and his Father’s and his Father’s name written name written on their on their foreheadsforeheads

Rev 13:16 (counterfeit seal)Rev 13:16 (counterfeit seal)

He also forced everyone to He also forced everyone to receive a mark on his right receive a mark on his right hand or hand or on his foreheadon his forehead, so , so that no one could buy or that no one could buy or sell unless he had the sell unless he had the mark, which is the mark, which is the namename of of the beast or the number of the beast or the number of his his namename

People Receive in the After People Receive in the After Life What They Spend Their Life What They Spend Their

Lives Pursuing in the Lives Pursuing in the Present LifePresent Life

C. S. Lewis, on Rewards in C. S. Lewis, on Rewards in Heaven Heaven

People Receive in the After People Receive in the After Life What They Spend Their Life What They Spend Their

Lives Pursuing in the Lives Pursuing in the Present LifePresent Life

C. S. Lewis, on Rewards in HeavenC. S. Lewis, on Rewards in Heaven

Oscar Wilde: “When the gods Oscar Wilde: “When the gods want to punish us . . . they want to punish us . . . they answer our prayers.” answer our prayers.”

Finally, Jesus’ Return Means Finally, Jesus’ Return Means We Should View The World We Should View The World

in Terms of “Ripeness”in Terms of “Ripeness”

Every Winemaker Thinks Every Winemaker Thinks About the Ripeness of His About the Ripeness of His

GrapesGrapes

Every Winemaker Thinks Every Winemaker Thinks About the Ripeness of His About the Ripeness of His

GrapesGrapesJuly-AugJuly-Aug: Fruit turns from hard green berries : Fruit turns from hard green berries

into grapes; sugars increase, acidity into grapes; sugars increase, acidity decreases; farmer now pays close attentiondecreases; farmer now pays close attention

Every Winemaker Thinks Every Winemaker Thinks About the Ripeness of His About the Ripeness of His

GrapesGrapesJuly-AugJuly-Aug: Fruit turns from hard green berries : Fruit turns from hard green berries

into grapes; sugars increase, acidity into grapes; sugars increase, acidity decreases; farmer now pays close attentiondecreases; farmer now pays close attention

Aug-SeptAug-Sept: Thins crop size, removes excess : Thins crop size, removes excess leaves, watches climate conditions, to bring leaves, watches climate conditions, to bring only the best grapes to perfectiononly the best grapes to perfection

Every Winemaker Thinks Every Winemaker Thinks About the Ripeness of His About the Ripeness of His

GrapesGrapesJuly-AugJuly-Aug: Fruit turns from hard green berries into : Fruit turns from hard green berries into

grapes; sugars increase, acidity decreases; grapes; sugars increase, acidity decreases; farmer now pays close attentionfarmer now pays close attention

Aug-SeptAug-Sept: Thins crop size, removes excess : Thins crop size, removes excess leaves, watches climate conditions, to bring leaves, watches climate conditions, to bring only the best grapes to perfectiononly the best grapes to perfection

Sept-OctSept-Oct: Measures daily sugar levels, pH, skin : Measures daily sugar levels, pH, skin thicknesses and flavor compounds. Decides thicknesses and flavor compounds. Decides when to pick based on daily weather, type of when to pick based on daily weather, type of grape and type of wine desired; not too early, grape and type of wine desired; not too early, not too late.not too late.

Ripeness for Jesus’ ReturnRipeness for Jesus’ Return

(a)(a)Gospel to All LandsGospel to All Lands

Matthew 24:14“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Ripeness for Jesus’ ReturnRipeness for Jesus’ Return

((b) Reception of Jesus in Jerusalem:b) Reception of Jesus in Jerusalem:

Matthew 23Matthew 23:37-39“O Jerusalem . . . You will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Ripeness for Jesus’ ReturnRipeness for Jesus’ Return

(c) Christians Living Godly Lives(c) Christians Living Godly Lives

2 Peter 3:11-12 (alternate translation, NIV)

“You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

Frank Chan at age 14 or so?Frank Chan at age 14 or so?Ripe for Destruction?Ripe for Destruction?

Frank Chan at age 14 or so?Frank Chan at age 14 or so?Ripe for Destruction?Ripe for Destruction?

Think of the family and friends around Think of the family and friends around you.you.

How “ripe” are they?How “ripe” are they?

For which harvest?For which harvest?

Know Your Blessed HopeKnow Your Blessed Hope

(1) Don’t quit! Hang in there!(1) Don’t quit! Hang in there!

(2) Remember that we all reap what we (2) Remember that we all reap what we sowsow

(3) Pray a friend out of ripeness for the (3) Pray a friend out of ripeness for the vineyard harvest and into ripeness for vineyard harvest and into ripeness for the grain harvest. the grain harvest.