What is the End Time’s Harvest?
The Harvest of the Earth
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9: 36-38)
In this scripture, the term “harvest” refers to people who are ready to receive the Lord but are in need of someone to help them know the Lord. This scripture calls for God’s people to share the Good News about salvation through Jesus Christ.
At the End of this Age, there will be a different kind of harvest.
Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14: 14-16)
At the End of this Age, the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) has a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. The angel says it is time to reap the harvest of the earth for it is ripe. Jesus then reaps the harvest of the earth.
This first harvest is described as being done by Jesus Christ. This harvest does not appear to have a devastating consequence like the second harvest which is described next. Therefore, this first harvest appears to be a reference to Jesus gathering his elect. (See: What is the Rapture?)
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14: 18-20)
A second harvest is made. The “vine of the earth” is harvested. In John 15: 1-8, Jesus said that he was the “true” vine and his followers are the branches. But the vine of the “earth” is a different vine: it is not the true vine – therefore it will be destroyed at the End of this Age.
The vine of the earth is gathered and trampled in the winepress outside of the city. It describes blood coming out of the winepress of God’s wrath, up to the horses’ bridles for 1,600 furlongs. This appears to describe the Antichrist’s armies being destroyed at the battle of Armageddon.
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19: 11-15)
Jesus Christ is accompanied by the armies of heaven. The armies in heaven could be angels but the Bible generally calls angels what they are: angels. This army is “clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” This phrase generally refers to those whose sins have been forgiven and have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. This Scripture appears to describe the elect as the armies of heaven that accompany Jesus Christ. If it is the elect, it indicates that the Rapture happens before Armageddon.
The 7th Trumpet
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11: 17-18)
The 7th Trumpet announces the time when this age ends and God’s reign begins. It also says that the time for God’s wrath has come. Jesus Christ is involved in the wrath that is poured out onto the world. This indicates that Jesus could gather his elect just before God’s wrath is unleashed. Or, Jesus could simply protect us from wrath that is not intended for us. (See: What is the 7th Trumpet?) (See: What are the 7 Golden Bowls?)
The 6th Seal describes the beginning of God’s wrath:
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6: 15-17)
Notice that every person on the earth recognized that God’s wrath was about to be poured out. And every person tried to hide from God and the “wrath of the Lamb.” Jesus Christ participates in the wrath of God being poured out. That indicates that he would have returned in some way before Armageddon. (See: What is the 6th Seal?)
If God’s elect were still on the earth at that time, they would not hide themselves from him – they would be celebrating his arrival. God’s elect know that the “wrath of the Lamb” is not intended for them, so they would not fear it. This indicates that at the moment that God’s wrath is about to be poured out onto the world, God’s elect are no longer present on the earth.
Although it appears that God’s elect has been gathered by this time, there are still people on the earth who belong to God but do not yet know Jesus Christ (e.g. his chosen people: the Jews). Before God’s wrath is poured out, he first seals 144,000 Jews to be his special witnesses. God prepares the Jewish people to recognize their Messiah (Jesus Christ) when he arrives just in time to save them from annihilation at Armageddon. (See: Who are the 144,000?)
When Jesus Christ arrives at the battle of Armageddon, he will destroy the armies of the world that have gathered in an attempt to annihilate the remnant of Jews. The 6th Bowl of God’s wrath describes the armies gathering at Armageddon:
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16: 12-16)
The Wheat & the Tares
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (Matthew 13: 24-30)
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13: 37-42)
There are many people in the world. According to this parable, some people are the children of God and some people are children of Satan. Good and evil exist side by side in this world but at the End of this Age things will change. There will be a harvest to separate the good seed from the bad seed – and the bad seed will be thrown into the fire.
The reference to fire and the “wailing and gnashing of teeth” is a reference to hell. (See: Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30 and Luke 13:28)
Those who are thrown into hell are subject to the “second death.” (See: Revelation 2: 10-11, Revelation 20: 6, Revelation 20: 12-15, Revelation 21: 8)
This scripture indicates that the tares (not the wheat) will be gathered first. Some scholars read this Scripture and believe that this harvest negates the “rapture” of the elect. They believe that being left behind is a good thing.
One Scripture describes the “tares” being harvested first. Another Scripture describes the second harvest as being the one in which evil is gathered and punished. Which is right? Both.
The Holy Bible does not contradict itself. Anytime that Scripture in the Holy Bible appears to conflict, it is not the Holy Bible that is wrong – it is the error of the humans who are trying to understand it.
According to the Holy Bible, there is an event in which the “elect” are taken up to meet Jesus in the sky. (See: What is the Rapture?)
The rapture appears to take place some time after the Great Tribulation because the some of elect will be on the earth during the Great Tribulation. (See: What is the Great Tribulation?) (See: What is the Great Multitude in White Robes?)
After the Great Tribulation, God’s wrath will be unleashed. But before God’s wrath is poured out onto the world, He seals 144,000 Jews to be special witnesses. (See: Who are the 144,000?)
The 6th Bowl of God’s wrath describes the Antichrist’s armies being gathered for the battle of Armageddon. (See: What are the 7 Golden Bowls?)
According to Revelation 19: 11-21, when Jesus arrives in the clouds in power and great glory he is accompanied by the armies of heaven that are clothed in clean white linen (a phrase given to those who have been forgiven of their sins – washed clean by the blood of the Lamb). This indicates that the elect were raptured at some point before Armageddon. (See: What is the Return of Jesus Christ?)
If the End of the Age “harvest” happens at Armageddon and if the rapture of the elect has already taken place, who are the two groups of people being harvested?
By the time that Armageddon happens, everyone in the world will have made an irrevocable choice: take the mark of the beast or suffer severe persecution (e.g. captivity, death). (See: What is the Mark of the Beast?)
But during the Great Tribulation, God has protected a remnant of Jews in a special place that he prepared for them. During the time that God’s wrath is being unleashed, the 144,000 witnesses have been working to prepare the Jews to recognize their Jewish Messiah (Jesus Christ) when he arrives to save them.
When Jesus arrives at Armageddon, he destroys the Antichrist’s armies (aka the bad seed) and saves the remnant of Israel (aka the good seed). He destroys the beast before gathering the remnant of Israel. This appears to describe the End of the Age harvest in which the wicked are gathered first and thrown into the fire (as described in Matthew 13).
When the End of this Age harvest is complete, what happens next?
See: What is the Beginning of the Next Age?
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