Revelation 14:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe."

NIV: 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."

NASB: And another angel came out of the temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, 'Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.'

CSB: Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who was seated on the cloud, "Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe."

NLT: Then another angel came from the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, 'Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.'

KJV: And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

NKJV: 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.”

Another angel exits the temple in heaven, which indicates he has divine authority for his mission. With a loud voice this angel implores the "one like a son of man" sitting on a cloud (likely Jesus) (Revelation 14:14): the time is right and the harvest is ripe. For centuries God has delayed His judgment, giving sinners ample opportunity to repent. But, as in the days of Noah, His Spirit will not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3). His judgment will be swift, relentless, and thorough. This sickle is sharp (Revelation 14:14) and will leave no wicked person standing, just as a sharp sickle swung into a harvest of wheat leaves no stalk standing.

Some believe this harvest consists of both saints and sinners, but the context of this part of Revelation 14 is judgment, as verse 19 indicates. So, it seems that only the wicked are "reaped" in this harvest. The verses which follow describe this "reaping" in graphic terms, using the symbolism of grapes being crushed in a winepress.

Revelation 14:14–20 anticipates the judgment of the wicked that takes place at Christ's return. Matthew 13:36–43 and 24:21–46 disclose Jesus' words about this future event. Second Thessalonians 1:5–12 predicts it, and so does Jude 1:14–15. Isaiah 63:1–6 also describes the Lord's day of vengeance on the wicked. This event is poetically described using the image of a winepress, with blood streaming from it as high as a horse's head.

This chapter distinguishes two groups of people: those who believe in Jesus during the tribulation and those who worship the beast. John sees the Lamb, Jesus, and the 144,00 sealed Jewish servants of God standing together on Mount Zion. The scene anticipates the end of the tribulation with the 144,000 celebrating their victory over the beast. Heaven, too, celebrates their triumph. The eternal good news of salvation reaches the ends of the earth, calling upon everyone to turn to God or face His judgment and announcing the collapse of commercial Babylon and the eternal punishment of the beast, whose image so many unbelievers worshiped. This impending judgment is cause for believers to stay loyal to the Lord. Many believers will face martyrdom, but their temporary suffering does not compare with the eternal suffering worshipers of the beast will experience. When Christ returns to earth, the destruction of the wicked will be so complete that blood will flow so high it will reach a horse's bridle.

This chapter continues a segment of Revelation which deviates from the chronological account of the end times. These events occur at the end of the tribulation, when Christ returns to defeat all the remaining wickedness on earth. This event is given more details in chapter 19. In Acts 14:19–22 we learn that Paul and Barnabas returned to the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged the believers by saying believers must endure many tribulations before they enter the kingdom. Revelation 14 and 15 offer similar encouragement to stay loyal to Christ in the face of persecution. Chapter 16 resumes a step-by-step account of the end times.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''