And another angel came out of the temple, shouting with a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, "Swing your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe!" And the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Rev. 14:15, 16.
The "Son of man" sitting on a cloud (Rev. 14:14) represents the second coming of Jesus. Although the passage does not employ terms such as wheat or grain, the imagery implies a grain harvest. Later the chapter (Verses 17-20) depicts a grape harvest, with the subsequent juicing of the grapes. The grain harvest of this text represents the gathering up of the righteous to be with Jesus. They are "the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth" (verse 3, NIV). For the human race, the second coming of Jesus is the ultimate "way out" from its painful condition.
Growing up in New York City, I quickly learned that the best way to get around town was to ride the subway. Driving is slow, parking is expensive, and it sometimes takes longer to find a place to park than it would have required to walk the entire trip! And then you still have to get from the parking place to wherever you really want to go.
The subways, on the other hand, are noisy, crowded, and sometimes smelly, but they take you rapidly to wherever you want to go for a reasonable fee. The underground caverns are vast, often several levels deep, with shopping and eating places along the way. For the first-time visitor it can be extremely confusing. The various subway lines employ all kinds of symbols, and a division exists between express and local trains. I have often wowed visitors by walking them through the seemingly impenetrable labyrinth without difficulty or incident.
While entering and making your way around the subway system can be confusing, the way out is very clear if you read English. No matter how deep you go, you can always look for the words "to street" or "exit to street." If you follow those signs you will find your way to outside air and light eventually. For visitors, getting back to the street can be as joyous as a resurrection! You have risen up, as if from a vast underground tomb, to the bustling life of the New York streets. As soon as you get off the train, and at every possible juncture, the words "to street" point the way to the freedom of sunlight and open air.
Life today can be as confusing as finding your way around the subways of New York. But no matter how complex our lives may have become, the Word of God points us to Jesus. He is always there. If you take time to connect with Him, He will be there to guide you where you need to go. Jesus will bring your day into His light. And if you make it a habit to look for Him each day, He will one day lead you out to the streets of gold!
Lord, show me the way out of the problems and difficulties I am facing today.
The "Son of man" sitting on a cloud (Rev. 14:14) represents the second coming of Jesus. Although the passage does not employ terms such as wheat or grain, the imagery implies a grain harvest. Later the chapter (Verses 17-20) depicts a grape harvest, with the subsequent juicing of the grapes. The grain harvest of this text represents the gathering up of the righteous to be with Jesus. They are "the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth" (verse 3, NIV). For the human race, the second coming of Jesus is the ultimate "way out" from its painful condition.
Growing up in New York City, I quickly learned that the best way to get around town was to ride the subway. Driving is slow, parking is expensive, and it sometimes takes longer to find a place to park than it would have required to walk the entire trip! And then you still have to get from the parking place to wherever you really want to go.
The subways, on the other hand, are noisy, crowded, and sometimes smelly, but they take you rapidly to wherever you want to go for a reasonable fee. The underground caverns are vast, often several levels deep, with shopping and eating places along the way. For the first-time visitor it can be extremely confusing. The various subway lines employ all kinds of symbols, and a division exists between express and local trains. I have often wowed visitors by walking them through the seemingly impenetrable labyrinth without difficulty or incident.
While entering and making your way around the subway system can be confusing, the way out is very clear if you read English. No matter how deep you go, you can always look for the words "to street" or "exit to street." If you follow those signs you will find your way to outside air and light eventually. For visitors, getting back to the street can be as joyous as a resurrection! You have risen up, as if from a vast underground tomb, to the bustling life of the New York streets. As soon as you get off the train, and at every possible juncture, the words "to street" point the way to the freedom of sunlight and open air.
Life today can be as confusing as finding your way around the subways of New York. But no matter how complex our lives may have become, the Word of God points us to Jesus. He is always there. If you take time to connect with Him, He will be there to guide you where you need to go. Jesus will bring your day into His light. And if you make it a habit to look for Him each day, He will one day lead you out to the streets of gold!
Lord, show me the way out of the problems and difficulties I am facing today.
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