Revelation 14:14 – 15:1 The wrath of God and the cross, both work together to redeem humanity and all creation

Revelation 14:14 – 15:1

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying 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.” Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.

Background

After the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the members of the 144 thousand and the church are raptured followed by the preaching of the angels. The message of the angels is to fear God and dissociate from all who are evil. Those who associate themselves with the beast and worship him will be judged and tormented by God’s wrath. Here, both saints and angels work together at the harvest of the wicked. The final reaping of the harvest heralds the seven plagues that will conclude the great tribulation that leads to the millennium kingdom. Today’s devotion teaches us: The wrath of God and the cross, both work together to redeem humanity and all creation.

Observation

The one who sits on the white cloud is a saint (“like a son of man”) given the authority (“golden crown on his head”) to rule with Christ. Here, he is told to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe. The word “harvest” is used where saints are likened to farmers looking to the harvest as reward for their labours. Indeed, the time for judgment (for the unrighteous) has come (see Revelation 11:18).

The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” – Revelation 11:18

As the reaping of the useful harvest (righteous) has already been completed, this instance describes the reaping of the unwanted harvest (the unrighteous). Here, the saint swings His sickle over the earth to separate the clusters of grapes (unwanted harvest) from the vine of the earth. The reaping of the earth by the son of man is followed by the act of gathering by an angel who threw the unwanted harvest into the wine press of the wrath of God. 

The entire scene portents what is about to take place. Subsequently, the seven angels having the seven plagues appear on the scene. These seven plagues will conclude the great tribulation leading to the millennium kingdom. 

Truth

The wrath of God and the cross, both work together to redeem humanity and all creation.

Without the cross, humanity and creation can never be saved. Through the cross, Jesus made a covenant to redeem the church to be His bride through which He saves humanity and all creation. Without the cross, the righteous cannot be regenerated and saved from God’s judgment. And subsequently, all creation together with the righteous and the unrighteous will be consumed by God’s wrath.

However, without the wrath of God, how can God judge the world? Without the wrath of God, there is no law, injustice abounds and the wicked will not stop until creation is destroyed. Put it in a nutshell, through the wrath of God, God judges the wicked so that the saving power of the cross can do its work. 

The vision of God of the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells is accomplished by regenerating the righteous through the cross and destroying the wicked through God’s wrath. Every civilisation that is created in the universe has to be redeemed. If left to themselves, they will be destroyed. Hence, both the cross and the wrath of God are necessary and indispensable in the process of redemption.

The wrath of God and the cross elicit a decision to live for righteousness or sin.

Therefore, every individual must decide how he should live. This is the gospel: If he chooses the cross, then he should pursue righteousness where the outcome is eternal life. If he chooses sin, then he would inevitably face the wrath of God where the outcome is eternal death and torment. The wrath of God is reserved for the wicked. But eternal life in the kingdom is reserved for the righteous. 

That said, the wrath of God (which is not to be desired) differs from the cup of suffering (which must be desired with pure joy). The cup that Christ drank does not comprise God’s wrath but many tribulations that lead to God’s kingdom. This cup of suffering, Jesus required of all His followers to drink (see Matthew 20:22). Indeed, the way of the cross that leads to the kingdom comprises the cup of suffering. The apostle Paul taught his disciples, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.

Application

Since there will be justice on the day of judgement. Since there will be divine wrath for everyone who lives selfishly, and eternal reward for all who lives in love, let us forgive those who hurt us. Do not hold on to vengeance or fear that no one will remember if we forgive and forget. For God will surely avenge all wickedness and reward all righteousness.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I am comforted that judgment is inevitable for the wicked as reward is for the righteous. Hence, I will persevere to walk in the way of the cross while looking forward to the rapture where there will be no fear, injustice or sorrow. I will forgive those who do harm to the earth and to the innocent. I pray for the wicked that they may know the inevitability of God’s wrath and repent. I pray for the righteous that they may persevere and look forward to the reward. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.