Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 14:14-20 is about the harvest on earth. It can be divided as follows:
Revelation 14:14-16
14:14. 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.
14:15. 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."
14:16. So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
There are two separations in the harvest of wheat on earth as follows:
Actually, this parable is just for the Israelites.
John 12:20-26
12:20. Now there were certain Greeksamong those who came up to worship at the feast.
12:21. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
12:22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
12:23. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
12:24. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
12:25. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
12:26. "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, John 12 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood. By the sprinkling of blood, the Gentiles can become the ripe wheat too. The first opportunity is given to the Israelites or the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God's chosen people. But, a part of them rejects the cross of Christ, so there is opportunity for the Gentiles to become the ripe wheat. We can be saved up to perfection to enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom forever.
Romans 11:11-14,17-23
11:11. I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
11:12. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
11:13. For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
11:14. if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
11:17. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
11:18. do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
11:20. Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
11:21. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
11:22. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
The Israelites are the gummy branches. They are the natural branches, but a part of them hardens their heart, so they reject Jesus. By God's mercy, there is opportunity for the Gentiles as the branches of wild olive tree to be grafted in among the true olive tree. If the Gentiles do not use God's mercy on the last days, there will be a time for the Israelites to receive the sprinkling of blood or the cross, so they can be grafted in again. At that moment, the opportunity for the Gentiles has ended. That is why from now on the Gentiles must always make effort to become the ripe wheat, so we can enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom forever. How can it happen?
John 12:20-22
12:20. Now there were certain Greeksamong those who came up to worship at the feast.
12:21. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
12:22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
The Gentiles who have been saved must serve and minister to God correctly and earnestly [John 12:20]. The true ministry is the one that wishes to see Jesus [John 12:21]. The Gentiles can see Jesus through Andrew and Philip.
The spiritual meanings are as follows:
So, the true and earnest ministries are signified with the yearning to hear and obey the true teaching Word or the Bride Tidings in the light of the Tabernacle. It is the same as the yearning to see Jesus. There are Jesus' life and power in the true teaching.
John 12:23-26 refers to the process of the true ministry where a grain of wheat can produce much grain to enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom. The process is as follows:
Genesis 1:26-28
1:26. Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
1:27. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
1:28. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The results are as follows:
It continues until we become the fruit that yields seed. It means that we are protected and taken care of by God from now on until the age of the Antichrist. We follow the experience of the cross until we receive the ripe fruit, namely we can enter the barn of eternal kingdom of heaven.
God blesses us.
Revelation 14:14-20 is about the harvest on earth. It can be divided as follows:
- Verse 14-16, namely the harvest of wheat on earth to be brought into the barn of the heavenly kingdom.
- Verse 17-20, namely the harvest of grapes on earth to be thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Revelation 14:14-16
14:14. 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.
14:15. 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."
14:16. So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
There are two separations in the harvest of wheat on earth as follows:
- [Matthew 13:36-43], namely the separation between wheat and tares.
Matthew 13:41-42
13:41. "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,
13:42. "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Tares are those who reject the cross or sprinkle of blood, so they just follow their flesh that makes them sin up to the peak. They will be harvested to be cast into the hell forever.
Matthew 13:43
13:43. "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
The wheat is those who willingly suffer in flesh to experience the purification continuously up to the quality of being perfect to enter the eternal kingdom of heaven. It is like the one hundred and forty-four thousand men on Mount Zion as the core of the heavenly bride. - The separation between wheat and chaff through the winnowing or shock.
Matthew 3:12
3:12. "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheatinto the barn; but He will burn up the chaffwith unquenchable fire."
What is the winnowing of chaff? Satan winnows the church of God to become chaff, namely one who will be burnt and destroyed forever. The chaff refers to those who reject the cross. They just follow Jesus to get the worldly thing, and they are satisfied in it. They do not want to be filled with the Word. They do not persevere in faith, so their lives are empty of the Word, Holy Spirit, and God's love. They are filled by seven evil and uncleanness spirits, so they live in sins up to the peak. They will be harvested to be destroyed in the hell forever.
On the contrary, the wheat is those who follow Jesus with the seven sprinklings of blood. They persevere in faith although they suffer in the flesh. They are willingly filled by the Word, so they are purified continuously up to the quality of being perfect. They are harvested to enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom forever.
Actually, this parable is just for the Israelites.
John 12:20-26
12:20. Now there were certain Greeksamong those who came up to worship at the feast.
12:21. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
12:22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
12:23. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
12:24. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
12:25. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
12:26. "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, John 12 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood. By the sprinkling of blood, the Gentiles can become the ripe wheat too. The first opportunity is given to the Israelites or the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God's chosen people. But, a part of them rejects the cross of Christ, so there is opportunity for the Gentiles to become the ripe wheat. We can be saved up to perfection to enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom forever.
Romans 11:11-14,17-23
11:11. I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
11:12. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
11:13. For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
11:14. if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
11:17. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
11:18. do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
11:20. Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
11:21. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
11:22. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
The Israelites are the gummy branches. They are the natural branches, but a part of them hardens their heart, so they reject Jesus. By God's mercy, there is opportunity for the Gentiles as the branches of wild olive tree to be grafted in among the true olive tree. If the Gentiles do not use God's mercy on the last days, there will be a time for the Israelites to receive the sprinkling of blood or the cross, so they can be grafted in again. At that moment, the opportunity for the Gentiles has ended. That is why from now on the Gentiles must always make effort to become the ripe wheat, so we can enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom forever. How can it happen?
John 12:20-22
12:20. Now there were certain Greeksamong those who came up to worship at the feast.
12:21. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
12:22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
The Gentiles who have been saved must serve and minister to God correctly and earnestly [John 12:20]. The true ministry is the one that wishes to see Jesus [John 12:21]. The Gentiles can see Jesus through Andrew and Philip.
The spiritual meanings are as follows:
- John 1:35-40
1:35. Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
1:36. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
1:37. The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
1:38. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek? " They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"
1:39. He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
1:40. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
Andrew wants to know where Jesus is staying, namely the Tabernacle. It is God's place in the world. The Tabernacle refers to the Tabernacle teaching. - John 1:45
1:45. Philipfound Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Philip is the scribe who holds fast the Law. The content of the Law is loving God more than anything (the first tablet of the two tablets of stone), and loving others as we love ourselves (the second tablet of the two tablets of stone). The love is the center of the Bride Tidings, namely the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword. In the book of Revelation chapter 14, the sword is the same as sickle.
So, the true and earnest ministries are signified with the yearning to hear and obey the true teaching Word or the Bride Tidings in the light of the Tabernacle. It is the same as the yearning to see Jesus. There are Jesus' life and power in the true teaching.
John 12:23-26 refers to the process of the true ministry where a grain of wheat can produce much grain to enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom. The process is as follows:
- Verse 24: 'a grain of wheat falls into the ground'. It means as follows:
- We humble our life as low as we can until we confess that we are just the clay.
We feel that we are unworthy. We have many sins, mistakes, and weakness, so we are encouraged to confess our sin to God and others. As a result, the blood of Jesus forgives all of our sins. We are set free from sin. It means repenting. The fact found in it is that we do not sin anymore after being forgiven. If we commit the sin again, the forgiveness will be cancelled, and the punishment keeps on happening. The most arrogant man is one that repeats the sin which has been forgiven.
We do not use our self-truth. It means that we do not cover our sin by blaming at others and God or the true teaching Word. The most arrogant man always blames at others. Such life will be made fall and destroyed. Actually, the Gentiles are just like the donkey whose neck is just to be broken right after it is born. We must always give thanks and not demand anything.
As the clay that is unworthy and unable, we just believe in and rely on God. Do not hope others! - We always esteem others better than ourselves. We do not like to be self-assertive. We do not look for self-interest and praise, because all praises and honors are for God. All things are for God's interest and working.
Philippians 2:3
2:3. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
- We humble our life as low as we can until we confess that we are just the clay.
- Verse 24: 'a grain of wheat dies'. It means denying ourselves.
It means as follows:- We are firm to say: 'No' to the thing that is not in line with the Word.
The first example is Joseph. He kept saying: 'No' to Potiphar's wife although he had to be put into jail. We look broken, but if we do not sin, we will see God's glory. Joseph kept Holy Spirit's gift (the tunic of many colors) that had been entrusted to him.
The second example is David. He had two opportunities to kill Saul, but he kept saying 'No' to the thing that was not in line with the Word. David kept the anointing oil of Holy Spirit, so he was used to glorify God's name. - We are willingly degraded as low as possible, blamed, and slandered.
John 12:24
12:24. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
If a grain of wheat does not fall and die, it will rot and perish. But, if a grain of wheat willingly dies with Jesus, it will be risen with Jesus, and produce much grain. God allows the winnowing or something great that happens until we fall and die, but we are surely risen to produce much grain and enter the barn of the heavenly kingdom.
- We are firm to say: 'No' to the thing that is not in line with the Word.
- Sprouting and producing stalk.
Mark 4:26-29
4:26. And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
4:27. "and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
4:28. "For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
4:29. "But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
'sleep' means dying.
'sprout' means rising.
By sleeping and waking up or dying and rising, the seed will grow and sprout. Ministering God must be followed with the experience of the cross. Do not look for the thing that is comfortable for flesh!
'sprout' means living correctly. There is nothing that is not true anymore. Do not fall anymore!
'the blade' means that we are entrusted with the power of the Word. The strong blade is needed to hold the fruit.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19,23-31
1:18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1:19. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
1:23. but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
1:24. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1:26. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
1:27. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1:28. and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
1:29. that no flesh should glory in His presence.
1:30. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
1:31. that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
The cross is a stumbling-block for the Israelites. Many of them do not believe in Jesus who is crucified. The cross is foolishness for the Gentiles. But, actually the cross is the source of God's wisdom and power to give us strength, cleverness, riches, and salvation up to perfection. We must be careful when we have the blade. If the true teaching Word is rejected and faked after we receive its power, the blade will become chaff. The chaff is only used to build the Babylon that aims at perdition forever. We must aim at God's cross. - Having chaff. It means that God protects and takes care of the shepherd and congregation miraculously.
What for? The chaff is prepared for us to be filled with the true teaching Word and Holy Communion. It means hearing and obeying the Word. If we are blessed with power and wisdom, protected, and taken care of by God but we do not want to be filled, we will experience God's wrath. We will become the same as the chaff which is burnt out. - Producing head, after that the full grain in the head or yielding fruit.
It means that we experience the renewal of life from fleshly men to spiritual ones. We become the first creation that has the image of the Trinity of God.
Galatians 5:22-23
5:22. But the fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
5:23. gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
We have the fruit of the Spirit. We can do the deeds of goodness and love to help others. If the love exists, the joy and peace will exist too (the image of God the Father). Further, longsuffering, kindness, goodness (the image of Son of God). Further, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (the image of Holy Spirit God). We must be able to control our flesh when the lust attacks us. Do not follow the flesh! We must always return to the will of God.
Genesis 1:26-28
1:26. Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
1:27. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
1:28. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The results are as follows:
- If we have the image of the Trinity of God, we will become His throne. We receive His power to bless us and set us free from the curse, namely labor, tears, and heavy burden. God also pours out the physical and spiritual blessing as well as the one for our household. We can give thanks. We have testimony to glorify God.
- We can be fruitful physically and spiritually. Being fruitful spiritually means that we are used in the revival of the building of the perfect body of Christ, namely the one of the gospel to increase the quantity, and the one of the teaching to increase the quality.
- We receive the power to defeat the trinity of Satan (three kinds of beast). The trinity of Satan is the source of sins up to the peak, impossible problem, failure, and all bad things. We can live in righteousness and holiness. All of impossible problems are finished by God; even all things become successful and beautiful. If the trinity of Satan can be defeated, the image of the Trinity of God will become permanent in our life.
It continues until we become the fruit that yields seed. It means that we are protected and taken care of by God from now on until the age of the Antichrist. We follow the experience of the cross until we receive the ripe fruit, namely we can enter the barn of eternal kingdom of heaven.
God blesses us.