The Harvest is Ripe

Have you ever been late and missed an airplane, a train or an appointment, or were late to a dinner that some friends have prepared? I am sure many of us have had that experience in the past. At the time it causes some distress, however after awhile we resign ourselves to the fact that there is another plane or train that we can catch a ride on. We can always reschedule our appointment.

Salvation is similar to this. We have an appointment with Jesus. He is preparing dinner for us. He is inviting us to prepare for the dinner. He even has given us the best clothing available to wear. Unfortunately many don’t take seriously His offer to dinner. They don’t like the clothing that He is offering – they prefer their own clothing even if it is filthy rags. This dinner will have the most wonderful foods ever imagined, and all the food will have life giving energy.

The sad part is that some are delaying the preparation and will miss the dinner. They don’t take the offer seriously. What is even more solemn is the fact that those who don’t end up at this feast, will end up in outer darkness (the Second Death). They will not be given another opportunity to reschedule this dinner. It is an urgent and serious time in which we live.

“The Lord is coming. Oh, the time is short, and who in the Bible view are labourers together with God? Shall we not be filled with fear and awe lest we are still in our own natural tempers, lest we are unconverted and unholy, and seeking to pass off a counterfeit experience for a genuine one? Awake, brethren, awake, before it shall be forever too late.” TM 187

Concerning our salvation, we lost our right to the dinner the minute we sinned, however God has given us a second chance, by sending His Son to come and pay our penalty. There is little time left to prepare for this event.

THE HARVEST

The coming of Jesus has been compared to harvest time. At this time the grain or fruit is all ripe, ready for the reaper to come and gather the food. This is close to the end of the annual farming cycle. The time in which we are living in is nearly harvest time. “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.” Revelation 14:15.

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” John 4:35. There will be a great harvest of souls soon – during the Latter Rain. There will be a greater manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit than was seen in the Early Rain after the Day of Pentecost, when thousands were converted in one day. This time is not far distant. Those who have any stain of sin on their garments, and are not wearing the wedding garment provided at this time, will have been shaken out of God’s church. It really is a serious time in which we are living.

“God calls for workers to enter the whitening harvest field. Shall we wait because the treasury is exhausted, because there is scarcely sufficient to sustain the workers now in the field? Go forth in faith, and God will be with you. The promise is: ?He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.’ Psalm 126:6.” 7T 23. What good will your money do at this time? Many will be distressed, wishing they had given more to the heavenly treasury. Their riches will be useless. Now is the day of our salvation – now is the time to work for the Lord.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.” Mark 9:37, 38.

“I have been shown that, as a people, we have been asleep as to our duty in regard to getting the light before those of other nations. Is it because God has excused us, as a people, from having any burden or special work to do for those of other tongues, that we have no missionaries today in foreign countries? Why is this negligence and delay? There are those of superior minds in many other nations whom God is impressing with the lack of spirituality and genuine godliness in the Christian denominations of the land. They cannot harmonize the life and character of professed Christians generally with the Bible standard. Many are praying for light and knowledge. They are not satisfied. God will answer their prayers through us, as a people, if we are not at such a distance from Him that we cannot hear His voice, and so selfish that we do not wish to be disturbed in our ease and agreeable associations.

“We are not keeping pace with the opening providence of God. Jesus and angels are at work. This cause is onward, while we are standing still and being left in the rear. If we would follow the opening providence of God, we should be quick to discern every opening, and make the most of every advantage within our reach, to let the light extend and spread to other nations. God, in His providence, has sent men to our very doors, and thrust them, as it were, into our arms, that they might learn the truth more perfectly, and be qualified to do a work we could not do in getting the light before men of other tongues. We have too often failed to discern God’s hand, and we have not received the very ones God had provided for us to work in union with, and act a part in sending the light to other nations.” LS 212

The call is for us to put on the wedding garment now. “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” Isa 55:6

“The time is coming when it will be too late to seek God, and I have been thinking how we shall feel when probation is closed, and all our life-work ended. With what feeling shall we review the past? Shall we then wish that our efforts to serve God had been more earnest? Shall we wish that we had lived more in harmony with His revealed will? Shall we then be accounted as faithful servants? What if at this moment we should hear the voice of Christ saying, ‘It is done’?” SD 343

“Come, my brother, come just as you are, sinful and polluted. Lay your burden of guilt on Jesus, and by faith claim His merits. Come now, while mercy lingers; come with confession, come with contrition of soul, and God will abundantly pardon. Do not dare to slight another opportunity. Listen to the voice of mercy that now pleads with you to arise from the dead that Christ may give you light. Every moment now seems to connect itself directly with the destinies of the unseen world. Then let not your pride and unbelief lead you to still further reject offered mercy.” 5T 353

At harvest time if there is no fruit to be found, the tree that was supposed to bear fruit will be cut down and destroyed. Jesus portrayed this happening with the cursing of the fig tree. “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!” Mat 21:19-20

“The Saviour’s curse pronounced upon the fruitless fig tree is a sermon to all formalists and boasting hypocrites who stand forth to the world in pretentious leaves, but are devoid of fruit. What a rebuke to those who have a form of godliness, while in their unchristian lives they deny the power thereof! He who treated with tenderness the very chief of sinners, He who never spurned true meekness and penitence, however great the guilt, came down with scathing denunciations upon those who made high professions of godliness, but in works denied their faith.” 4T 403.

FAMINE

Hunger is a common experience for more than half of the world’s population today. Sadly, this situation may not improve in the near future. It may not improve before the harvest time. However, what is physical food when spiritual food is lacking. We can live for a time without food, but without Jesus we are spiritually dead. There is a call to revive while there is still time – before the great spiritual famine comes to this earth. After the harvest is over, there will be no food remaining. Those searching for the spiritual food at that time will not find it. They will be participating in the famine.
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.” Amos 8:11, 12.

“Then I saw Jesus lay off His priestly attire and clothe Himself with His most kingly robes. Upon His head were many crowns, a crown within a crown. Surrounded by the angelic host, He left heaven. The plagues were falling upon the inhabitants of the earth. Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape His judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. The last tear for sinners had been shed, the last agonizing prayer offered, the last burden borne, the last warning given. The sweet voice of mercy was no more to invite them. When the saints, and all heaven, were interested for their salvation, they had no interest for themselves. Life and death had been set before them. Many desired life, but made no effort to obtain it. They did not choose life, and now there was no atoning blood to cleanse the guilty, no compassionate Saviour to plead for them, and cry, ‘Spare, spare the sinner a little longer.’ All heaven had united with Jesus, as they heard the fearful words, ‘It is done. It is finished.’ The plan of salvation had been accomplished, but few had chosen to accept it. And as mercy’s sweet voice died away, fear and horror seized the wicked. With terrible distinctness they heard the words, ‘ Too late! Too late!’ ” EW 281

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Jeremiah 8:20. These are words no one wants to hear. If we are diligent today, then we will not have to speak these words. It will be a time of terrible anguish for those who know the truth, but who have made little preparation for the coming harvest – who have not put on the wedding garment.

Jesus is making the invitation to each one of us today, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev. 3:20. Many people choose not to let Jesus in, because Jesus will not only come in, but He will do some housecleaning when He is inside. There are worldly treasures He will throw away, and people don’t want to let them go. Is there anything in your heart that you don’t want Jesus to throw away? “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Seek the Lord, while His mercy is still lingering. His dinner is almost ready, put on the wedding garment.

It is my wish and prayer that we will all be gathered into the heavenly garner when the reaper comes to gather the grain, and be able to enjoy the meal that is being prepared for us in heaven.
AMEN

Wendy Eaton, Australia