Tucson Mountain Baptist Church

No matter what takes place, no matter what happens in this world, we have an incredibly Great God who is always in control.

“I looked and there before me was a white cloud and seated on the cloud was one “like a Son of Man” with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 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.’ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.” Rev. 14:14-16

“The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears let him hear.” Matt. 13:41-43

Jesus is the Harvester. We’re not to go through this life trying to decide who is worthy of harvest, those who are going to be harvested is decided by Jesus!

There are actually two harvests spoken of here.

“Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had a sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” vs. 17-18

Both of these reaping’s point to the same thing. God’s Certain Judgment!

“The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered it’s grapes and threw them into the great wine press of God’s wrath. They were trampled in the wine press outside of the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses bridles for a distance of 1600 stadia.” vs. 19-20

All of our questions come down to one thing.

Do you believe that you can trust God?

When life is unfair remember one day God will settle all accounts, He will straighten out and balance all the books. So the next time you feel, “Life’s not fair,” remember it’s not finished yet. This isn’t the end of our story or His story.

“I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues, last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” Rev.15:1-4

1. God’s judgments now Intensify!

2. There are Parallels to the Plagues of Egypt with these judgments!

Remember the ten plagues of Egypt, were of blood, frogs, gnats ,flies, death of livestock, boils, hail , locust, darkness and death of all the firstborn.

It is very Foolish to battle against God.

3. There is a huge difference between the Natural Consequences of sin and the Final Judgment of God.

“After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chest. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” vs. 5-8

4. Up to the Very End men will battle God. “Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” Rev. 16:16

The worse it gets the more people Harden their heads and hearts.

They could have turned to Jesus and He would have saved them. But …. “…Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.” 16: 10b-11

They maintained the attitude of This is my life. Not ‘Thy will be done’ but my will be done. Not Thy kingdom come but My kingdom come.”

Two truths to remember: When life is unfair God is telling us one day all evil will be vanquished, finished to reign no more. God says, It will be done. One day as believers in Christ, we will overcome. Absolutely, certainly without a doubt we will overcome all the injustice, all the unfairness, all wrongs will be made right. We’re not to worry about it. You will overcome because Jesus will win the war!!!