The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 330

Vera. 1~0.-Ths han,ut antl tM vintage. It i• held by many that both these refer to the same fact of God's judgment against sin and sinners. And no doubt, _at times, the" harvest," does mean such judgment (cf. Joel iii. 13; Jer. Ii. 33), In Matt. xiii. both harvests-that of good and evil alike-are told of. " Let both grow together until," etc. Still more commonly the .figure stands for the people of God and their lngatherillg into bis blessed presence. And we think that here, whilst there can be tio doubt as to what the vintage means, the "harvest" does not mean the same, but that gathering of " the wheat into his gamer" which shall one day most surely be accom- plished. Por see the preface (ver; 13) to this vision. It speaks of the blessed dead and their rest. And but for the plain pointing out that the vintage did not refer to them, that also would have been ao understood. And the Lord Jesns Christ-for he ill meant-is bimaelf the Reaper (ver. 14), himself thrusts in the sickle (ver.16), whilst the vintage of judgment is assigned to an angel (ver. 17), indicating that it i11 a different work from the other. And the figure itself, the harvest, the preoiou11 corn fully ripe, belongs generally and appropriately to that which is also precious and an object of delight, as is the company of his people to the Lord whose they are. It is not the titM of the harvest., but the com of the harvest, which is spoken of here, and this la ever the type of good, and not evil. Thus understood, let us note- L Tm! HARVEST. "The harvest of the earth!' This ·tells of~ 1. The mulUtude of Got/a people. Who can. count the ears of corn even in one harvest-field? how much less in the harvest of the whole earth? 2. The preciousness of them. What do we not owe to, what could we· do without, the literal harvest of the earth? Our all, humanly speaking, depends upon it. 8. Ph, joy of God, in them. Of. " They shall joy before thee with the f.>Y of harvest." 4. The care that ha, been ,-led an<l given. 5. Th, •' long pa(ience ' that has been «ureil«l. Who but God could be so patfont? We often cry, "How long, 0 Lord, how long?" But he waits-and we must learn the like lessQn-for the harvest of the eartli, for that which is being ripened in our own soul. Harvest comes only so. 6. Tke evidence of rjpeness. We know of the natural harvest that it is ripe by the grain assuming its golden hue. "Knowest thou what it i11 that gives that bright yellow tinge of maturity to that which erst wa11 green and growing? What imparts that·-golden hue to the wheat? How do you suppose the bnsbandman lll';U..ATION. 2 • . 370 THE REVELATION OF ST. J'OllN TIIE DIVINE. [an. :nv. 1-JO.