And another angel came out of the temple
which is in heaven, he also having a sharp
sickle. And another angel came out from the
altar, which had power over fire; and cried with
a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the
clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes
are fully ripe. And the angle thrust in his sickle
into the earth, and gathered the vine of the
earth, and cast it into the great wine press of the
wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden
without the city, and blood came out of the
wine press, even unto the horses bridles, by the
space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
Revelation 14:17-20
I must apologize for not writing for few days but I have and had a very bad chest and head cold. Mostly over it but must still take it easy. I will be going away on 12/23/2016 to be with family for Christmas and will stay for a few days. When back I will resume chapter 15 to the end. I will write for the next days until leaving but more exhortation rather than continuing in Revelation. What we have learned so far from Revelation is that God is coming, that God will divide between the evil, the wicked and those who have heard His call and responded to Him, to have become the bride of Jesus Christ. We have added to our worship a time to reflect upon the first coming of Jesus Christ, we call this Christmas and if He had not come then we would still be waiting for His coming, but He did and He died for us. So our worship is not the tree, the gifts, the food, and other such trappings but to remember and recall that Jesus came, that God came to our earth and by sending His Wisdom, who we call Jesus, the Christ, that we will not experience the wrath of God, the thrusting of His sickle reaping the earth.
Notice this very important verse: "And the wine press was trodden without the city......" (Revelation 14:20a).
Augustine in his work The City Of God, is a reading that I believe Christians should read for it defines Christianity and that Christians make up the City of God. This City of God is most glorious, a city surpassingly gloryious, a city that live by faith amidst this ungodly world. This city is eternal and even now waits patiently for the return of Jesus Christ and the judgment. Authentic Christians wait patiently for the final victory and that perfect peace that comes to this city. This city is a heavenly city but there is also an earthly city, a city that rules ruthlessly, and by lust of rule. It is this earthly city that belongs the enemies of the city of God. Instead of be reclaimed from this earthly city they remain and hold fast to their ungodly error, even though seen as credible citizens of this earthly city. Yet, it can be plainly seen by anyone who takes the time to look, the have hatred against the city of God.
The city of God which is borne out for us in Scripture as in the writings in this Psalm: "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God" (Psalm 87:3). John reminds us that when the reaper comes with his sharp sickle that the city will be gone and Isaiah prophesies this: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold , the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1-2). This city now removed from the earthly city and now in heaven: "Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in His time" (Isaiah 60:21-22). Again we are reminded that God in His providence has planted by the knowledge of Him that without this knowledge of God no man can attain salvation, this salvation that is given to all who believe upon Jesus Christ who is our Mediator.
When the reaper comes will you be gone, in the City of God, or will you still be on this city, the city of earth? Do not play with numbers, with speculation as to what this means or that means, you can easily see that there is a dividing between those who are of the City of God, and those who are of the city of the earth. You can see that without repentance of you sinful life you cannot enter into the City of God. This is first and foremost, you must repent and believe upon Jesus Christ. When you have repented and believed upon Jesus then the truth of your repentance and belief will be seen in your growth of holiness. You cannot have one foot in the City of God and the other in the city of the earth. You must choose! God has provided the way, the means, and is calling; will you answer Him or turn away? We now are in final preparations for the celebration of the birth of Jesus: yes, this is not the actual date, and yes, there is no Scriptural warrant demanding us to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but then it is not the time, or the celebration that is important, it is a recognition that God has come, and the by the means of His Son Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, we now can have salvation, and the residing of the Holy Spirit within us. Now is the appropriate time to recall all that God has done, and John in the above verses reminds us that the reaper is coming, but the City of God is nowhere to be found on earth. Can you say: Hallelujah?
I am the LORD your God;
walk in My statutes,
and keep My judgments,
and do them; and hallow
My sabbaths; and they shall
be a sign between Me and you,
that ye may know that I am the
LORD your God.
Ezekiel 20:19-20
Choose today in what city you live
Richard L. Crumb
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