God’s Harvest Time

In this chapter John speaks of a harvest. He really speaks about two harvests: first, the harvest of the corn of the field of the earth, and in the second place, of the harvest of the vine of the earth.

In reading this, we must consider the difference in this respect: the corn that will be gathered when the heavenly harvest time has arrived is the Church of God. They are the people who will be gathered by the Lord Himself and brought into the eternal dwelling. The other harvest, the harvest of the vine of the earth, is the harvest of the ungodly who will be brought to the place of eternal wrath. The harvest of the earth will be gathered by Christ, and the harvest of the vine of the earth will be gathered by His angel.

For each of us one or the other of these two is true. We either belong to that harvest which Christ will gather or to that harvest which will be gathered by the angel which has power over fire. It is one of these two. There is no way between. To which one do I belong? It is the question which must concern me and should also concern you.

And when we, according to the Word of God, have to examine ourselves, then we must also have a measuring stick, because there are so many who think they belong to that harvest which will be gathered by Christ, but for whom it will be an eternal disappointment when Christ will thrust His sickle into the harvest of the earth when it is ripe. They thought they belonged to Him, but they erred. They had wrong conceptions of it. They did not have that true and biblical foundation on which to build, and God’s Word tells us so earnestly and so truthfully what is necessary.

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

In that Word we have examples of persons who thought that they belonged to the kingdom of God. Remember the man who came to Jesus in the night. He was a teacher in Israel, a very famous expositor of the law, a very famous Jew, one of the leaders of the Jewish nation. Christ said unto him, “ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

He cannot see that kingdom. How necessary it is to stress that truth, “except a man be born again.” The new birth is the work of the Spirit of God. The new birth and the work which is connected to it have their true characteristics; it can be known. It is not a questionable work as to its basis and characteristics.

Where can it be found? There was a man in the temple who said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” There was a woman who came to the feet of the Lord Jesus, saying, “Truth, Lord, I am a dog, an unworthy one, not worthy of the blessings which Thou has granted to Thy people, because I do not belong to that people. Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” There was another man who said, “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should enter under my roof, and I did not think myself worthy to come unto Thee. Only speak one word, the word of grace.”

Everyone in whose heart that grace is revealed knows of a time when they really lost all their self-righteousness in their prayers, in their works, in their religion, and in their doings. They knew they were a lost sinner before God. Then they sought their place before Him, giving up all pretenses to save themselves by their own power, and accepting the righteousness of His just punishment, saying, “Lord, I deserve all the wrath of which Thou hast spoken in Thy Word.”

Those who will be delivered by God’s grace have known of a time in their life when they acknowledged the righteousness of God if He would punish them forever. Those will see the preciousness of Christ. Did you ever see it?

Lost sinners in our midst, do you remember when matters really became impossible for you, when you fully believed that nothing more could or would happen? Do you remember when you really became the chief of sinners before God, and that then God opened the door, allowing you to see the preciousness of the Savior who took up our unworthiness, who assumed our flesh and blood to come into the world to accept the righteousness of the punishment which we deserved?

How you marveled about such inexpressible love and such exceedingly great and wonderful mercy revealed to sinners. Did you ever see that preciousness in Him, and did your soul become most desirous of being found in Him? Then you no longer can forget Him. In the bottom of your heart there are times when there is the desire to be found in Him, in spite of darkness and times of going astray. Then at times there are places where you say, “Oh Lord, the desire of my soul is to be found in Thee. The world cannot satisfy, and I have given a bill of divorcement to the world and all that it offers. Oh, could I be found in Christ, because my soul’s salvation and my eternal deliverance can only be found in Him! Oh God, may I be engrafted in Thee!”

This is the inclination of the soul ofthat people. It is of the greatest value to them. Then they have something of heaven in their heart, and they know what they shall do in heaven forever. They will bow before His holy name and eternally give Him honor. When this heavenly peace is abiding in their soul and this heavenly rejoicing is granted unto them, then they have something of heaven upon earth in their soul. Then they have God in their heart, and when they have God in their heart, they have all. They do not have something, but they have all.

However, this people nevertheless have a heritage while they live here on earth, “In the world ye will have tribulation.” Although there are times and moments of peace, there is nevertheless much tribulation. They cannot rely and hope upon anything of their own hands in respect to all the sorrows, distresses, and trials which they must experience. The spiritual life of their soul is dependent upon the work of the Spirit.

Oh people who are in darkness, with conflicts and all kinds of sorrows, be encouraged that the harvest is ripening. In general, God is gathering His people. Although the world might look very dark and the church might look very dark, the harvest is ripening. Those who will inherit that life shall come. There are still a few who must be brought to Zion, and God is ripening His people in all their sorrows and darknesses. Soon this harvest is ripe, and then He who redeemed you and who delivered you will come. In His eyes you are always precious, because He loved you with an everlasting love, and He will deliver you forever. He will gather you with all His beloved ones, and He will bring all of them into the heavenly garner.

Therefore make haste and seek for God and call upon His Name. His harvest is nearly ripe.

The harvest of the earth is almost ripe. Almost. Therefore, unconverted ones, there is still a place in Zion, a few places. There are still a few who must be brought to the happiness of God’s people. Therefore make haste and seek for God and call upon His Name. His harvest is nearly ripe. Almost all are already brought unto His Zion.

The world is also nearly ripe, the ripening of the harvest of the vine of the earth and the grapes of the clusters of the vine. They soon will be fully ripe. Behold, you are ripening. Unconverted sinner, if you continue to harden your heart in the midst of the congregation, while listening to the unfeigned offer of God’s grace, hardening your heart against His Word, then you, as a cluster of the vine, will become fully ripe. Then the angel who has power over fire will receive this commandment, “Thrust your sickle in the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. Cast them in the winepress of God’s wrath which will be trodden without the city.”

For the sake of your soul’s welfare, hear this admonition:

While He proffers peace and pardon
Let us hear His voice today,
Lest, if we our hearts should harden,
We should perish in the way;
Lest to us, so unbelieving,
He in judgment shall declare:
Ye, so long My Spirit grieving,
Never in My rest can share.

Psalter 255:4

(Rev. A. Vergunst last served the congregation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and died in November of 1981.)

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