Chris Mulder (14 Feb 2005)
"The Harvests"

As has occurred just before the spring harvest feasts in the past, we again find ourselves digging into the word regarding these feasts and their prophetic applications.  I hope this letter proves helpful as we study these wonderful concepts given by our Lord.

Understanding how the harvests are a metaphor for various events along the path to the final redemption of mankind is critically important IMHO.  Especially if the end of the age is at hand as we all believe it is.  Let us use the Word of God to help us define the harvests.

The concept of firstfruits, as with all the harvests, derives from God's creation work.  Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him [Psalm 24:1].  Because of His creative power and ownership of all, God instructs His people to give Him that which is first and best among the harvests; the firstfruits.  The firstfruit harvests are those that occur in the spring.  Following are a representative sampling of the various commands to offer the best of the firstfruits:

Everything that God's people have is gained through His providence.  As such, He commands His people to give the first and best of these possessions.  The Word teaches us that this is a metaphor to represent the first/best of God's people themselves.

Jeremiah 2:3 "Israel was holiness to the Lord, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them," says the Lord. [NKJV]

Hosea 9:10 I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves to that shame; They became an abomination like the thing they loved. [NKJV]

As we see from these Old Testament scriptures, Israel & their fathers were considered firstfruits to God.  This concept carries over into the New Testament as well.  In James we are taught that the followers of Yeshua, the partakers of His Word of Truth, are also firstfruits just as Israel was before us.

James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. [NKJV]

That the followers of Yeshua are considered firstfruits is further seen in the following scriptures:

Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. [NKJV]

1 Corinthians 16:15 I urge you, brethren--you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. [NKJV]

Moreover, the first followers of Yeshua received another metaphor of firstfruits; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. [NKJV]

There is one more firstfruits metaphor provided by the scriptures as it pertains to followers of Yeshua HaMashiach, and it is definitive in it's interpretation.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. [NKJV]

The Apostle Paul teaches us that Christ is the firstfruits of resurrection.  Paul even reemphasizes "Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."  We are told ONLY Christ is the firstfruits or resurrection.  There is no other firstfruits resurrection taught in scripture.  The metaphor is very fitting as well.  We have already established that God demands the BEST of the varying harvests for the firstfruits offering.  Yeshua is CLEARLY the most pleasing resurrection offering.  All other resurrection offerings would be second at best, not worthy to be considered firstfruits.

There is a future reference to firstfruits found in Revelation, but it is not a new metaphor.

Revelation 14:3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. [NKJV]

This scripture makes it clear that the 144,000 redeemed from the 12 tribes of are firstfruits as well.  But the metaphor is the same as we have already seen in James 1:18, Rom 16:5 & 1 Cor 15:16; followers of Yeshua HaMashiach, the Lamb.

So to recap, the metaphors representing firstfruits found in scripture are:

  1. Israel and their fathers.
  2. The Apostles and early church followers of Yeshua.
  3. Christ's resurrection.
  4. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
  5. The 144,000 of Israel at the end of the age.

This harmonizes perfectly with the unfolding redemptive plan for mankind found in the Word.  Gods redemptive plan for mankind follows a path directly through the fathers of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, etc.  Then through the nation of Israel itself, through whom Yeshua HaMashiach comes.  The first followers of Yeshua accept His message of salvation; a new covenant in the redemptive plan for man.  Yeshua then dies and is resurrected as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  Thank you Lord!  Soon afterwards, the Holy Spirit indwells these first believers, and the first churches are established throughout the Roman kingdom.  Finally, in the not too distant future, the 144,000 of Israel who rejected their messiah at His 1st coming will finally recognize the one whom they've pierced at His 2nd coming.  ALL of these events being identified as the FIRSTFRUITS in this unfolding redemptive plan.  Truly amazing!

The firstfruits metaphors of Yeshua's resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Sprit also fulfill the firstfruit feasts of the spring season.

One harvest feast yet remains to complete the redemptive plan.  It is the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles.  The metaphors of this fall harvest teach of the separation of the godly from the wicked, and of the judgment at the end of the age.

Matthew 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."  [NKJV]

Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." 37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  [NKJV]

Here Yeshua is explaining the parable of the tares of the field.  He ends His explanation with an exclamation: "He who has ears, let him hear!"  He wants us to understand that this parable is teaching us an extremely important truth, hence the exclamation.  This is a metaphor for how it will be at the end of the age.  The good seed sown by the Son of Man are Yeshua's followers and are sons of the kingdom.  The good seed is not Israel of the old covenant, it is the people of the new covenant both Jew and Gentile alike.  The tares are the sons of the wicked one, the devil.  The angels are the reapers and they gather the tares to burn them.  The harvest itself is the end of the age.  The tares, the sons of the devil, are separated from we the good seed sown by Yeshua.  As part of this separation, the tares will be "burned in the fire" of judgment.

Scripture supplies us with more details for this end of the age harvest metaphor.

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' " 11  Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. 12 "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow -- For their wickedness is great." 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16 The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.  [NKJV]

This passage in Joel refers to the time of the end; the day of the Lord [vs. 14].  It is also a picture of the end of the age harvest.  "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe."  The events follow the same pattern as the parable of the tares of the field.  The nations are preparing for war and God draws them to assemble together in the Valley of Jehoshaphat where He will judge them.  "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them."  But the Lord will be a shelter for his people.  "But gather the wheat into my barn."  This occurs just before the day of the Lord.  There are celestial signs; the sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness.  The Lord will roar from Zion.  The heavens and earth will shake.  And because wickedness is great, the winepress is full and the vats overflow.  It is a wine harvest.

In Revelation, we have more details to this end of the age harvest.

Revelation 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  [NKJV]

Revelation 14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, " Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  [NKJV]

In Revelation 14:8 we see the nations are drunk with the wine of the wrath of Babylon's fornication.  In verses 9 & 10 people who take the mark and worship the beast will also drink the wine of the wrath of God.  Again, we have the metaphor of wine representing wickedness just as we did in Joel, with the winepress representing God's wrath [I.E. Judgment].  In verses 18 & 19 the clusters of the vine are harvested and thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God because the grapes are fully ripe.  Joel 3:13 "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow -- For their wickedness is great."  This passage of Revelation also adds more detail into the timing of the harvest, and it is striking.  It is after the Beast and the Mark.  It is at the time of God's wrath [I.E. The day of the Lord] when the harvest is fully ripe, when wickedness has reached its apex in the current age.

Moreover, within this Revelation harvest we also have a reaping of that which belongs to Yeshua the Son of Man sitting on a cloud [vs. 14-16].  Notice the two separate gatherings occurring within this harvest?  This is the same separation we see in both Matthew and Joel.  All three passages show us that the wicked, represented by the tares and wine harvest, are gathered together to be burned / pressed / judged by the wrath of God.  And we who belong to Yeshua, represented by the good seed / wheat / harvest of the earth, are gathered together into His barn / shelter.  The timing of this harvest separation is the end of the age [Matt], at the time just prior to the day of the Lord [Joel] and it's judgment in the Valley of Decision [Joel], after the time of the beast and the mark [Rev], but before the wrath of God [Rev].

So the main harvest [Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles] is representative of the end of the age, when the followers of Yeshua are separated from the wicked of the world in the resurrection/rapture at the end of the tribulation, before the day of the Lord.

To conclude, two of the harvest feasts have been fulfilled and one remains to be fulfilled:

Since the firstfruit harvests were fulfilled on the literal days in the spring, we should accept that the final main harvest will be fulfilled on the literal days on the fall.  Therefore, our resurrection/rapture should be expected in the fall of some future year, at least 3 1/2 years or more from today.  Based upon the above scriptures and a preponderance  of many others, I am 100% confident in making this statement.  There will be no resurrection/rapture in 2005 as many here believe.  So no matter what happens in this world this year [and there are indications that momentous events might occur], keep your faith in Him strong because it is our faith in Him that will give us strength in the days, months, and years ahead.

Maranatha, Chris aka Prophbuff