Revelation 14:15; The Time Is Come for Thee to Reap

Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

The writer initiates this last segment with a reference to the prophecy of Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.” (compare Matt. 24:30).

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

John had already alluded to this Old Testament passage when he predicted the return of Jesus “coming in the clouds” and called him “a son of man” (1:7 and 13 respectively).

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they alsowhich pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 

Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 

Here he begins by referring to the white cloud, which is the only place in Scripture where the phrase a white cloud appears. The color white in this instance is a symbol of holiness and judgment, and these clouds are the exact opposite of dark foreboding clouds that intend to hide God’s glory (Exod. 19:9; 1 Kings 8:12).

Exodus 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 

1 Kings 8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 

Here in full view on a single cloud sits a person like a son of man. The Evangelists report Jesus’ words to Caiaphas, “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64).

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

The term son of man in John’s vocabulary unmistakably refers to the Lord Jesus Christ at his Second Coming (See Revelation 1:7, where the identical expression appears).

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 

“… having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” In addition to the Danielic title son of man John describes the coming Messiah as royalty. Jesus wears a golden crown on his head to show that he is a victorious conqueror (compare Revelation 6:2; 2 Sam. 12:30; 1 Chron. 20:2),

Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 

2 Samuel 12:30 And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof wasa talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was seton David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. 

1 Chronicles 20:2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city. 

He wears the royal crown as a symbol of victory; also the twenty-four elders surrounding God’s throne wear golden crowns (Revelation 4:4).

Revelation 4:4 And round about the throne werefour and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 

And Jesus holds a sharp sickle in his hand as a symbol of the harvest. The sickle has been sharpened to be a ready tool in the reaper’s hand to accomplish without opposition and delay the task of gathering the harvest.

 Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 416). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 225-226]