CONCERNING THE "SICKLES" THAT REAP
THE TWO "VINES", THE "SANCTUARY",
"TENT OF WITNESS", AND THE "ALTAR".
After the termination of 666 years
of "wild beast" rule over mankind, those who live faithfully
according to the commandments of God, and those who die while doing so during
its reign of compulsion, are all deemed happy. (Matt 5:10). This is because from
the standpoint of God they have conquered. They are happy because they will
benefit from the administration of the Kingdom of God over the earth from
heaven. (Rev 15:2).
THE ANGELS AND THE TWO "SICKLES". (Rev
14:14-19).
The first of the angels
emerging from the temple sanctuary tells The Christ the crowned Son of Man the
"hour" to reap the harvest of people of God on earth.
(14:15). The angel from the altar tells a second angel from the temple
sanctuary, also with a "sharp sickle" to: "Put your sharp
sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its
grapes have become ripe... and he hurled it into the great winepress of the
anger of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the City..."
(14:18-20). Those of the "vine of the earth" are hurled into
the "winepress" of the anger of God because they were willing
subjects of satan, through whom he tried to "resemble the Most High".
(Isaiah 14:14). They do not belong to the "true vine" The Christ,
so cultivated their own "vine" for self-glory. (John 15:1-10). That is why they are trodden outside the "City" of God.
THE "ALTAR". (14:18).
This is where spiritual
sacrifices from faithful servants of God are offered up to Him, and where
sacrifices by those without faith are examined and tested by Spirit "fire".
(1 Cor 3:11-15) (2 Esdras 13:37,38 NEB).
The "clusters" of sectarian religions and their members are
"ripe" in their wickedness, so have no part in the "City"
of God. (18:2). They are gathered for disposal. "One grape I saved
out of a cluster"
from the "clusters" that were sectarian "Babylon".
(2 Esdras 9:19-22 NEB).
THE "TENT OF WITNESS". (15:5).
On being opened in
heaven it signalled the time for the manifestation of the judicial decisions of
God concerning mankind. These Judgements, followed by the "bowls"
of His wrath, will reveal whether each individual chooses to belong to the
"harvest" of The Christ Michael, or chooses to belong to the
"vine of the earth" and fall under the Judgement of Almighty God. During
the "hour" of His Judgement, those who give glory to God out of
fear as they witness His awesome Spirit power within them, may be saved. But if
so, it will be as through Spirit "fire". (Rev 14:7. 11:13. See Page
865A).
In heaven the
"witness" comprises "the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; and
these three are one (in unity). And there are three witness
bearers on earth... the spirit and the water and the blood, and the three
are in agreement."
(1 John 5:7,8 Large Print
NWT &
footnote).
6/8/86.
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