“His chosen Bride, ordained with Him,
To reign o'er all the earth,
Must first be formed, ere Israel know.
Her Savior's matchless worth.”
You will remember that the Feasts of the Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First-Fruits, all come within one week. They began on the fourteenth day of the first month, and lasted seven days. Fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits, came the Feast of Pentecost early in the third month.
After the Feast of Pentecost there was a long interval of time in which there was no feast. From about the beginning of the third month till the beginning of the seventh month, for nearly four months, there was no new call from God to come to Him.
What were the people doing during this long period? They were reaping their fields, gathering together their sheaves.
This long interval of time tells us of the present day. What is the Lord doing during the present time? He is reaping His fields, gathering His grain from this world to take it to Himself. You remember the Lord Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)).
The Lord Jesus was this corn of wheat. He has died, and risen again, the Firstfruits, and now He brings forth much fruit. So we may see that those four months without a feast correspond to the present time when the Lord is gathering in His harvest, those He has redeemed, from out of the world. We never read in the Bible that all the world will be converted, but instead, we read that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse." (2 Tim. 3:1313But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)). The Church is composed of those who are called out of this wicked world.
But right in the midst of the feasts of Jehovah, between the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Trumpets, we get what seems to be an interruption, a parenthesis. In Lev. 23:22,22And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:22) we read, "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord, your God." And so when the Israelite farmer had cut the last grain in his harvest fields, what do we see? We see sheaves waiting to be gathered to the barn, but we see also, standing in the corners of the fields, good grain, and lying on the ground we see handfuls of grain that have been dropped, but not gathered up.
The Lord Jesus, Himself, tells us that "the field is the world," (Matt. 13:3838The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; (Matthew 13:38)), and although spoken of in a parable, we believe it is also true of this type. "The corners of the fields" tell of the distant parts "the uttermost part of the earth," (Acts 1:88But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)), to which the Lord had sent His servants just before He returned to Heaven, but alas most of those "corners of the fields" are still in the darkness of heathenism. Do not think for one moment that this gives you or me an excuse not to go to these "uttermost parts" where the Lord has sent us. Simple obedience requires us to go. Was this good grain in the field to be wasted? No, surely the Lord would not allow this to be lost He, who said, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost," (John 6:1212When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. (John 6:12)), would not lose this good grain. This remnant was left for the poor and for the stranger. And does not this little remnant of good grain left in the fields from which the sheaves have been cut tell us of another remnant? We believe it does.
The word "remnant" means "that which remains." In our daily conversation we use it of many different things. In the Bible, the Spirit of God uses it very often to describe the faithful godly portion of a people, more especially of the Jewish people, or of the nation of Israel, after the greater part of the nation had turned away from God. The prophets in the Bible make it perfectly clear that there will be such a remnant. Isaiah says, (Isa. 1:99Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)), "Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." In Isa. 10:21-22,21The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 22For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. (Isaiah 10:21‑22) we again read of the remnant, and in these verses, it is evidently the remnant of a future day. "The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return." The reader may also compare the following scriptures: Isa. 11:1111And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (Isaiah 11:11); Joel 2:32; 3:1-232And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)
1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. (Joel 3:1‑2); Mic. 4:77And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. (Micah 4:7). See also Rom. 11. We believe these Scriptures tell us of a remnant of Israel who will be saved on this earth after the church has been called away to be with Christ.
The Scriptures also speak of the remnant of other nations as Syria, Ashdod, the Philistines, etc., but in nearly every case "the remnant" refers to Israel, and very often of Israel in a future day. It is very important for the Christian who wishes to understand the Bible, to clearly understand this truth of "the remnant." For those who are interested, we commend to them the book by W. Trotter "Plain Papers on Prophetic Subjects." In Papers 16 and 17, they will find this subject taken up most fully.
We believe this remnant of good grain left in the fields for the poor after the sheaves had been gathered in, tells us in type, of this remnant of Israel. Poor and despised in the eyes of man, but precious in the eyes of God. Notice how often in the Psalms God speaks of "the poor." Often they refer to the remnant of Israel.
But this little remnant of good grain was left not only for the poor, but also for the stranger. Who would "the stranger" tell us of? We believe the stranger tells us of a remnant of Gentiles who also are to be saved, after the Church has been taken to be with Christ. We believe this remnant is referred to in Rev. 7:9,9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9) "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”
We believe this Gentile remnant is seen again in Matt. 25:31-4631When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:31‑46). There we see several different persons, or companies. We see the King, the King's "brethren," and "all nations" which He separates "as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." You will note that what decides the fate of the nations, is the way they have treated the King's "brethren." We believe these to be the godly remnant of the Jews. The Bible tells us that "the sheep" are from all nations that is the Gentiles. So in this parable we see the remnant of Jews and Gentiles, of which we have been speaking.
Please do not think this means that the Scriptures teaches that any man may be saved who goes on in his sins, rejecting Christ, and His offer of salvation through the Cross. The Bible is quite clear about this. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)). "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." (2 Thess. 1:7-107And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑10)).
No, the Bible is perfectly clear. There is full, free salvation now to the worst sinner, Jew or Gentile, who accepts God's offer of mercy through Christ. But there is damnation, and eternal punishment, for those who despise or refuse this offer now. Indeed it is not necessary to even despise or refuse it by any outward mark. You may admire it, and fully intend one day to accept it but it is the Word of God which asks that solemn question "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”
Do not let teachers of this present day deceive you into hell. Do not believe them when they tell you there is a second chance after death, or although you may be left behind at the Lord's coming, that you may then turn and escape. No, then "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thess. 2:11-1211And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:11‑12)).
We know that the devil has his servants who preach "the gospel of the second chance." But be warned, this is the devil's gospel not the gospel of God. God says, "Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). How terrible for many who will cry "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jer. 8:2020The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (Jeremiah 8:20)).
Please be quite clear. Because the grace of God tells us of a remnant of both Jews and Gentiles, spared and saved (though many suffer death), after the Church is taken away, this is no reason for you, or any man, to put off accepting Christ and His great salvation one moment longer.
We will now leave that grain standing in the corners of the fields of Israel, and turn our eyes to the sheaves, cut and ready to be gathered into the barns.
We have suggested that the long period of about four months from the Feast of Weeks to the Feast of Trumpets tells of the present long period more than 2000 years, while the Lord has been gathering His own from every tribe and nation to form the Church. The day will come when He gathers the sheaves home to the barn. (Matt. 13:3030Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)). We call that day the "Harvest Home." It is a day of joy, when the precious fruits of the earth, for which we have worked and waited through weary months, are at last brought Home. And that great Harvest day is coming, coming quickly, when the Lord of Harvest Himself is coming to get His precious grain. "The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:16-1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17)).
This is the time of the Harvest, when the Lord gathers His own to Himself, to take them to His Father's House. True, there is more grain in the corners of the fields and left on the ground to be gleaned which doubtless will form a further part of the harvest, but this grand ingathering when the Lord takes the Church, dead and living, to Himself, this is the great beginning of His Harvest.
Note that a definite time is given for all the Feasts of Jehovah, but for this ingathering of the sheaves, no definite date is given at all. As far as this chapter reads, it might have taken place at any time after the Feast of Pentecost. And so in the New Testament, the saints were always expected to be waiting and watching for the Lord from Heaven. No definite time was set for His return, but the Thessalonians "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from Heaven." (1 Thess. 1:9-109For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9‑10)).
Paul could speak of himself and say "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord." Paul did not look for death, He looked for the Lord from Heaven. "We may not die, but rise and meet the Lord, Oh, the bright glory these few words afford, Changed instantly, the twinkling of an eye, And see Thee face to face, our Lord, for aye.
Some shall not die, but rise and meet their Lord, Oh, precious promise, faithful, true and good, Although we do not know the day or hour, We know that He Himself shall come in power.” There are men who tell us that many things must happen before the Lord comes back, but the Bible does not tell us this. The clear and simple teaching of the Scripture is that we may expect the Lord to come for us at any moment.
We have wondered whether our Lord's words in John 4:35,35Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35) referred to these four months. "Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." His eye looked down the centuries to the great day of Harvest Home, when all His own would be caught up to be forever with Himself, but meanwhile as He looked around on the fields He saw the grain ripe, and over-ripe, waiting to be reaped or lost.
Beloved fellow-Christian, have you lifted up your eyes in answer to His Own command? Are the fields less "white" than in His day? As we await, just expecting the shout to call us Home to Himself, may the Lord of the harvest stir our hearts to seek and reap some of that whitened grain, e'er it be lost.
Hark to the trump! Behold it breaks,
The sleep of ages now,
And lo! The light of glory shines,
On many an aching brow.
Changed in a moment— raised to life,
The quick, the dead arise,
Responsive to the angel's voice,
That calls us to the skies.
Ascending through the crowded air,
On eagle's wings we soar,
To dwell in the full joy of love,
And sorrow there no more.
Undazzled by the glorious light,
Of that beloved brow,
We see without a single cloud,
We see the Savior now!
O Lord the bright and blessed hope
That cheered us through the past
Of full eternal rest in Thee,
Is all fulfilled at last.
The cry of sorrow here is hushed,
The voice of prayer is o'er
Tis needless now for, Lord we crave,
Thy gracious help no more.
Praise, endless praise, alone becomes
This bright and blessed place,
Where every eye beholds unveil'd
The mysteries of Thy grace.
Past conflict here, O Lord 'tis ours,
Through everlasting days,
To sing our song of victory now,
And only live to praise.
The Harvest is great.
The fields are white
to Harvest.
The Harvest of the earth
Is dried.
The Harvest is past.