The Firstfruits and the Harvest 2.0

Part 2: The Earthbound

[Last paragraph of Part 1: In the End Times, the spiritual fulfillment of the “first of the firstfruits” will be that of the Manchild of Revelation 12:5, who is to be “caught up to God and to His throne” before the Woman has fully escaped into the wilderness with her people. Rev. 12:6; see Part 2.]

Firstfruits are but a small portion of any harvest. The greater parts of both Israel and the Gentile Church will remain on Earth, because they will not have been “ready” at Christ’s return. Matt. 24:44; 25:10 Of the congregation nurtured by the Woman of Revelation 12, the ones who remain in the wilderness, being fed for 1260 days, will be the largest group of the earthbound, non-firstborn, non-elect believers in Christ. However, Revelation 12 also tells of “the rest of her offspring, who [1] keep the commandments of God, and [2] have the testimony of Jesus.” This “rest of her offspring” represents individuals and smaller groups of God’s faithful scattered around the globe.

I give it as my opinion that the Woman’s congregation, seemingly being the largest and most prominent group of God’s earthly people, represents the earthly remnant of the American Church. However, many believers will flee out of other nations and come join with it, both during and after the Great Tribulation. These were foreshadowed in type by the “mixed multitude” of peoples that fled with the Israelites out of Egypt during the Exodus, and by Moses’ Midianite relatives that joined them afterwards. Ex. 12:38; Num. 10:29; Judg. 4:11

Beginning at the Great Tribulation, the Woman and her offspring, like Israel during the Exodus, will be forced to flee the cities and comforts of civilization and dwell in wilderness areas in “tabernacles,” that is, in tents and makeshift dwellings. But like He did with the Israelites during the Exodus, God will provide for their needs there. See Rev. 12:13-17.

During the 1260 days/42 months/3½ times (Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5; Dan. 7:25; 12:7), the first six Trumpets will carry out God’s earthly judgment upon soul/nephesh/psuchē-level men. The 144,000 will be on earth at that time, along with the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11, having been sanctified for the Lord’s earthly ministry. After this 1260-day period of judgment is fulfilled, the full harvest of Earth will commence, as foretold in Revelation 14:

Revelation 14:15 “…for the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

Matthew 13:30 “…and at the time of the harvest I will say…gather the wheat into my storehouse.”

God’s harvest refers only to his own peoples, even though “tares” – phony believers – will also be reaped among them, which the angels will separate out from the believers. Matt. 13:37-43 At this time, being that of the 7th Trumpet, the Kingdom of Heaven will become established upon Earth, as foretold in Revelation 11:

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Again, this is the full harvest, as contrasted with the harvest of the firstfruits, which comes near the beginning of the 1260 days. (The 1260-day period does not begin until after Godʼs people escape into the wilderness. See The 1260 Days.) Following the typology of Mosaic Law, only the Firstfruits/Firstborn are to be brought before God’s sanctuary, the heavenly sanctuary. God’s people from the main harvest receive the secondary blessing, that is, becoming partakers of the earthly portion of the Kingdom of Heaven:

Matthew 6:10 “Thy Kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven.”

Those gathered to the place or places wherein the earthly Kingdom is first established will be the ones “gathered into the storehouse.”

The establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth will not be instantaneous over all lands and peoples:

Daniel 2:44 “And in the days of these [pagan earthly] kings, the God of heaven will [1] set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to another people. [2] It shall break to pieces and bring to an end all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

The defeat of the rival earthly kingdoms will take place at the 7th Bowl judgment, generally known as the Battle of Armageddon. This sequence of 1) the establishment of the earthly Kingdom of Heaven, followed later by 2) the utter defeat of “the Beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies” (Rev. 19:19) is shown in other articles, such as The Kingdoms of Solomon and Jesus Christ.

Index and summaries of all articles is here:

https://www.worthychristianforums.com/blogs/entry/1403-index-and-summaries-of-articles/