Harvest Of The Wicked!

Joel 3:13, “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.”

In this chapter Joel deals with the Judgments of God upon the wicked and disobedient. He addresses specifically God’s judgment upon the Gentile world for their treatment of Israel. Also, he addresses in a more general sense God’s judgment upon all wickedness and disobedience.

Joel 3:2, “I 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.” Here Joel identifies a specific place of God’s judgment, the valley of Jehoshaphat (which means “Yahweh judges.”) It is probable that his reference is to the campaign of Armageddon which he addresses in detail in verses 9-17. In verse 13 he describes the harvest of the wicked and their resulting end in the same way one would describe the harvest of grapes used to fill the wine presses. The wicked are a harvest ripe for judgment. This is an ominous prophecy portraying the inescapable wages of the wicked.

As I think on the dreadful future of lost mankind, my heart is heavy with the task of reaching them with the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to the present human condition. All men must hear the message of redemption and freedom in Christ. Jesus left the responsibility of delivering His message to the Church. The Body of Christ is commissioned to carry the message into all the world.

Why is it important to understand that? The lives of lost humanity are in our hands. Who will speak light in the midst of darkness? Who will offer deliverance to these miserable souls? Who will go for Christ? Isaiah 6:8, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

The commission of Christ is one that we must accept individually and collectively as the Church. So today, we have either embraced His call or settled for something less than complete surrender. Without total abandon for Christ, we introduce the arm of the flesh into a spiritual body. The result is the creation of a humanistic social order rather than the Body of Jesus Christ. Jesus will reach the world through a Spirit filled, Spirit inspired and Spirit empowered Church. Our success will be determined by how well we have followed His instructions. It is for this reason that I offer this prayer for all engaged in the deliverance of souls.

“Lord, You have given me such an enormous responsibility. That which I accept willingly. However, I realize how much I am dependent upon you. I feel the helplessness of this frail human soul. I ask you in all humility to make me rise to the task. I need your intervention in every effort with every step I take. Open my heart to the Holy Spirit. Help me to hear your voice. I don't want to miss your cue. Help me to be ever aware of where I am and where you are. I need your abiding presence every step of this journey. I can't go without your approval and support. I don't want to be sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. I want to speak your WORD. Your WORD will go forth with power and authority. Your WORD will convict hearts and change lives. Your WORD will prepare our hearts for eternity.

Father, I pray for the Church, Your Church. Help us to cast off the works of this human flesh. Help us to return to the days of old where we walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. Renew in us an intense desire to experience a fresh wind of the Spirit. Burn away the sin and selfishness that we embrace so easily. Help us to see ourselves as you see us. Help us to be void of our own agenda and to know and perform your will daily in our lives. Help us to see vividly that your cause is most important and our goals are secondary subject to what you desire. Purge us and wash us clean of all our human ambitions and replace them with your high and lofty goals. Fill us up with your person that there is no room for ME. Father we offer this prayer in the name of your precious Son, Jesus, Amen.”