Three Harvests! Three Raptures!

  I've been studying the harvests in Israel as they relate to the rapture and it truly is fascinating. I now lean toward believing that there will be THREE catching ups, three gathering of the saints up to heaven at the end time. If you'll follow me point by point, I think you'll see why. You may ask what difference does it make? But I say to you that it makes a huge difference for the believers who will be left behind, including several of our family members. It will also motivate anyone who reads this to WANT to be in the first harvest! Sorry for the long length, but it was necessary to prove my point. So, let's get started. 

1. The Harvest of the Earth = the Rapture or gathering of the Saints

The rapture is clearly equated to a Harvest throughout the New Testament. Here's just a few examples: Parable of the Seed and Sowers and the Parable of the Tares and Wheat in Matthew 13 equate harvest time with the end of the age and the gathering of saints

Let 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

Also see Luke 10:2, John 4:35

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 Revelation 14:15

2. In the Old covenant, all of Israel was required to gather together in Jerusalem to celebrate 3 of the main feast days. Only for these 3 feasts were they required to travel to Jerusalem

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God. Exodus 23:14-17

You shall observe the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end.  Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. Exodus 34:22-23

• Feast of Unleavened Bread: Passover
• Feast of First Fruits or Feast of Weeks: Pentecost
• Feast of Ingathering - Tabernacles

3 The Three Feast days in which Israel was required to gather were celebrations of the Harvest in Spring, Summer and Fall. 

Passover occurs in the Spring

Pentecost in the Summer

Tabernacles in the Fall

4. There are three main harvests in Israel. Barley, Wheat, Fruit

 Passover is associated with the Barley Harvest

Pentecost is associated with the Wheat Harvest

Tabernacles is associated with the Fruit Harvest

In Israel, barley was the first to ripen in the spring of the year. When the people came to Jerusalem for the Passover, each brought a handful of ripe barley to give to God as the firstfruits of the harvest. On the Sunday after Passover, the priest took some of the barley and waved it up and down before God. Only barley could have been used, because the wheat had not yet ripened at Passover in that part of the world.

So we see that the wheat ripened later around the time of Pentecost. Just as barley was offered to God on the first day of the week after Passover, so also was wheat offered on Pentecost seven weeks later.
The grapes ripened at the end of the growing season, in late summer. The grapes were harvested and thrown into the winepresses to be trodden down, and the juice was collected. On each of the seven days of the feast of Tabernacles a pitcher of grape juice from this harvest was poured out before the Lord as a drink offering in the temple

5. Before each harvest, Israel was required to bring a first fruit of the crop as a wave offering before the Lord. So each harvest consists of a first fruit offering and then the main harvest. 

 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. Leviticus 23:9-11

Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. Leviticus 23:16-18

 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee.  And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. Numbers 18:11-13

 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God: Deuteronomy 26:10

6. Jesus was the first fruit of the Barley Harvest. Why Barley? Because it happened on Passover

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 corinthians 15:20

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 1 Corinthians 15:23

Remember how when Mary saw the Risen Christ in the Garden and was most likely about to embrace Him? Look at what He said

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. John 20:17

Why couldn't she touch Him? Because He was the undefiled First Fruits of the Barley harvest and He had to go present Himself to Father God as a wave offering, which if accepted, would mean the rest of the harvest was also acceptable. That rest of the harvest is the Bride! 

 Difference between Wheat and Barley 

BARLEY. Barley is a soft grain, very pliable. Because of that it is winnowed. That simply means that it is thrown up into the air, because it is easy enough to remove the chaff from the grain in this manner. This is traditionally done by repeatedly tossing the grain up into a light wind. And the wind gradually blows the lighter chaff away. (Remember Chaff is a typology of sin or anything not holy and acceptable to God)

WHEAT. The process is different with wheat. Throwing it into the air would not be adequate to remove the chaff. So it is threshed. In other words, it is beaten because it requires more effort to remove the chaff from the grain. Another tool that was used was the tribulum, which was made of wood and resembled a sled.  Interesting name, don't you think?

GRAPES. The process with grapes is different.
Grapes are crushed.

7. If Jesus was the firstfruits of the Barley harvest, there remains now 

a. The rest of the Barley Harvest

b. The firstfruits and main harvest of wheat

c. The firstfruits and main harvest of grapes or fruit

8. Where does the New Testament Mention the Firstfruits of the Wheat and Grape harvests? 

The two Witnesses! Though it doesn't directly say they are firstfruits, where have we heard the phrase "come up here!" before?  (Revelation 4:1) It is obvious this is a rapture that is occurring at the middle of the Tribulation.

But after three and a half days, by God’s gift the breath of life again entered into them, and they rose up on their feet, and great dread and terror fell on those who watched them. Then [the two witnesses] heard a strong voice from heaven calling to them, Come up here! And before the very eyes of their enemies they ascended into heaven in a cloud. Revelation 11:11-12

144,000 Jewish evangelists are another firstfruits and are raptured at the end of the Tribulation during the fruit harvest.

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. Revelation 14:4 

9. We are the First Fruits of a Harvest

 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23

But which Harvest are we a FirstFruits of? We want to be part of the Barley Harvest! 

10. The Three Harvests in the 7 churches in Revelation 3

In Revelation 3, we find the last 3 of 7 church letters that Jesus is instructing John to write.

 

Sardis - The Dead Church  

So call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey them, and repent. In case you will not rouse yourselves and keep awake and watch,  I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know or suspect at what hour I will come.  Revelation 3:3

Philadelphia - Church of Love

Because you have guarded and kept My word of patient endurance, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown. Revelation 3:10-11

Laodicea - Lukewarm Church

So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3: 16, 18-19

 

 Notice that all 3 church letters have a reference to the End Times. Only these 3 last letters make any reference to the Tribulation. Sardis is the obvious one when Jesus mentions returning as a thief. Philadelphia actually mentions the Tribulation period and Laodicea makes a reference to the white raiment required by the Bride.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Revelation 19:8

• Philadelphia - Bride of Christ and raptured BEFORE the Tribulation
•  Laodicea - Left Behind believers who need to be chastened and tried before they are ready to leave Mid-Trib
• Sardis - Non-believers or non-believing Jews who finally get saved in the Great Tribulation and finally get raptured in the Fruit Harvest.

 

11. The three harvests in Revelation 20

 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:4

Who are those who sat upon the thrones and were given judgment? We only know of Jesus as sitting on a throne giving judgement, but here we see there are a group who do that same thing? Who are they?  I will speculate that this is the Pre-Trib Raptured Saints. The Scriptures clearly say that we will rule and reign in eternity, right? To rule could also be translated to judge. 

Next we see the "souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the Word of God. This is the 2nd Harvest Group that will be raptured Mid-Trib.

The Final Group are those who had not worshipped the Beast, neither his image and did not receive his mark upon their forehead or hands. The Mark doesn't show up until the last half of the Tribulation, so these are those who missed the first 2 harvests but made it finally in the last one. 

You may think this is a stretch but the thing that has me almost convinced is the group set upon thrones to judge.

12 The Three Harvests in Song of Solomon

 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song of Solomon 2:8-10

This is clearly a picture of the Bridegroom coming for the Bride and ushering her away. 

Now in Chapter 5, we read

I went to sleep, but my heart stayed awake. I heard the voice of my beloved as he knocked at the door of my mother’s cottage. Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my spotless one, for I am wet with the night dew; my hair is covered with it. But weary from a day in the vineyards, I had already sought my rest. I had put off my garment—how could I again put it on? I had washed my feet—how could I again soil them?  My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart was moved for him.
I rose up to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers with liquid myrrh, which he had left upon the handles of the bolt.
I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and withdrawn himself, and was gone! My soul went forth when he spoke, but it failed me and now he was gone! I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
The watchmen who go about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil and my mantle from me. v 2-7

We see here that this group was asleep when Jesus first came. They may have heard His voice, but they couldn't be bothered to open the door to Him. Finally when they did, He was gone. Now they realize what happened and they enter tribulation. Notice how they are struck and wounded and their clothing is taken. 

This reminds me of Revelation 3:  Where Jesus says He stands at the door and knocks to the lukewarm church. 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he will eat with Me. Revelation 3:20

There's a third group of people in the Song of Solomon that are often called the Daughters of Jerusalem. they are sort of a chorus who are asking the Shulammite or the Gentile believers about this great Prince she loves. This is the third group, which consists of Jews and Gentiles both who don't receive Jesus until the Great Tribulation

I began to flee, but they called to me Return, return, O Shulammite; return, return, that we may look upon you! I replied What is there for you to see in the poor little Shulammite? And they answered As upon a dance before two armies or a dance of Mahanaim. Song of Solomon 6:13

Here we see that the 2nd group is leaving (being raptured) and the Chorus are crying out to them.. to come back! They now realize what is happening, but it's too late. An interesting note is that the "dance of Mahanaim" referred to a place whre Ishbosheth lived and was announced as King of Judah when David was the real king living in Hebron.  In other words, a false king is now coming that you will bow to but who is NOT the real King.

In conclusion we see that

The Barley harvest is the Bride of Christ, those who have made their gowns clean and pure, who have followed Jesus with all their hearts and have an intimate relationship with Him. They leave at the beginning of the Tribulation. (Small harvest)

The Wheat harvest (the largest harvest) are those lukewarm Christians who believed in Jesus but did not live for Him. Instead their mind and hearts were on the things of this world and on the flesh. They must suffer the first half of the Tribulation and if they finally submit to the Lord, they are raptured up halfway along with the Two Witnesses. 

The Grape or fruit harvest is for those who either believed in Jesus and didn't change by the midpoint and those who finally gave their lives to Jesus during the Tribulation, along with the saved Remnant of Jews. They are the firstfruits of the Fruit harvest and go up on Rosh Hashana along with the 144,000 right before the final bowl judgments are poured out. 

The rest of the fruit harvest are those who never got saved and who will be crushed in the winepress of the wrath of God.  

True or not? I think I've pointed out enough Scriptures to at least make you think about it. I ask you to pray about it and bring it to the Lord. Why is it important anyway? Well, for me, it gives me great comfort and hope for my lost and lukewarm loved ones!  And I hope it will do the same for you! Also it blesses me so much to see how merciful our God is! How many chances He gives people to turn to Him!