15. Send forth thy sickle and reap. [Revision.] There is gathered first the ripened harvest of the elect of God. It is an angel that came out of the temple of God as a messenger of God, carrying to the Son the Father's command to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth. Then a longing, waiting Church, "loving the appearing of the Son of man" [2Ti 4:8], shall first be gathered into the heavenly garner. The ripe sheaves are gathered.

      16. The earth was reaped. The harvest of souls is ended forever. But those who are upon the earth "shall not prevent them that are asleep" [1Th 4:15]. At the voice of the archangel the dead shall wake from their long sleep in the embrace of earth. Death shall be "swallowed up in victory" [1Co 15:54]. "Blessed henceforth forever are the dead who died in the Lord. Yea, saith the Spirit, they do not rest from their labors and their works do follow them" [Re 14:13].

      17-20. Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. The ripened harvest of the saints has been gathered first. That was symbolized in Re 14:14-16. The gathering of the wicked to judgment is now shown in the symbols. Another angel comes forth with a sickle in his hand. Christ, by his angels, was the great reaper of the righteous harvest. They that are Christ's are gathered by him at his coming, but the wicked are gathered by another, here presented as an angel reaper.