12/8/10
Dear Jehovah God,
Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for us, when You restore the fortunes of Your people.
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.
And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
And He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. And another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out form the altar; and the called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle ,and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great win press of the wrath of God.
For thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel; “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is stamped firm; yet in a little while the time of harvest will come for her.”
Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed or us, when You restore the fortunes of Your people.
And the angel swung his sickle to the earth, and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.
And from His mouth comes a harp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the almighty.
You have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no man with You. You also trod us in Your anger, and trampled us in Your wrath; and our lifeblood is sprinkled on Your garments, and You stained all Your raiment.
The Lord has rejected all my strong men in my midst; He has called an appointed time against me to crush my young me; the Lord has trodden as in a wine press the virgin daughter of Judah.
And You said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.
And the coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah, we will pasture on it. In the houses of Ashkelon we will lie down at evening; for You our God will care for us and restore our fortunes.
And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of Your people who will be left, just as there was for Israel in the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.
Because the palace has been abandoned, the populated city hill and watchtower have come caves forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.
But there is hope in You Jehovah My God.
So the people believed; and when they heard that You were concerned about the sons of Israel and that You had seen our affliction, then we bowed low and worshiped.
O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine.
Men shall buy fields of money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the Negev; for You will restore our fortunes.
At that time You will bring me in, even at the time when You gather me together; indeed, You will give me renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when You restore my fortunes before my eyes.
I know You will. I believe You and I am concerned for all Your ways. I am concerned because I care. I want to understand because I care. I care about You and I want to care for You. Amen, Amen, and Amen.