The Sharp Sickle

2006-3-24 05:19:00

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Revelation 14:14)

The white cloud symbolizes purity of thought and higher consciousness. Upon this sits "one like unto the Son of man." The Son of man is another name for Christ, but it is the Christ among humanity rather than the Christ in far away spiritual realms. Notice it says "one like unto the Son of man," rather than specifically identifying this being as Jesus Christ. This is because all of us in our higher consciousness are not the man Jesus, but there is a higher part of ourselves that is like Christ and has the Christ consciousness.

This inner Christ has a golden crown in his head symbolizing the victory that each disciple must achieve to manifest the Christ among men.

"And in his hand a sharp sickle."

The disciples followed the example of the initiate and obtained the victory over the lower self. Now they will assist in the great reaping. They are given a sharp sickle. This symbolizes the powerful words and principles they have absorbed. They have sharpened their wits and wisdom and now is the time to put them to use. Now is the time to reap.

"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)

Notice that this angel came out of the temple which is in heaven and he gives command to the Christ Self.

The temple in heaven is the lower self, which is under the control of the Higher Self. This lower self consists of the physical and/or etheric, emotional and the mind. Even though the perfected lower self is under the control of the Higher Self, it can still council or even direct the Higher Self concerning earthly matters.

In this case, the personality knows that it is time to use both the higher and lower natures to participate in the great harvest. The lower self knows "the time has come," and communicates this feeling to the higher nature. The Christ within realizes that the "earth is ripe" and cooperates.

The seeds planted in the past have taken root and grown. The fruit is ripe and must be harvested.

"And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." (Revelation 14:16)

The meaning here has several layers. First it means that the soul takes full control of its instrument. In other words, the individual disciple has attained victory over the Beast and this allows the Christ Self to reach down to the "earth" -- or lower self and make full use of it in the physical plane.

Secondly, it means it is time for the soul infused disciple to reach out to others upon the earth and use the words of power to separate the wheat from the chaff. The wheat are those who will accept the new ideas of the age to come and the chaff are those stuck in the old ways that are about to collapse upon itself.

Next we read:

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."

(Revelation 14: 17-20)

  

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."
  -- Ovid (43 BC-17 AD)