‘And another angel came out of the Temple, crying with a great voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Send forth your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come and the harvest of the earth is dried up (overripe)”.'
The angel comes from the Temple of God with direct instructions from Him Who sits on the throne. Everything has its time, and even the Son of Man may not act before the time (compare 1 Corinthians 4:5). The great voice, as always, emphasises the importance of what is about to happen.
‘Send forth your sickle and reap.' The words are reminiscent of Joel 3:13. ‘There will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle and reap, for the harvest is ripe, come, tread, for the winepress is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision'. This then is the judgment of the nations in Matthew 25:31-46. The righteous have been gathered ‘on the right hand', on the heavenly Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1-5 see Joel 3:17) to enjoy eternal life, and those who are remain are gathered on the left hand and will be reaped and thrown into the winepress of God's wrath.
‘The hour to reap has come'. Everything has its hour, a concept which is a favourite of John's. Jesus had His hour when He went to the cross (John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23; John 12:27; John 13:1; John 17:1 compare Matthew 26:45; Mark 14:35). The earth must face its hour of trial (Revelation 3:10). The ten kings of the beast will have their hour (Revelation 17:12). Great Babylon will have its hour (Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:17; Revelation 18:19). Now has come God's final hour, it is the hour of judgment.
‘The harvest of the earth is dried up (overripe).' The good fruit and the good harvest has already been gathered in (Revelation 14:1-5). What was left is now gathered in, overripe and useless, fit only to be burned. Their fruit is not edible. It is ‘the harvest of the earth ' contrasted with the heavenly harvest of Revelation 14:1-5.