This is part two of this article. Please click here to read part one.

In Matthew 9:36–38, Jesus again brings the harvest to the attention of the disciples. This time we read, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. ”

The word multitudes in verse thirty-six means “throngs or large numbers.” The word plenteous in verse thirty-seven is defined as “great, large, and abundant.”

Today over 6.7 billion people are alive on the earth. The entire population of the U.S. is only 300 million, so the world’s population is 20 times that of America. That is a staggering number of human beings. Some missionary leaders still estimate that at least half of them have never heard the Gospel, and some three-fourths of them have not had a clear presentation of the Gospel. Joel was right when he declared, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision.”

Over 40 million people die annually with an estimated 39 million being unsaved. The population of Hell is ever increasing. These statistics are not just numbers, each one of them is a soul for whom Jesus Christ died. Paul Rader used the words “reap or rot” to describe the wheat harvest (see part one of this article). In the soul harvest, they will be either redeemed or ruined. Oh that we could see the immensity of the harvest through the eyes of our Lord.

This is part two of this article please check back for part three.