REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 14.17

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Fourteen

The Great Tribulation

A Parenthesis

The Seven Trumpets

Trumpet Number 7: Woe Number 3

 

 

Preface

Christ’s Advents Compared

Both Advents of Jesus Christ are contrasted by seven antithetical means:

A. At the First Advent Jesus came as a suffering servant

B. At the Second Advent Jesus comes as a sovereign king

 

A. At the first time Jesus came in humility

B. At the second time Jesus comes in majesty

 

A. At the First Coming Jesus came to seek and save the lost

B. At the Second Coming Jesus judges the living and the dead

 

A. At the first appearing Jesus came to sow

B. At the second appearing Jesus comes to reap

 

A. At the first arrival He came in grace

B. At the second arrival He comes in wrath

 

A. At the First Advent Jesus came with nothing

B. At the Second Advent Jesus comes taking everything

 

A. At the First Coming Jesus had no place to lay His head

B. At the Second Coming He possesses the entire earth

 

 

There is nothing evangelistic regarding the ensuing passages.

 

(Verse 17)

 

And another angel came out of the Temple which is in Heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

 

Previously seen are angels assisting in the final harvesting of the earth. Whereas the wheat is indicative of the redeemed being harvested into Christ's garner. However, the vintage of Christ's enemies has not yet been destroyed until their sin is overripe for destruction. Out from the Temple or Sanctuary in Heaven, another angel emerges with a sharp sickle in hand. Now, God’s anger (righteous indignation) toward the rebellious nations is peaked. The drama ensues.

 

 

(Verse 18)

 

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.

 

Under God's sovereign direction, another angel comes from the altar of God who is in charge of fire (from the Altar of Incense), and having an exceedingly loud voice commands the angel holding the sharp sickle. Two specific commands are exclaimed:

A. To send forth the reaping sickle

Similar to a general in the cavalry summoning his men to CHARGE!

 

B. To gather the over-ripened grape clusters from the earth

Swiftly cutting them down with a sharp sickle

 

The Grape Harvest

Fruit was an important source of food for the Israelites. The soil of Palestine has always been favorable to viticulture and the land of Canaan to which God led His people was abundant in fruit (cf. Deuteronomy 8:8). Such were grapes, not only an important staple but they were also used for drinking. Most infamous are grape clusters found in the Valley of Eshcol (cf. Numbers 13:23ff.)

 

The imagery of fruit was also indicative of people’s actions. For example, good grapes were an expression of joy, whereas bad grapes symbolized God’s displeasure with His people when they were unproductive. This was detailed in Isaiah’s Parable of the Vineyard:

Isaiah 5:1b-5a - My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild (bitter, sour, worthless) grapes.

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard.

What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

And I will lay it waste.

 

This Parable is now realized in Revelation Chapter 14. Considering God’s careful culture, the non-productive vineyard, being God’s well-beloved House of Israel, will now be gathered at the end of the age for judgment.

 

The Prophet Hosea iterates Israel’s disobedience:

Hosea 10:1 - Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

For this reason, God gave them over to dishonorable passions. [See Romans 1:26 BSB]

 

 

(Verse 19)

 

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.

 

The Winepress

When one visualizes a winepress, Italian women lifting their dresses to their knees and stomping grapes with their bare feet immediately come to mind. However, this was the same method used in antiquity.

 

Ancient Palestine farmers would gather ripe grape clusters and toss them into large hewn stone or wooden wine vats. Freshly trampled wine juice would then flow through a connecting channel into a lower trough.

 

In verse 19, metaphorically a second harvest of the earth is materializing. Only this time God’s judgment, as predicted in the Old Testament, is likened to the trampling of grapes:

Lamentations 1:15 - The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: He hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

 

The phrase, the vine of the earth, expresses that in the last days, there will be perplexity of nations with no way out. Thus, the earth's vine is fully ripe to the point of already rotting.

 

 

(Verse 20)

 

And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood 0came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space (distance) of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

 

Speaking of the final mammoth conflict at the end of the age, this passage indicates the Battle of Armageddon. Outside the city of Jerusalem, the bloody carnage from the slaughter of apostates will impact all the land for a thousand and six hundred furlongs. [A furlong is equivalent to one-eighth of a Roman mile or six-hundred feet: 1600 furlongs equals 200 miles]. So, it is approximately the length of Palestine.

 

And blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles

The height from the ground to a horse's bridle may vary anywhere from four to six feet. For the text, a height of five feet will suffice. So graphically, the winepress of God’s wrath will cause the blood of unrepentant reprobate mankind to reach a height of five feet.

 

Since the winepress is only squeezing out blood, three hypotheses exist in delineating this verse:

1. The blood will be approximately five feet deep for 200 miles

Most likely, the place is the Kidron Valley, which extends northeast of Jerusalem onto southwest to the Dead Sea: Inclusive is the Tyropoeon Valley and the Valley of Jehosophat near the city – A two-hundred-mile stretch.

 

Historian Josephus chronicles the slaughter in 70 A.D. under Titus Vespasian, that the blood of dead bodies in the streets reached the steps. And those who were alive used blood in an attempt to quench the fires. So this is not an unlikely scenario.

 

2. The blood will run around the radius of Jerusalem five feet deep for 200 miles

Inclusive are the Kidron, Tyropoeon, and the Valley of Jehosophat.

 

3. The blood will splatter to the horse's bridle for 200 miles

During this battle, the horse's feet will be stomping in the blood of dead bodies. The most likely scenario points toward the climax of Christ’s victory: i.e., Armageddon where Christ’s vesture is dipped in blood while riding on a white horse (cf. Revelation 16:16; 19:13).

 

Thus, the prophet Ezekiel’s prophecy is plainly in view:

Ezekiel 32:6 - I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.

 

Also, contrast Isaiah’s words predicting God's judgment upon the nations:

Isaiah 63:1-6 - Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This (One) that is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I (The LORD) that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat (grape juice)?

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment.

For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.

And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury, it upheld Me.

And I will tread down the people in Mine anger, and make them drunk in My fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

 

Closing Thought

Unrepentant humanity faces a frightening future. God’s ultimate justice will triumph. After repeated warnings, those whose hearts are hardened and refuse to repent, denounce the Antichrist, and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour will experience firsthand the sobering truth of said Scripture:

Hebrews 10:31 - It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

Presently, God’s grace continues to be available. His invitation still stands. Salvation through Jesus Christ is rewarded to those who yearn for eternal glory.

 

Another sign in Heaven is revealed to John as the succeeding study continues the chronological events leading up to Christ's Second Coming.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   How do the two comings of Christ differ?

2.   What are the duties of the two angels in this study?

3.   How is the second harvest metaphorically described?

4.   Does this catastrophe come unannounced?

5.   What is the significance of the winepress?

6.   In what way did God forewarn mankind?

7.   At this point in Scripture, does grace still abound?

 

 

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