19. "The vine" is what is the subject of judgment because its grapes are not what God looked for considering its careful culture, but "wild grapes" ( :-). The apostate world of Christendom, not the world of heathendom who have not heard of Christ, is the object of judgment. Compare the emblem, Revelation 19:15; Isaiah 63:2; Isaiah 63:3; Joel 3:13. read more
The reaping and treading of God’s harvest 14:14-20This is the final scene that furnishes background information before the revelation of the seven bowl judgments. Again what John saw was mainly on the earth."The total scene in Revelation 14:14-20 closes the section on coming judgment (Revelation 14:6-20) with a proleptic summary in anticipation of the more detailed account of the same in chapters 15-20 . . ." [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 218.] read more
Another angel, the sixth in this chapter, came out from the golden altar of incense in heaven (Revelation 8:3). This is probably an allusion to his responding to the Tribulation saints’ prayers for vengeance from under the altar (Revelation 6:9-10). His "power over fire" may indicate his authority to execute punishment. It seems clear from Revelation 14:19 that this angel was addressing the angel with the sickle (Revelation 14:17), not Jesus Christ. John saw a different crop here ready for... read more
The earth had yielded a crop of unbelievers that now, at the end of the Tribulation, would come into judgment. The angel took them from the earth to undergo judgment in God’s great grape press (cf. Isaiah 63:1-6; Lamentations 1:15; Joel 3:13)."In Biblical days grapes were trampled by foot in a trough which had a duct leading to a lower basin where the juice collected. The treading of grapes was a familiar figure for the execution of divine wrath upon the enemies of God." [Note: Mounce, p. 282.... read more
The Lamb and His Followers. Judgment on His EnemiesIn the last two chapters were seen the enemies of the Church, and their fierce power. Now, by way of contrast, and to encourage the Church to resist her enemies with complete certainty of victory, pictures are shown of the blessedness of those who witness a true confession for Christ, and of God’s judgment on the ungodly.1-5. The Lamb (cp. Revelation 5:6, etc.) is seen on Mount Zion, i.e. the true and heavenly home of the Church: cp. Hebrews... read more
(18) And another angel . . .—Translate, And another angel, . . . he who hath authority over the fire. The two scenes—one in Revelation 6:9-10 (the souls crying beneath the altar), the other in Revelation 8:5 (the angel mingling incense with the prayers of the saints)—must be remembered. The angel who had charge of the altar fire, and flung the ashes betokening judgments towards the earth, calls with a loud cry, Send thy sharp sickle, and gather the bunches of the vine of the earth, because her... read more
(19, 20) And the angel . . .—The vine (i.e., the vintage of the vine), when gathered, is cast into the winepress of the wrath of God, the great (winepress). And the winepress was trodden without the city, and there came forth blood out of the winepress as far as the bridles of the horses, from a thousand six hundred furlongs (stadii). The outflow of the blood of the grapes pressed reached over a distance of sixteen hundred stadii. The treading of the winepress was a figure representing... read more
A New Song (for Holy Innocents' Day) Revelation 14:3 Why, when heaven is yet ringing with the bright message of peace, does the wailing of Ramah, of Bethlehem, shriek in upon it with discordant jar? Perhaps the words of today's Epistle may suggest our attitude while feeling after the teaching of the Holy Spirit on this festival. The Apostle in his vision is contemplating a great company standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, worshipping before the throne, and from that throne proceeds a voice... read more
CHAPTER XITHE LAMB ON THE MOUNT ZION AND THE HARVEST AND VINTAGE OF THE WORLD.Revelation 14:1-20.THE twelfth and thirteenth chapters of this book were designed to set before us a picture of the three great enemies of the Church of Christ. We have been told of the dragon, the principle and root of all the evil, whether inward or outward, from which that Church suffers. He is the first enemy. We have been further told of the first beast, of that power or prince of the world to whom the dragon has... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Revelation 14:18
18. from the altar—upon which were offered the incense-accompanied prayers of all saints, which bring down in answer God's fiery judgment on the Church's foes, the fire being taken from the altar and cast upon the earth. fully ripe—Greek, "come to their acme"; ripe for punishment. read more