Revelation 14:17

And another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath power over fire; and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Here begins the second view of the one judgment presented in this vision, this one having to do with the destruction of the wicked. Some have taken the view that because angels are featured in both sections that this section too refers to the gathering of the righteous; but, as we have already noted, the pattern of this is exactly that of Matthew 25, the righteous first being mentioned, then the wicked. Caird was impressed that both sections "are inaugurated with the same angelic command";[78] but there is a most important difference. The angel from the sanctuary is now aided by one from the altar, the same altar "in connection with which the prayers of the saints ascend to the throne; and the judgment of God is God's final answer of those prayers.[79] See comment under Revelation 8:3-5.

Gather the clusters of the vine of the earth ... The imagery of the description of this phase of the judgment is that of the winepress, probably because of the bloodiness of it. "The ministry of mercy is the Lord's chosen office; the ministry of wrath his stern necessity."[80] so Ladd and others have commented upon the repeated appearance in the Old Testament of the grape harvest meaning judgment, as in Isaiah 63:2,3 and Joel 3:13.[81]

[78] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 191.

[79] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 188.

[80] Frank L. Cox, op. cit., p. 92.

[81] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 201.