Rev 14:14-20 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 14. And I looked . . His attention is arrested by a new vision. The Son of man himself comes forth to close the scene, and to wind up the affairs of the world. This, too, is of the nature of an episode, and the design is the same as the previous visions--to support the mind in the prospect of the trials that the church was to experience, by the assurance that it would be finally triumphant, and that every enemy would be destroyed. And behold a white cloud . Bright, splendid, dazzling--appropriate to be the seat of the Son of God. Compare ; . See also . And upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man . Compare . It is probable that there is here a designed reference to the passage in Daniel ( ). The meaning is, that one appeared on the cloud in a human form, whom John at once recognised as he to whom the appellation of "the Son of man" peculiarly belonged--the Lord Jesus. The meaning of that term had not been fixed in the time of Daniel, ( ;) subsequently it was appropriated by the Saviour, and was the favourite term by which he chose to speak of himself, , et al . Having on his head a golden crown . Appropriate to him as king. It was mainly in virtue of his kingly power and office that the work was to be done which John is now about to describe. And in his hand a sharp sickle . The word sickle here--δρεπανον-- means a crooked knife or scythe for gathering the harvest, or vintage, by cutting off the clusters of grapes. See . The image of a harvest is often employed in the New Testament to describe moral subjects, . Here the reference is to the consummation of all things, when the great harvest of the world will be reaped, and when all the enemies of the church will be cut off--for that is the grand idea which is kept before the mind in this chapter. In various forms, and by various images, that idea had already been presented to the mind, but here it is introduced in a grand closing image, as if the grain of the harvest-field were gathered in-- illustrating the reception of the righteous into the kingdom--and the fruit of the vineyard were thrown into the wine-press, representing the manner in which the wicked would be crushed, . (a) "like unto the Son"

Revelation of John 14:14-20

Verse 14. And I looked. Rev 14:1. His attention is arrested by a new vision. The Son of man himself comes forth to close the scene, and to wind up the affairs of the world. This, too, is of the nature of an episode, and the design is the same as the previous visions--to support the mind in the prospect of the trials that the church was to experience, by the assurance that it would be finally triumphant, and that every enemy would be destroyed.

And behold a white cloud. Bright, splendid, dazzling--appropriate to be the seat of the Son of God. Compare Mt 17:5; Rev 1:7. See also Mt 24:30, 26:64, Lk 20:27, Acts 1:9 1Thes 4:17, Rev 10:1.

And upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man. Compare Rev 1:13; Dan 7:13. It is probable that there is here a designed reference to the passage in Daniel (Dan 7:13). The meaning is, that one appeared on the cloud in a human form, whom John at once recognised as he to whom the appellation of "the Son of man" peculiarly belonged--the Lord Jesus. The meaning of that term had not been fixed in the time of Daniel, (Dan 7:13;) subsequently it was appropriated by the Saviour, and was the favourite term by which he chose to speak of himself, Mt 8:20, 9:6, 10:23, 11:19, 12:8,32,40, et al.

Having on his head a golden crown. Appropriate to him as king. It was mainly in virtue of his kingly power and office that the work was to be done which John is now about to describe.

And in his hand a sharp sickle. The word sickle here--δρεπανον-- means a crooked knife or scythe for gathering the harvest, or vintage, by cutting off the clusters of grapes. See Rev 14:17. The image of a harvest is often employed in the New Testament to describe moral subjects, Mt 9:37-38, 13:30,39, Mk 4:29 Lk 10:2, Jn 4:35. Here the reference is to the consummation of all things, when the great harvest of the world will be reaped, and when all the enemies of the church will be cut off--for that is the grand idea which is kept before the mind in this chapter. In various forms, and by various images, that idea had already been presented to the mind, but here it is introduced in a grand closing image, as if the grain of the harvest-field were gathered in-- illustrating the reception of the righteous into the kingdom--and the fruit of the vineyard were thrown into the wine-press, representing the manner in which the wicked would be crushed, Rev 14:19-20.

(a) "like unto the Son" Eze 1:26, Dan 7:13 Verse 15. And another angel. The fourth in order, Rev 14:6,8-9.

Came out of the temple. Rev 11:19. Came, as it were, from the immediate presence of God; for the temple was regarded as his peculiar dwelling-place.

Crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud. To the Messiah, Rev 14:14. That is, the command was borne directly from God by the angel to the Messiah, to go forth and reap the great harvest of the world. It is not a command of the angel, but a command from God the Father to the Son. This is in accordance with all the representations in the New Testament, that the Son as Messiah or Redeemer is subordinate to the Father, and performs the work which has been given him to do. See Jn 3:16-17, 5:19, 10:18, Jn 12:49, 14:31. Compare Rev 1:1.

Thrust in thy sickle, and reap. Into the great harvest of the world.

For the time is come for thee to reap. That is, "the harvest which thou art to reap is ripe; the seed which thou hast sown has grown up; the earth which thou hast cultivated has produced this golden grain, and it is fit that thou shouldst now gather it in." This language is appropriately addressed to the Son of God, for all the fruits of righteousness on the earth may be regarded as the result of his culture.

For the harvest of the earth is ripe. The "harvest" in reference to the righteous--the fruit of the good seed sown by the Saviour and his apostles and ministers. The time alluded to here is the end of the world, when the affairs of earth shall be about to be wound up. The design is to state that the Redeemer will then gather in a great and glorious harvest, and by this assurance to sustain the hearts of his people in times of trial and persecution.

(b) "Thrust in" Joel 3:13 (c) "harvest" Jer 51:33, Mt 13:39 (1) "ripe" "dried" Verse 16. And he that sat on the cloud. The Saviour, Rev 14:14.

Thrust in his sickle on the earth. To cut down the harvest; that is, to gather his people to himself.

And the earth was reaped. So far as the righteous were concerned. The end had come; the church was redeemed; the work contemplated was accomplished; and the results of the work of the Saviour were like a glorious harvest. Verse 17. And another angel. The fifth in order. This angel came for a different purpose--with reference to the cutting off of the enemies of God, represented by the gathering of a vintage. Compare Mt 13:41, 24:31.

Came out of the temple which is in heaven. Sent or commissioned by God. Rev 14:15.

He also having a sharp sickle. On the word sickle, Rev 14:14. Verse 18. And another angel. The sixth in order. He came, like the angel in Rev 14:15, with a command to him who had the sickle to go forth and execute his commission.

Came out from the altar. This stood in the front of the temple, (Mt 21:12; compare Mt 5:23-24,) and was the place where burnt-sacrifices were made. As the work now to be done was a work of destruction, this was an appropriate place in the representation.

Which had power over fire. As if he kept the fire on the altar. Fire is the usual emblem of destruction; and as the work now to be done was such, it was proper to represent this angel as engaged in it.

And cried with a loud cry, etc. See Rev 14:15. That is, he came forth as with a command from God, to call on him who was appointed to do the work of destruction, now to engage in performing it. The time had fully come.

Thrust in thy sharp sickle. Rev 14:15.

And gather the clusters of the vine of the earth. That portion of the earth which might be represented by a vineyard in which the grapes were to be gathered and crushed. The image here employed occurs elsewhere to denote the destruction of the wicked. See the very beautiful description in Isa 63:1-6, respecting the destruction of Edom and Barnes on "Isa 63:1-6".

For her grapes are fully ripe. That is, the time has come for the ingathering; or, to apply the image, for the winding up of human affairs by the destruction of the wicked. The time here, as in the previous representation, is the end of the world; and the design is to comfort the church in its trials and persecutions, by the assurance that all its enemies will be cut off.

(a) "saying" Rev 14:15 Verse 19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth. That is, into that part of the earth which might be represented by a vineyard; or the earth considered as having been the abode of wicked men.

And cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God. See Isa 63:1-6. That is, the wine-press where the grapes are crushed, and where the juice, resembling blood, flows out, may be used as a symbol to denote the destruction of the wicked in the last day; and as the numbers will be immensely great, it is called the "great wine-press of Divine wrath." The symbol appears to be used here alike with reference to the colour of the wine resembling blood, and the pressure necessary to force it out; and thus employed it is one of the most striking emblems conceivable to denote the final destruction of the wicked.

(b) "winepress" Rev 19:15 Verse 20. And the wine-press was trodden without the city. The representation was made as if it were outside of the city; that is, the city of Jerusalem, for that is represented as the abode of the holy. The word trodden refers to the manner in which wine was usually prepared, by being trodden by the feet of men. Isa 63:2. The wine-press was usually in the vineyard--not in a city--and this is the representation here. As appearing to the eye of John, it was not within the walls of any city, but standing without. And blood came out of the wine-press. The representation is, that there would be a great destruction which would be well represented by the juice flowing from a wine-press.

Even unto the horse-bridles. Deep--as blood would be in a field of slaughter where it would come up to the very bridles of the horses. The idea is, that there would be a great slaughter.

By the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. That is, two hundred miles; covering a space of two hundred miles square--a lake of blood. This is designed to represent a great slaughter; but why the space here employed to describe it was chosen is unknown. Some have supposed it was in allusion to the length of Palestine. Prof. Stuart supposes that it refers to the breadth of Italy, and that the allusion is to the attack made on the city of the beast. But it is impossible to determine why this space was chosen, and it is unnecessary. The idea is, that there would be a slaughter so great, as it were, as to produce a lake or sea of blood; that the enemies of the church would be completely and finally overthrown, and that the church, therefore, delivered from all its enemies, would be triumphant.

The design of this, as of the previous representations in this chapter, is to show that all the enemies of God will be destroyed, and that, therefore, the hearts of the friends of religion should be cheered and consoled in the trials and persecutions which were to come upon it. What could be better fitted to sustain the church in the time of trial, than the assurance that every foe will be ultimately cut off? What is better fitted to sustain the heart of the individual believer than the assurance that all his foes will be quelled, and that he will be ere long safe in heaven?