Revelation 14:10-20

10 he will also drink the wine of God's wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger.[a] He will be tormented with fire and sulfur[b] in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb,
11 and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest[c] day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name.
12 Here is the endurance[d] [e] of the saints,[f] who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus."[g]
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write: Blessed[h] are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!"

Reaping the Earth's Harvest

14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man[i] [j] was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
15 Another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out in a loud voice to the One who was seated on the cloud, "Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe."[k]
16 So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven.
18 Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from earth's vineyard, because its grapes have ripened."
19 So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth's vineyard, and he threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.[l]
20 Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses' bridles for about 180 miles.[m] [n]

Revelation 14:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVALATION 14

This chapter contains three visions; one of the Lamb on Mount Zion, another of the three angels preaching against Babylon, and the third of the harvest and vintage. The vision of the Lamb is in Re 14:1, which is no other than Christ, described by his similitude, as a Lamb; by the place where he was, Mount Zion; by his position there, standing, and by the company that were with him, whose number were 144,000, and their character, his Father's name written on their foreheads; at the same time a voice was heard from heaven, comparable to the sound of many waters, of thunders, and of harps: and a song sung which none learn but the above number with the Lamb, Re 14:2,3, who are described by their purity, chastity, and strict adherence to Christ; by their redemption through him; by their being the firstfruits of God and of the Lamb, and by their integrity and unblemished character, Re 14:4,5; next follows the account of the three angels; the first comes with the everlasting Gospel, to preach it to all men, loudly calling upon all to fear and worship God, and give glory to him, since he is the Creator of all, and the hour of his judgment is come, Re 14:6,7; the second proclaims the fall of Babylon, with the reason of it, Re 14:8; and the third denounces the wrath of God upon the worshippers of the beast in the most public manner, and that for ever, Re 14:9-11; and this vision is closed with some expressions, showing that, till this was done, the patience of the saints would be tried, and the true worshippers of the Lamb be discovered, and comforting them with an assurance of that rest that remains after death for the faithful followers of Christ, Re 14:12,13; after this is the vision of the harvest and vintage of the earth. The reaper is described by his form, like the son of man; by his seat, a white cloud; by a golden crown on his head, and by a sharp sickle in his hand, Re 14:14; who is called upon by an angel out of the temple to make use of his sickle, and reap, because the time of reaping was come, the harvest being ripe, Re 14:15, upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and reaps the earth, Re 14:16; after this, another angel appears out of the temple, with a sharp sickle, to whom another angel from the altar, that had power over fire, calls to make use of his sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine, since the grapes were fully ripe, Re 14:17,18; upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and gathers them, and casts them into the winepress of divine wrath, which being trodden, blood comes out of it to the horses' bridles for the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Re 14:19,20.

Footnotes 14

  • [a]. Isaiah 51:17; Jr 25:15-17; Ps 75:8
  • [b]. Lk 17:29; Rv 20:10; 21:8
  • [c]. Lit They have no rest
  • [d]. Or This calls for the endurance of the saints
  • [e]. This is what the endurance of the saints means
  • [f]. Rv 13:10
  • [g]. Or and faith in Jesus, or their faith in, or faithfulness to Jesus
  • [h]. Rv 1:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14
  • [i]. Or like a son of man
  • [j]. Dn 7:13; Lk 21:27; Rv 1:13
  • [k]. Jl 3:13
  • [l]. Rv 16:19; 19:15
  • [m]. Lit 1,600 stadia
  • [n]. Isaiah 63:1-6
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