Of all the difficult passages in Revelation, this chapter is perhaps the hardest to understand. As just a few examples, there is controversy concerning how these judgments fit within the overall eschatological scheme of the book; the identification of “the one like the Son of Man” in v. 14; the meaning of the probably symbolic numbers in this passage; the significance of “first fruit;” the nature of the “new song” and the “eternal gospel;” whether the marks on people's foreheads (vv. 1, 9) are literal or symbolic; the identity of the one with the loud voice in vv. 2 and 13, etc. etc. But in this post I would just like to zero in on two related issues – whether the two images of judgment in verses 15-20 represent one or two separate judgments, and whether each individual image refers to (a) the righteous, (b) the damned, (c) or the whole earth. Thus, there are actually nine possible combinations to consider. Thankfully, many of these have never been proposed before, as far as I am aware. But that still leaves several others to consider. It is best to take each of these two judgment images one at a time.
Beale introduces the two most popular understanding here by stating that “some hold that the first harvest (vv 15-16) [some would add v. 14 here] includes believers and unbelievers...and the second (vv 17-20) focuses only on unbelievers. Others see the first harvest as representing the gathering in of the elect at the end, while the second harvest or vintage portrays the judgment of the wicked.” I will start with comments representing those two views first. followed by minority opinions.
Gathering in the saved in verses 15-16 and judgment of the wicked in 17-20
“The eschatological harvest, the final judgment of God (Joel 3:13), involves the ingathering of the saints by one like the Son of Man (vv. 14-16) and the assembly of the wicked for destruction (vv. 17-20; Is 63:1-6).” (Ruiz) Metzger uses practically the same words to express his view.
“The wicked will be condemned (Rev 14:17-20; 17:12-14; 19:15) but the saints will be harvested into Christ's kingdom (Rev 14:15-16).” (Kim)
Ford relates verses 15-16 to the grain harvest image in Matthew 3:12 and Luke 3:17. “This harvest, therefore, is one of protection rather than destruction and therefore follows naturally after the exhortation to the saints (vss. 12-13).”
This view also appears to be the general consensus of the anonymous contributors to The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery:
“In Revelation 14:14-20 two harvests, grain and grapes, are depicted. In both cases God's covenant people are forever separated from their enemies.”
“A final image is that of treading grapes in a winepress as part of a grape harvest. It appears in apocalyptic visions of the coming age as an image of divine blessing...but also as an image of divine judging (Is 63:3; Lam 1:15; Joel 3:3). The ultimate example of the latter motif is the scene of Revelation 14:18, where the angel swings his sharp sickle, harvests the grapes from the earth's vine and throws them into the winepress of God's wrath.” (DBI)
“The plagues of the Apocalypse display God's anger against his enemies (Rev. 14:10,19, etc.). Wrath describes the day of judgment when the wicked are destroyed and the saints rewarded (Rev 11:8).”
“The most important of these [farming images] are the use of harvest to picture God's final judgment against evil (Joel 3:13; Mt 13:30; Rev 14:17-20) and the ingathering of persons in salvation (...Rev 14:14-16).”
“The battle motif is resolved by the imagery of punishment for evil – the winepress of the wrath of God (Rev 14:19-20)...”
“Revelation 14:18-20 shows that even at the end of the canon the vineyard image can be used to picture the judgment coming on those who resist God.”
“All...foregoing references to the winepress pale when put alongside the terrifying winepress of God's wrath – his final destruction of evil and punishment of evildoers. We read about this in the apocalyptic visions of the Bible, first in Isaiah 63:3, where God is pictured as treading the winepress alone in anger, trampling the wicked in wrath and staining His robes in the process. The climatic pictures are in the book of Revelation (Rev. 14:19-20; 19:15), where the winepress is strongly identified with God's anger against sin and where in a surrealistic vision the wine vat flows with blood instead of wine (Rev 14:20).”
Payne comments on vv. 15-16, “Since the reaping of those who are subject to condemnation follows separately in vv. 17-20, the fulfillment of the present prophecy would appear to concern the ingathering of the righteous from the earth, namely the rapture of the living...The picture parallels that of the parables of Mt. 13 on the discriminatory gathering by angels (cf. Rev 14:17) of the wheat as distinct from the tares, v. 30, and of the good fish separately from the bad, v. 48.” And on vv. 17-20, he feels, “Since the symbolism is here drawn from Joel 3:13, on the nations that gather in the valley of Jehoshaphat at Lord's return, the city that is intended is probably Jerusalem, and the fulfillment, Christ's victory in this first engagement out of the total campaign of Armageddon, as in Joel 3:2.”
“The world of humanity, which is ripening for the final judgment, is often compared to a harvest, Matt. 9:37; 13:30; Lk 10:2; John 4:35. We have this symbolism in our very chapter, Rev. 14:14ff. Here, too, the first fruits are for the Lord, verses 14-16; the rest is for satan, verses 17-20.” (Hendricksen)
Mounce: “There is a difference of opinion about what group of people is intended for harvest. Some understand this scene (vss. 14-16) as the gathering of the righteous as the judgment of the wicked. Supporting this position is the fact that in the NT the figure of the harvest is normally used of the gathering of men into the kingdom of God (Mt 9:37-38; Mk 4:29; Lk 10:2; Jn 4:35-38).” But his personal view falls clearly into the next category.
General gathering in verses 15(or 14)-16 and judgment on the wicked in 17-20
Mounce continues: “The idea of an eschatological harvest, however, is not limited to the gathering of the elect. In the parable of the Wheat and Tares, it involves the gathering of the wicked for burning as well (Mt 13:30, 40-42). In the OT the harvest was a regular symbol of divine judgment (Jer 51:33; Hos 6:11; cf. II Esdr 4:33). Beckwith correctly says, 'The figure is comprehensive, including in a word the whole process of the winding up of the ages, and the recompense of both the good and the bad.' The harvest of verses 14-16 is a general picture of the coming judgment...Judgment of nations in v. 20 as outside the city is paralleled by location of judgment of the nations in Joel 3:12-14 and Zechariah 14:1-4. Judgment 'outside the city' must certainly be an allusion to the one who suffered for the sins of man 'outside the gate' (Heb 13:12; cf. Jn 19:20). Those who refuse the first judgment must take part in the second.”
Morris says, “Reaping is certain as soon as the harvest of the earth is ripe. Some take this to refer to the gathering in of the righteous with the symbolism of wheat harvest (cf. Mt. xiii. 30,38, Mk. iv. 29)...there is nothing in the context to show that the righteous are in view. Wheat is not even mentioned, for example. It is best to see the harvest as general [i.e. of all humanity].”
As to the vintage of verses 17-20, Morris states that the harvesting and pressing of grapes “is more suitable imagery for the judgment of the wicked...”
All of vv. 14-20 relates to judgment on the wicked
This opinion is seen in the note on this passage in The Jerusalem Bible, which treats it as: “The destruction of the pagan nations.”
Beale: “The visions...express parabolically an expectation of his coming, especially to judge the ungodly (14:14-20, etc.)...Nevertheless Christ...will then establish his kingdom in its final, complete and eternal form (Rev 11:15-17, etc.).”
All of vv. 14-20 refers to the saved in Christ
I recently came across this decidedly minority view in a sermon I heard, which apparently stemmed from the lone opinions of Caird. Mounce explains that “Caird holds the harvest and vintage to be variations on a single theme, but interprets both as portraying the impending martyrdom of the elect.”
Such a opinion appears to be rather perverse in that it states that the gleefully bloody and almost sadistic tramping of the grapes by God Himself in his wrath somehow describes the unfortunate death of loyal believers at the hands of pagans. To reach such a conclusion he must resort to much special pleading and grasping at straws. Some of these straws include:
The tramping of the vintage takes place outside the city. But this is where Jesus was crucified. And since Jesus' followers are to go wherever their Savior goes (Rev.14:4), then this must refer to their deaths as martyrs. Ford counters with the fact that “outside the city” meant the outlying neighborhood of the city of Jerusalem itself, “thought of as a judgment place for 'Gentiles; c.g. Joel 4:2,12; Zech 14:2-12; I Enoch 53:1.'” Taking a different approach, Beasley-Murray states, “The city outside which the treading of the winepress takes place is presumably the world-city, 'Babylon the great.' (see 11:8; 18:2).” And lastly, Ford also suggests that 'outside the city' may reflect conditions in A.D. 66 when Vespasian captured the strongholds of the Zealots and the whole area suffered bloodshed except Jerusalem.
The two harvests in vv. 14-20 represent the bread and wine of communion in which believers are to partake.
“Gospel” in 14:7 refers to martyrdom rather than “good news.”
The gory vintage of v. 19 refers probably to the death of the martyrs since “there is no note of victory in this harvest.”
Ford presents Caird's view of the number 1,600 in v. 20 thusly, “Caird observes that because this is a square number (40 x 40) it may provide some slight confirmation that the vintage is to be interpreted as the great martyrdom.” But she also notes, “The number could also connote that the destruction is as complete as the preservation.” Other explanations for that symbolic number are given below.”
Additional evidence
As for deciding between the two most likely views, note that both are in agreement in treating Revelation 14:15-20 as judgment on those to be damned. The only difference of opinion concerns whether the earlier wheat field image concerns those to be saved or all of humanity. One factor which I have yet to encounter in the literature is the overall literary structure of the chapter, which might be pictured as in Figure 1:
Figure 1: Structure of Revelation 14
I. Throne Scene (1-5)
A. “I looked and lo there was the Lamb standing” (1a)
B. “I heard a voice from heaven...the first fruit for God” (1b-5)
II. three angels (6-11)
A. all earth (2x) should fear God (6-7)
B. judgment on the unrighteous (8-11)
II. call for endurance for the faithful (12)
I'. Throne Scene (13-14)
B. “I heard a voice from heaven...those who from now on die in the Lord (13)
A. “I looked and lo there was...seated...one like the Son of Man” (14)
II'. three angels (15-20)
A. the earth (3x) was reaped (15-16)
B. judgment on the unrighteous (17-20)
This arrangement appears to answer the question as to the identity of the “one like the Son of Man” in v. 14. Also it confirms Beasley-Murray's contention that in verse 4, aparche in addition to meaning first fruits “could be translated by its usual LXX [Septuagint] meaning 'sacrifice', for such a thought is peculiarly apt in this prophecy of the testimony, suffering and martyrdom of Christ's chosen ones.” That latter idea is expressed in the parallel mention in v. 13 of those who die in the Lord from now on (compare IB and I'B).
In addition, and even more pertinent to the question at hand, it may help decide between the two most likely options concerning the identity of those in verses 15-16 and 17-20. Subsections A and B of II' are seen by the above to be parallel to their earlier counterparts in Section II. This not only helps to confirm that the vintage imagery in verses 17-20 refer to judgment on the unrighteous, but also appears to be another point in favor of determining that verses 15-16 are limited to describing the gathering in of the saved rather than being a general description of the judgment on all mankind.
One additional insight can perhaps be gleaned (no pun intended) from comparing the symbolic numbers appearing at the start and conclusion of the overall passage. The beginning throne scene in verses 1 and 3 describes the number of the saved as 144,000. This number, as I have explained elsewhere, can be broken down into 12 x 12 x 1,000. This is usually taken to be symbolic of a large number of those saved from both the Old Testament dispensation and the New Testament dispensation (as represented respectively by the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve disciples). The number 12 itself is the product of 4 (humanity or creation) and 3 (God or the Trinity), the whole therefore representing God's people throughout the ages.
But this “perfect” or “complete” number is contrasted in the last verse of the chapter by the blood of the vintage flowing for 16,000 stadia. Some scholars convert this into miles or kilometers and state that the flow covers the whole of Israel at its peak while others instead feel that it is meant to represent the pagan nations surrounding Israel instead. Both of these approaches are ill-founded, as others have pointed out. The real meaning is symbolic and lies within the number 16,000 itself.
Morris: “Of the explanations suggested perhaps best is that which sees it [i.e. 16,000] as the product of sixteen (the square of four, the number of the earth which is the abode of the wicked) and one hundred (the square of ten, the number of completeness). Blood stretching for 1,600 stadia thus stands for the complete judgment of the whole earth and the destruction of all the wicked.” I am not quite sure how he reaches this final conclusion since the number four stands for all creation, not just the wicked. But I believe that other approaches are far more likely and they teach the same general point.
Thus, in comparing 144,000 = (4+3)(4+3)(1,000) with 16,000 = (4)(4)(100) we see that what is missing in the latter number is the presence of God. This confirms that the judgment of vv. 15-16 is limited to those who are destined to be damned.
Or we could also arrive at 16,000 by showing that it is the product of (10+6)(100). This is important since in John's writings, the number 17, as the sum of two perfect numbers 10 and 7, is itself a perfect number. If this is true, then 16 falls short of perfection and thus symbolizes imperfection (as does the number of the beast 666). Again we are led to the conclusion that the second of two harvests (vv. 17-20) applies to the damned only.
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