“After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel, who had power to destroy with fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are ripe for judgment.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle.” Revelation 14:17-20
The vision of the grain harvest is followed by the vision of the grape harvest, which speaks of the judgment that takes place at the battle of Armageddon. This judgment is more dramatic because of the imagery of the winepress. What resulted when the angel swung his sickle was catastrophic. All the enemies of God who survive the seven bowl judgment will be gathered like grape clusters from the vine of the earth and flung into the great winepress. “I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me. In my anger I have trampled my enemies as if they were grapes. In my fury I have trampled my foes. Their blood has stained my clothes.” (Isaiah 63:3) “Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come; tread the grapes, for the winepress is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.” (Joel 3:13)
The staggering, horrifying bloodbath of the battle of Armageddon will be so widespread that the blood will come out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles. There will be millions of people engaged in the battle, as all the nations gather together to fight against Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ returns, Antichrist, the false prophet and all the human demonic forces will be immediately destroyed. “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)
Taken as a whole, chapter 14 of Revelation emphasizes first that the 144,000 of Israel seen at the beginning of the great tribulation will be preserved triumphantly through it. Second, the rest of the chapter is devoted to various pronouncements of divine judgment upon a wicked world, reassuring the saints of that day that, though they may suffer and even be martyred, God’s ultimate justice will triumph, the wicked will be judged, and the saints will be rewarded. This chapter reassures the saints after the two preceding chapters speak of the gigantic conflict that will have its consummation in the great tribulation. The implications of the message for today are only too plain. Today is a day of grace; but what is true of the tribulation is also true today, namely, that God will ultimately judge all men. Today, however, the invitation is still open to those who will trust in Christ and who thereby can avail themselves of the grace of God and be saved from entering this awful period which may be impending for this present generation.