A Study of The Book of Revelation, Armageddon Part #50

Earl Gillespie

A Study of The Book of Revelation

ARMAGEDDON

Revelation 14:14-20:

Armageddon is the site of a battle during the end of times.  The Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") and Satan the Devil in the Battle of Armageddon. Then Satan will be put into the "bottomless pit" or abyss for 1,000 years, known as the Millennium. After being released from the abyss, Satan will gather Gog and Magog (peoples of two specific nations) from the four corners of the earth. They will encamp surrounding the "holy ones" and the "beloved city" (this refers to Jerusalem). Fire will come down from God, out of heaven and devour Gog and Magog after the Millennium. The Devil, death, hell, and those not found written in the Book of Life are then thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.  

This is the mainstream premillennial Christian interpretation of the events transpiring in Revelation.  There are three levels of confusion when it comes to the interpretation of the apocalyptic  views of Revelation.  Premillennialism is based upon what is said to be a literal interpretation of Revelation 20:1–6 in the New Testament, which describes Jesus' coming to the earth and subsequent reign at the end of an apocalyptic period of tribulation.  The other forms of Christian eschatology such as postmillennialism or amillennialism, which view the millennial rule as occurring either before the second coming, or as being figurative and non-temporal.  A great number of Christians leaders today cannot accept the book of Revelation as a vision of the final disposition of things, therefore they look for other ways to interpret the scripture.  We will continue our study of the Book of Revelation relying upon a literal interpretation through the use of a symbolic language and no attempt will be made to spiritualize the word of God.

 This is what John saw:

14. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 

17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

If we can understand the symbolic language of the bible then understanding what John saw become easy.

The battle John is describing here, and the battle of Gog and Magog, described in Revelation 20:8-9, are two separate battles. This battle will be fought at the close of the Tribulation period. The battle of Gog and Magog will be fought at the close of the one thousand years’ reign of Jesus. We will discuss that further when we reach chapter 20. The battle here is a battle of blood. The battle in chapter 20 will be a battle of fire. Fire will come down from God out of Heaven and consume the armies of Gog.

Verse 14 describes what John saw: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” In Acts 1:9-11 we have the account of Jesus ascending in a cloud. The disciples were eyewitnesses to the event. Two men from Heaven appeared and said to them, “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner (on a cloud) as you have seen him go into heaven.” “Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27).

This does not describe the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture takes place in Revelation 4:1-3, and is described in I Thessalonians 4:13-17. The events in Luke 21:27 and Acts 1:11 describe the Revelation, the time when every eye shall see Him, the second phase of the second coming (Revelation 1:7, II Thessalonians 1:7-10). John sees a cloud, and on the cloud “one like unto the Son of man.” There is no guesswork here, no speculation, for we know the identity of Him who is riding on a cloud: “The clouds are His chariots.” “He who will judge the quick and the dead (II Timothy 4:1) is appearing on a white cloud. He is the one who will clear earth of all the hellish seed sown by the Antichrist and his followers. He will destroy the Antichrist “with the brightness of His coming” (II Thessalonians 2:8).

Please note the use of the phrase, "like unto" in the fourteenth verse, this tells us that biblical symbology is being used to describe what is seen.

What a sight! One day the masses on earth will look up into the sky and will see a white snow bank, a giant cloud; and on the cloud the Lamb of God will be sitting. On His head will be a crown of pure gold.  What a sight that will be.  Many people are fascinated with clouds today, because of the changes that seems to be taking place. Daniel knew of these event and prophesied in his day: “I (Daniel) saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days, and there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom ” (Daniel 7:13,14). In these verses Daniel saw and recorded what John saw and recorded in Revelation. Jesus is coming back to this earth. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). He is coming to judge the nations and he will be bringing the Saints (church) back with him. (Matthew 25:31,32).

Verse 16: “And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Certainly we need not guess where these events are taking place. It is clearly set forth that they happen right here on this earth. When the Lamb of God thrusts His sickle into earth’s harvest, such plagues, such agonies as will immediately come upon the earth as it has never before been known.  Men will “gnaw their tongues for pain” (Revelation 16:10). During this time the great whore sitting on the beast is stripped of her pride and haughtiness. She is filled with torment, burning, sorrow, anguish, woe, misery. 

In verse 17, another angel appears out of the temple which is in Heaven, and he also has a sharp sickle.

In verse 18, still another angel comes out of the altar, and this is the angel of fire. He cries with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe” The Lamb who sits on the white cloud has “a sharp sickle.” He is coming in judgment, to reap the harvest of the earth. Sin’s harvest is fully ripe, and it is time to reap. When Jesus comes in the Rapture, He will come with a “trumpet voice.” The shout will be, “Come up hither!” (Revelation 4:1); but here He comes with a sharp sickle in His hand. (The sickle is an implement used in harvesting grain, and is still in use in remote sections of the Arab country today.)

The Lamb is about to reap “the harvest of the earth.” He will separate the tares from the wheat - and that will be a time of blood, rivers of blood.  But those of us who are born again have nothing to fret about. The Church will not be here, only those that are left behind (Revelation 3:10; I Thessalonians 5:9). In verse 15 another angel appears. This angel comes out of the temple, crying with a loud voice, speaking to Him who is sitting on the cloud and saying, “Thrust in thy sickle and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” What words! What a tremendous announcement! The Angel who stood on the land and the sea announced, “There will be no further delay” (chapter 10). These things are happening in rapid succession. God is bringing to an end earth’s ungodliness and the reign of Antichrist.

There are six angels mentioned in chapter 14: Verses 6, 8, 9, 15, 17 and 18. Those mentioned in verses 15 and 17 come from the temple from whence the vials of the wrath of God are poured (Revelation 16:1). Notice there are six angels mentioned here - man’s number is six. Six is one short of completion - the perfect number, seven. Six of these angels have to do with the completing of man’s affairs on the face of the earth. Remember the souls of the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11? They were crying, “How long?” They were assured that the wrath of God would be poured out, but they were instructed to rest for a little season. Now the wrath of God is about to be poured out upon these murderers here on earth. The brazen altar speaks of God’s acceptance. (Read Leviticus 1 and Ezekiel 9:2.) The angel from the altar called with a loud voice. It was an urgent call, one that could not be delayed: “GATHER THE CLUSTERS OF THE VINE OF THE EARTH; FOR HER GRAPES ARE FULLY RIPE,” ready to be harvested and cannot wait. Psalm 80:8 identifies the true vine of the earth - Israel not the church. Israel of old was the vine brought out of Egypt, the Lord’s fruit-bearing system on earth. In Isaiah 5:2-4 we learn that Israel produces “wild grapes.” In Jeremiah 2:21 we learn that God’s divine vine turned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine. Israel was therefore set aside by God to be replaced by “the true Vine”,  the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone produces fruit acceptable to God the Father (John 15:1-10). The mark of true discipleship is to be a fruit bearing branch, and not just a branch. Jesus is the true Vine from Heaven. The Antichrist is the counterfeit vine that bears wild grapes that must be reaped and destroyed.

The expression “vine of the earth” constitutes the entire religious system in the coming crisis, when earth shall be reaped at the close of the Tribulation period. The grapes are fully ripe for judgment. They are gathered in bunches and cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God. The great religious systems of earth led by Antichrist and his henchmen will be dealt with unsparingly by Almighty God. The tares will be gathered (Matthew 13:40-42). The branches that do not bear fruit will be burned (John 15:6). That will be the day of “The vengeance of our God.” Note this Scripture: “Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:2-4). The prophet asked, “Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel?” Jehovah answers, “I have trodden the winepress!”

The angel thrusts in his sickle, and the vine of the earth is gathered, cast into the winepress of the wrath of God, the winepress is trodden by Jehovah God, and the Blood (not wine nor the juice of grapes) comes out of the winepress to the horses’ bridles for the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs . . . which adds up to approximately two hundred miles of blood. Jerusalem is the city referred to here. The valley is Armageddon, just north of Jerusalem. It is there that God’s wrath will be poured out. What a day! What a battle! What a river! Blood six feet deep, two hundred miles long, ten miles wide! What a sight to behold! This is the terrible battle described in Revelation 16:14; 19:19. These accounts have their center in Palestine. It is there that the wickedness of the earth will be concentrated. Religiously speaking, Palestine has always been the center of the earth. The Beast and False Prophet meet their doom there. Gog and the King of the North will meet their doom there (Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39).

The consummation of God’s dealing with wicked men on the earth, as expressed in the harvest of the vintage, will center in Palestine, and is not confined to Israel alone, but also with the nations. The world today has its eyes upon Israel and the Palestine area. Even as you read these words there are nations who would like to pounce upon Palestine. The Arabs hate the Jews, the Communists hate them . . . they are hated by millions around the world. But nations like America and England prevent the enemies of Israel from destroying that nation. However, when the Rapture takes place and God’s people are gone, the Antichrist will come into power and the state of Israel will then be at the mercy of the devil. He will make a covenant with them when he first appears, but he will break that covenant in the middle of the Tribulation period. The last three-and-one-half years will be a time of bloody death. 

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A Recap of What We have Studied So Far