And another angel came out of the temple that is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Yet another angel came out from the altar, having authority over fire. He called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Swing your sharp sickle and gather the grape clusters from the vineyard of the earth, because its clusters of grapes have ripened." Rev. 14:17, 18.
We find a major structural parallel between the end-time scene of Revelation 13 and 14 and Joel 2:28-3:21. If you want to understand Revelation, you need to know something about the book of Joel. 1. Joel depicts the Spirit being poured out. 2. He notes the appearance of heavenly signs. 3. The nations of the world who gather outside Jerusalem attack "the remnant." 4. Finally, God pronounces judgment from Mount Zion and "threshes" those opposed to His people. The story on Joel 3 is about a double worldwide gathering. The remnant assemble on Mount Zion (Jerusalem-- Joel 2:32; 3:1). The wicked gather in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, just outside Jerusalem, where they meet their fate (Joel 3:2, 9-17).
The book of Revelation matches the story line of Joel: 1. God pours the Spirit out (Rev. 5:6). 2. Heavenly signs occur (Rev. 6:12-7:3). 3. The nations of the world attack the remnant on Mount Zion (Rev. 13:8-10, 12-18; 14:1-3). 4. The nations are trampled and destroyed outside Jerusalem. So Revelation 13 and 14 seem to build on Joel 2 and 3.
Both passages picture the final battle of earth's history in local and literal terms. Jerusalem stands on a hilltop and is surrounded by valleys on three sides. God's people are huddled together inside the fortress, encircled on all side by enemy forces. In the interpreting of Revelation this local picture has become worldwide and spiritual (notice the word "earth" six times in this part of the chapter). Israel huddled in the fortress of Jerusalem becomes the worldwide church in hiding during the final crisis. John spiritualizes the double gathering of Joel into those who follow the three angels' messages and those who do not.
The images of warfare in Revelation are a spiritual matter for the Christian (see 2 Cor. 10:3-5 and Rev. 16:15). The weapons of the Christian warfare are not the kind that tear you to pieces, such as AK-47 rifles, M1A1 tanks, and F-11 warplanes. Christian warfare is a battle with one's own thought processes, ideas, and attitudes. It is a struggle for the mind. Sin is so attractive and deceptive that God has laid out its consequences graphically in this text to get us to take the battle seriously.
Lord, in this vision You have given us a small glimpse of two contrasting groups at the end of the world. Help me to firmly align myself with the wheat, the remnant, and the 144,000 of this chapter.
We find a major structural parallel between the end-time scene of Revelation 13 and 14 and Joel 2:28-3:21. If you want to understand Revelation, you need to know something about the book of Joel. 1. Joel depicts the Spirit being poured out. 2. He notes the appearance of heavenly signs. 3. The nations of the world who gather outside Jerusalem attack "the remnant." 4. Finally, God pronounces judgment from Mount Zion and "threshes" those opposed to His people. The story on Joel 3 is about a double worldwide gathering. The remnant assemble on Mount Zion (Jerusalem-- Joel 2:32; 3:1). The wicked gather in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, just outside Jerusalem, where they meet their fate (Joel 3:2, 9-17).
The book of Revelation matches the story line of Joel: 1. God pours the Spirit out (Rev. 5:6). 2. Heavenly signs occur (Rev. 6:12-7:3). 3. The nations of the world attack the remnant on Mount Zion (Rev. 13:8-10, 12-18; 14:1-3). 4. The nations are trampled and destroyed outside Jerusalem. So Revelation 13 and 14 seem to build on Joel 2 and 3.
Both passages picture the final battle of earth's history in local and literal terms. Jerusalem stands on a hilltop and is surrounded by valleys on three sides. God's people are huddled together inside the fortress, encircled on all side by enemy forces. In the interpreting of Revelation this local picture has become worldwide and spiritual (notice the word "earth" six times in this part of the chapter). Israel huddled in the fortress of Jerusalem becomes the worldwide church in hiding during the final crisis. John spiritualizes the double gathering of Joel into those who follow the three angels' messages and those who do not.
The images of warfare in Revelation are a spiritual matter for the Christian (see 2 Cor. 10:3-5 and Rev. 16:15). The weapons of the Christian warfare are not the kind that tear you to pieces, such as AK-47 rifles, M1A1 tanks, and F-11 warplanes. Christian warfare is a battle with one's own thought processes, ideas, and attitudes. It is a struggle for the mind. Sin is so attractive and deceptive that God has laid out its consequences graphically in this text to get us to take the battle seriously.
Lord, in this vision You have given us a small glimpse of two contrasting groups at the end of the world. Help me to firmly align myself with the wheat, the remnant, and the 144,000 of this chapter.
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