III. THE FUTURE (“THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER"), PART
2b--6:1-19:21
C. The Second Half of the Tribulation, Part
3b--13:1-14:20
4. The third parenthesis, part 2--13:1-14:20
c. The Lamb--14:1-20
(I)
General remarks
(A) The appropriateness of this scene is seen by what
preceded it; it is as if John was fed up with the
antichrist and his crew, and had. to get a glimpse
of his blessed Lord, the true Christ, the Lamb.
(B) Then, too, our Lord is showing His grace after the terrible
picture just presented.
(1) His grace is to those who are saved--whether
of the church or the tribulation.
(2) His grace is to John in that He permitted
John to have a respite from the evil of the antichrist.
(C) Seven sections
(1) Vision of the 144,000--vv. 1-5
(2) Proclamation of the Eternal Gospel--vv.
6, 7
(3) Prophetic announcement of the fall
of great Babylon--v. 8
(4) The Warning of eternal doom upon the
beast-worshippers--vv. 9-12
(5) Proclamation of special blessedness
of those who "die in the Lord"--v. 13
(6) Vision of the harvest of the
earth--vv. 14-16
(7) Vision of the vine of the earth
and the winepress of blood-- vv. 17-20
(D) A threefold outline
(1) The Lamb's 144,000 contrasted to the antichrist's
nations--vv.1-5
(2) The six "other"angels' messages--vv. 6-13
(3) The two sharp sickles and what they reap--vv.
14-20
(II)
The Lamb's 144,000 contrasted to the antichrist's nations--vv. 1-5
(A) The Lamb upon Mount Zion
(1) This looks to the end of the tribulation
where the Lord will return to Mount Zion with His saints to
reign.
(2) Here it is anticipatory--just waiting the
final events to take place.
(3) It may well be that the Lord at this point
is invisibly present at the Mount Zion waiting to visibly
manifest Himself after the
final judgments.
(B) Who are these 144,000?
(1) The arguments against their being the sealed
Israelites of chapter 7
(a) The repetition of the
number 144,000 is not conclusive proof that the two companies are the
same since
this number is the one of governmental completeness and fulness.
(b) These have the seal in
their foreheads, but the form of that seal is the Lamb's name and the
name of the
Father; those in chapter 7 are sealed as the "servants of our God."
(c) These are "purchased
out of the earth" and are not said to be of the tribes of
Israel.
(d) These are all men for
they are those who have not been defiled with women and are virgins.
(e) These are the first fruits
of the redeemed.
(f) Absolutely truthful and
follow the Lamb without reserve.
(g) These are thus considered
by those using this argument that these are select believers of
every
age.
(h) OBJECTIONS
((I)) Though
the number 144,000 is not conclusive, certainly it is more in accord with
the book
as a whole and the immediate context to identity this company as the
same as Chapter 7.
((II)) Concerning
the seal in their forehead, nothing is said in chapter 7 as to the nature
of that
seal except that it is "the seal of the living God"; what would
be more appropriate than to
seal their foreheads with the name of the Lamb and of the
Father? Furthermore, this seal is
in direct contrast to that of the beast in 13:17; in that day
a person will either have the seal of
God or the seal of Satan.
((III)) The
phrase "purchased out of the earth" can be rendered "purchased out
of the land"
making it a reference to Palestine which in turn would make it particularly
Israelitish.
((IV)) The
idea that these are all men is in the idea that "these are those which were
not defiled
with women." The word "virgins" can apply to either men or
women.
((A)) This is nothing more than a carry over from Romanism that considered
sexual relations
as basically sinful.
((B)) Sex is only sinful outside of God given marriage.
((1)) Cf. Matthew 5:32
((2)) 1 Corinthians 7:28
((3)) Hebrews 13:4
((C)) It is the perversion of sex that God condemns. (cf. Romans
1:26, 27)
((D)) The Scripture often uses the marriage relationship and violation
of the marriage
relationship to speak of spiritual departure from
God.
((E)) Even the phrase "which were not defiled with women" can apply
to females as well as
males--cf. Romans 1:26, 27
((F)) Thus this section can refer to either man or woman or both.
((G)) If that is the case, how is one to understand this phrase?
((1)) Why not understand it literally?
((2)) Thus, as Newell points out (216), these are Nazarites
unto God--one who
voluntarily abstain from the marriage
relation.--cf. Matthew 24:19-21 and 1
Corinthians 7:7.
((V)) The
phrase "first fruits unto God and the Lamb" must be considered in the light
of the
context.
((A)) The tribulation is drawing to a close.
((B)) The Lamb is already standing on Mount Zion waiting for the final
judgments.
((C)) The words themselves are kingdom words, so that the Millennium
is in view.
((D)) These, therefore, are the firistfruits of the Millennium.
((E)) The first fruits suggest that the harvest is to follow.
((VI)) These
are absolutely truthful and follow the Lamb.
((A)) The notion of complete truthfulness is not only a
characteristic of saints in the church
age, but of all saints; nevertheless, the emphasis
here on truthfulness is very important in
the light of this day of falsehood that
will prevail in the tribulation. Thus, if anything, this
phrase points to the sealed company rather than any
other group of saints.
((B)) The phrase "These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever
he goeth." can apply to
tribulation saints better than church saints. The
church is the Lamb's Bride and would be
by His side, but these follow like attendants at a wedding.
((C)) Cf. Zephaniah 3:13
(2) The arguments for these being the 144,000
of chapter seven were pretty much given in the
objections to the other
viewpoint. The chief argument in favor of this viewpoint is that
the
tribulation deals wi th Israel,
the tribulation in in view (that is the end of it), and the church
is
nowhere present in any of
these scenes except in the persons of the 24 elders. The
very fact that
these are separate from the
24 elders (which this writer had before determined is the church ) is
further proof that
these are not church saints. Thus we conclude with Newell (218;
italics are his.):
"These first fruits, . .
. of Israel, this 144,000 are 'without blemish' (Revelation 14:5).
They are a
public example and pledge
of what the 'all-righteous' nation of Israel will be in the
Millennium!
What will happen to Israel
has already happened to them!"
(C) The contrast with the nations
(1) The other nations go after the beast and
follow him who is the lie.
(2) These other nations will defile themselves
and will pervert the the truth into a lie.
(3) In direct contrast these 144,000 sealed ones
will be truthful at all times and will not worship the
beast.
(III)
The messages of three other angels--vv. 6-13
(A) Only three of the angels are mentioned in these verses;
the other three are found in vv. 14-30.
(B) The proclamation of the eternal Gospel--vv. 6, 7
(1) This is a gospel, good news, not a pronouncement
of doom.
(2) Notice that this is proclaimed by an angel,
not men (although the word angel can be rendered
messenger).
(a) This angel is in the
midst of heaven, not on earth.
(b) In no sense can this
be construed to be the church.
(3) This is, therefore, not the gospel
of grace of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
(4) There is no evidence that this gospel is
heeded and obeyed. Remember that Noah preached at
least a hundred years without
anyone except his own family heeding the massage.
(5) This gospel is eternal that is, forever true.
(a) Thus, it is adaptable
to all ages.
(b) The Greek here is
aionion, constantly befitting.
(c) "But it is peculiarly"
befitting at the hour when the whole earth, except God's elect, are madly
and blindly
worshipping the Beast and his image."--Newell, 220
(d) Newell,
Ibid.--"Universal idolatry, hideous, unreasonable, absurd, God-provoking,
as it is, will
fill the earth
during the time of our present chapter. Slavish, abject prostration
before an image
of the
most wicked man of the human race, with its consequent obliteration
of the glory of the
Creator, will
prevail, even among the majority of Israel."
(e) This gospel is a call
back to the creator--is it not of interest that a theory of origins
which
denies, for
all practical purposes, God's role as Creator is being pushed in the majority
of our
educational
institutions even today?
(f) This gospel warns of
God's judgment to come; in fact, the angel says that God's judgment
is to
come.
(C) The prophetic announcement of the fall of
Babylon--v. 8
(1) Announced by another angel, not a man.
(2) The actualization of this doom occurs
in chapters 17, 18.
(3) Babylon has been the center of Satan's
operation.
(a) True from the flood on
(b) Idolatry, to the best
of this writer's knowledge, began there.
(c) From there Satan planned
to extend idolatry to all nations in order to destroy the knowledge and
worship of
Jehovah God, replacing the worship of himself.
(4) Babylon judged because it made all nations
"drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
(a) The wine--cf. Jeremiah
51:7; 50:38
(b) The wine of
wrath--Jeremiah 25:15-26--("Loving the creature rather than the Creator,
and
idolatry rather
than God, God gave them over to the system of Babylonian satanism
that
brought God's
wrath upon them."--cf. Romans 1:18 ff.) (Newell, 222)
(c) The fornication--doubtlessly
idolatry, since the Old Testament often uses this term in that way
(5) The "fallen, fallen" may well indicate that
there is double destruction.
(a) The system is destroyed
in chapter 17.
(b) The city is destroyed
in chapter 18.
(c) This shows the close
connection between Babylon and Babylon the Great, the mother of
harlots.
(d) Newell, 223--"The idolatry
which originated at Babylon will yet bring wrath on all the nations,
and lastly
cast Babylon down to the doom of Sodom."
((I)) Cf.
Jeremiah 50:40
((II)) Remember
that all of this idolatry began at the tower of Babel, the site
of Babylon.--cf.
Genesis 11:1-9
(D) The warning of eternal doom upon the
beast-worshippers--vv. 9-12
(1) This is the proclamation of the third
angel--v. 9.
(a) The proclamation is made
with a great voice.
(b) The proclamation is to
the worshippers of the beast.
((I)) Includes
those who worship the beast
((II)) Includes
those who worship the image of' the beast
((III)) Includes
those who received the mark of the beast in their forehead or hand
(2) The Judgment upon them--vv. 10, 11
(a) God in complete justice brings
these to judgment.
(b) The nature of the judgment
((I)) The
withdrawal of all mercy forever
((A)) The wine of His wrath is unmixed--"unmingled with any
compassion
whatsoever."--Newell, 224
((B)) These have repeatedly spurned God's mercy and love; now
His wrath and hate is
poured out upon them.
((II)) The
cup of His indignation served to them
((A)) Cf. Romans 2:4-6
((B)) God is long-suffering, but His patience will come to an end--cf. Psalm
76:7
((C)) "Oh," say some, "but that is an Old Testament idea,
i. e., that God is a God of wrath;
we know that in the New Testament He is set forth as
the God of love." But wait a
minute and consider these New Testament passages.
((1)) John 3:16-18, 36
((2)) Romans 12:19
((D)) Newell, Ibid.--"The creature of this human race for whom
His Son died who turns his
back on the God whose name is Love, and chooses His enemy
, the old serpent and
murderer--God plainly tells us what He will do with him!
He shall have 'indignation
forever'"
(c) The means of judgment
((I)) Tormented
wi th fire and brimstone
((II)) Newell
(Ibid.) says, "Brimstone is the most terrible substance known in its
action upon
human flesh--in its torment when it touches the body."
((III)) This
brimstone is to be combined with fire and thus "it is absolute agony,
unutterable
anguish!" (Newell, Ibid.)
((IV)) You
all know what agony a simple burn can cause; imagine what a hot sticky
substance
would feel like.
(d) The onlookers
((I)) The holy
angels
((A)) The vast hosts of these holy servants of God
((B)) These are those, of course, who did not fall with Lucifer, Satan.
((C)) These are the ones who with angelic astonishment watched the Son of
God taste death
for mankind.
((D)) Now these watch the terrible choice of judgment that the
Christ-rejecting and
Christ-hating humans have brought on themselves, and
they watch "in deep, awful and holy
approval of the divine sentence,--for their God
hath done this!" (Newell, 224-225)
((II)) In the
presence of the Lamb
((A)) The mild and gentle Jesus is watching this divine sentence on those
for whom He died,
but who in turn rejected Him.
((B)) "Mercy is gone forever if the Lamb stands there: and He
will!"--Newell, 225
((C)) Yes, no longer is the hand of the merciful Lord extended, but
this writer can see Him
standing there, arms folded, and possibly nodding His
Holy Head at this just holocaust.
((D)) Newell (225, footnote) aptly says: "Let the daringly foolish
that deny eternal
punishment, and who profess to believe in a God incapable
of wrath stay away from this
spot!"
(e) The duration of this
judgment
((I)) The smoke
of their torment ascends up for ever and ever.
((A)) Not because there are so many of them
((B)) The Greek literally is "into ages of ages."
((C)) The whole notion is one of continuing for eternity.
((D)) There is absolutely no concept of annihilation here.
((II)) No
rest day nor night
((A)) This phrase only adds emphasis to the fact that it is wrath FOREVER.
((B)) If annihilation were true, this added emphasis would not
only not be necessary , but
would read, "they are immediately destroyed."
((III)) The
recipients of this wrath are again mentioned, as if the
Spirit of God was making it
abundantly clear who was to be so judged.
(3) The marks of the patience of God's
elect--v. 12
(a) These are the saints in contrast
to those who are doomed.
(b) These are undoubtedly the elect
of Israel--tribulation saints
(c) Also included may be the great
multitude who help Israel in this time of Jacob's trouble.
(d) Their patience is seen in waiting
for God to avenge them rather than taking vengeance
themselves.
(e) In application these
could represent the saints of all ages and thus teaches us a valuable
lesson
of being patient
when unbelievers speak evil of us and of our Lord.
(f) These saints are those
((I)) Keep
the commandments of God
((II)) Keep
the faith of Jesus
((III)) Both
of these phrases are Messianic in tone.
(E) Proclamation of the special blessedness of those who
"die in the Lord"--v. 13
(1) This passage has many times been misapplied
to believers in this age.
(a) Those who die in this present
church age certainly are in a blessed state.
(b) Those who die in this present
age certainly rest from their labors and their works do follow them.
(c) But the implication here is
that these are more blessed than those who are alive in the Lord.
(d) Such a difference may exist
in this present age, but nowhere else is stated or implied.
(e) The dead in Christ are more
blessed than those of us who are still alive only the sense that they
are in the
presence of the Lord.
(f) This statement is in the midst
of a section dealing with the tribulation and is most appropriate for
believers who
die at that time.
(2) Because "the fearful days of the Antichrist
are on," death "is better than life, and for "the two
reasons here announced by
the Spirit." (Newell, 226)
(a) Rest from their labors
((I)) This
phrase is preceded by the word "that", hina in the Greek, signifying
that "rest is at last
obtainable in no other way but by death."--Newell, Ibid.
((II)) The
beast has power to overcome the saints--Revelation 13:7
((III)) He
will wear out the saints--Daniel 7:25
(b) Their works follow them.
((I)) This
word "follow" occurs several times in the context.
((A)) 14:4
((B)) 14:8
((C)) 14:9
((D)) 14:13
((E)) Emphasizes the close connection of this verse with what proceeds
it.
((II)) These
are the last martyrs and are seen to be reigning with Christ--Revelation
20:6.
((A)) These thus have "a higher place than those, even of Israel, who
merely 'inherit the
kingdom' as in Matthew 25:31-46."--Newell, 227
((B)) John is instructed to write as though God wants particular attention
drawn to these
blessed ones.
(IV)
The two sharp sickles and what they reap (or the messages of the other
three angels)--vv. 14-20
(A) PROBLEMS of the passage
(1) Is this an advance picture of Armageddon
or a preview of the rest of the period?
(2) What group of people are reaped by
the Lord in vv. 14-16--gentiles or Jews?
(3) \\'hat is the vine of earth--Jews or
gentiles?
(B) Problem # 1--the time in view.
(1) KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS A PARENTHESIS BETWEEN
THE TRUMPETS AND THE
VIALS.
(a) As such it can picture
events for any part of the last 3 1/2 years.
(b) Since this section is
toward the end of the parenthesis and immediately precedes the end
judgments
of the tribulation, one might be able to conclude that it goes with
the end of
tribulation.
(2) As to whether it is an advance picture of
Armageddon (of which more will be said later) is not
easy to decide.
(a) Many commentators do
make it so.
(b) The identity of those
harvested in these verses may be a determining factor.
(c) The two may well be blended
here--a preview of the remainder of the tribulation with an
expansion
given under the seven vials, and an advance picture of Armageddon under
the figure
of the
winepress.
(C) The harvest of the earth vision--vv. 14-16
(1) This is problem #2--what group is
harvested?
(2) The Harvester--v. 14
(a) The white cloud
((I)) This
is what John sees first.
((II)) Then,
John sees the one sitting on the cloud.
(b) The Personage
((I)) One
like a son of man
((II)) Undoubtedly
Jesus Christ to Whom judgment is ultimately given
((III)) This
name is used in two contexts.
((A)) Used in Messianic contexts, thus would identify Him with Israel
((B)) Used also in contexts where Jesus is identifying Himself with
the human race. In this
connection, Unger declares: "This term is uniformly
used of Christ in connection with His
mission (. . .), His death and resurrection (. . .)
and His second advent. It transcends
purely Jewish limitations and has application to the
salvation of the entire race." "It is, for
example, in this name that universal judgment is committed
to our Lord (John 5:22, 27)."
(Source unknown, but this writer thinks it is his Bible
Dictionary)
((IV)) He
is the one who wears the golden crown--this clearly indicates His royal
right--cf.
Psalm 8:6 which will be fulfilled.
(c) In His hand a sharp sickle
((I)) Not
His glorious person is in view, nor the manner of His coming
((II)) The
fact that He has an instrument of reaping is emphasized here.
((III)) The
word "sickle"
((A)) Occurs only twelve times in the whole Bible
((B)) Seven of the twelve are in these verses.
((IV)) Note
the time of this incident.
((A)) After Revelation 4:1, the rapture--thus after church matters.
((B)) After the preservation of the 144,000 and great
multitude--chapter 7 and 14:1-5
((C)) After the martyrs under the beast are comforted in 14:1, 3
((D)) This only leaves two groups to be reaped.
((1)) The wicked Gentiles
((2)) The apostate Jews
(3) The harvest--vv. 15, 16
(a) As suggested this is
a judgment.
(b) An angel proclaims that
the Lord is to reap in a seemingly command.
((I)) This
may seem strange for an angel to command the Lord.
((II)) But
NOTE: this angel comes out of the temple, i. e.,
from the very presence of God the
Father; thus, this angel is merely a messenger to the Lord.
((III)) Remember
God the Father has set the times and seasons within His own authority.
((A)) Acts 1:7
((B)) Matthew 24:36
(c) Send forth the sickle
and reap.
((I)) Cannot
be the reaping of saints and sinners
((A)) Matthew 13: parable of tares often used to support
this idea.
((B)) Angels not the Lord are the reapers in the parable of wheat
and tares.
((C)) Here the reaper, as this writer showed, is the Lord.
((II)) Primarily
the reaping is judgment upon the wicked.
((III)) Which
wicked, Gentiles or Jews?
((A)) This writer personally believes that it is judgment on
Gentiles.
((B)) Reasons will be given in considering "The vine of the
earth."
(d) The hour to reap is
come.
((I)) What
solemn words these are.
((II)) Repeatedly
in the Old Testament the prophets warned of this harvest time for the
wicked.
((III)) Cf.
Joel 3:13) where the harvest and the winepress are brought together.
(e) The harvest of the
earth is dry.
((I)) Not
"ripe" as in Authorized Version, some say.
((A)) The word dry according to Alford (IV:691) means "perfectly
ripe."
((B)) Therefore, the King James Version rendering of "ripe" is
okay.
((II)) Cf.
Luke 23:31--Note the context, which has to do with Israel rather than Gentiles
(f) Verse 16 in one brief
sentence sets forth the Lord's obedience to the Father's command.
((I)) The
actor--”He that sat on the cloud"
((II)) The
act--"Thrust in His sickle on the earth."
((III)) The
result--"And the earth was reaped."
((A)) "Ah, and alas! how little men dream of the
end of all their pride and their
ambitions!"--
Newell, 230; italics are his.
((B)) "'The earth was reaped': That is the end of all
things of which man boasts!"--Newell,
Ibid.; italics are his.
(D) The vision of the vine of the earth and the
winepress of blood--vv. 17-20
(1) Problem # 13 is what group is the vine of
earth?
(2) The reaper--v. 17
(a) An angel, not the Lord
(b) Angels are most often
associated with Israel when some announcement concerning that people
is to be made,
particularly concerning this end time.
((I)) Cf.
Daniel 8:15
((II)) Daniel
9:2
((III)) Daniel
10:10ff.
((IV)) Daniel
12:1
((V)) Matthew
1:20
((VI)) Matthew
4:11
((VII)) Luke
1:11-19, 26-35
((VIII)) Luke
2:8-14
((IX)) Jude
9
(c) Note that this angel
comes out of the temple--i. e., from the presence of
the Father.
(3) The third angel--v. 18a
(a) This one is from the
altar, and has power over fire.
(b) The altar immediately
suggests that Israel may be in view.
(c) He gives command to the
second angel--to reap the vine of the earth.
(4) The vine of the earth --v. 18b
(a) The identity of the
vine
((I)) Newell
(231) seems to suggest that it is the beast, the antichrist, and those actively
in league
with him; this would be in contrast to the True Vine, Jesus Christ,
and His branches, the
believing church.
((A)) Objection # 1--Nowhere is the antichrist ever pictured as a
vine.
((B)) Objection # 2--To make such a parallel, one should insist that
the apostate church is
here connected as branches; however, the apostate church
has net yet been made
manifest in this book."
((C)) Objection # 3--All the references in the Old Testament to which
he refers
(Deuteronomy 32:31-35; Joel 312-14) can apply as well,
if not better to Israel.
((D)) Though this writer did not say so, the harvest of the earth
in vv. 14-16 seem to be
more likely of Gentiles. Therefore, this
one could not also be.
((1)) The Lord is the reaper there.
((2)) Matthew 25:31ff. suggests this harvesting.
((3)) The difficulty of separating these two groups
is that their judgment occurs together.
((II)) The
apostate Jews
((A)) Israel in many passages is pictured as a vine.
((1)) Hosea 10:1
((2)) Isaiah 5:1-7
((3)) Psalm 80:8
((4)) Some of the parables of Jesus suggest
it
((B)) Even the passage in Joel 3, though it is aimed at Gentiles, has
to do with Israel. The
nations are at this harvest and winepress because of
Israel.
((C)) Keep in mind that the apostate Jews are not consider God's people,
but just as the
heathen. Nevertheless, they are the vine, even
if productive of wild grapes.--cf. Isaiah 5
((D)) The chief difficulty with making the vine here apostate Israel
is that not only are the
apostate Jews ultimately placed under God's wrath, but
also the gentile nations. It may be
that the two groups reaped (the one in vv. 14, 15, and
the other here in v. 19) are both
put into "the wiinepress of the wrath of
God."
((III)) The
judgment is sure.
((A)) In the final analysis, it makes little difference which groups
are in view here except that
they are the wicked.
((B)) In any event, the picture presented here is a terrible one.
(5) The treading of the winepress--v. 20
(a) Trodden without the city
((I)) The
city is, of course, Jerusalem.
((II))
This may will be in the valley of Jehoshaphat--just east of
Jerusalem--as pictured in Joel 3
and Revelation 16:16ff.
(b) Blood from the winepress
for a distance of 1600 furlongs or stadia.
((I)) The
stadion = 600 Greek feet = 606 3/4 English feet.
((II)) 1600
stadia = 200 Greek miles
((III)) The
Greek mile is 426 ft. shorter than our mile.
((IV)) Therefore,
1600 stadia would equal 970,800 feet or approximately 184 of our miles.
((V)) Newell
(233) says this would be "a river from Edom to Carmel," but he does not say
what
part of Edom--perhaps the center of it.
((VI)) Using
the city of Bozrah in Edom, the distance would extend almost to Damascus
on the
north, or Sidon on the Mediterranean Sea.
((VII)) In
any event, Newell (Ibid.) is more correct in saying, "We dare not
read the verse that
tells this, except as God's literal foreview of fact!" rather
than saying with Alford (IV:693),
"We may fairly say, either that the number is assigned simply to signify
completeness and
magnitude (. . .), or else this is one of the riddles of the
Apocalypse to which not even a
proximate solution has ever yet been given."
((VIII)) Note
also the blood is to be to the bridles of the horses, or about four
feet.
((A)) This could mean that the river of blood is that deep.
((B)) Or it could mean that the blood splashes that high.
((C)) Newell (Ibid.) takes the first position, which may seem
to be an extreme. This writer is
inclined to agree though at first the second view came
to mind.
((D)) IN EITHER CASE, HUMAN CARNAGE WILL BE GREAT IN THAT DAY.
((IX)) Isaiah
63 is very suggestive in this connection.
((X)) Cf.
also
((A)) Isaiah34:1-10
((B)) Joel 3:1ff.
(c) This treading of the
winepress is "a literal trampling of the enemies of the Lord
in His fury," and
thus may include
both the wicked Gentiles and the apostate Jews. There is nothing to
indicate
that the harvest
of vv. 14-16 is not put into the winepress of God's wrath (This
wrath realizes
that this
is an argument from silence which can cut both ways.). However, the
day of God's
wrath is coming,
and when it comes, it will truely be "the great and terrible Day of the
Lord."