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Commentary on Revelation 14 verses 13–20
Here we have the vision of the harvest and vintage, introduced with a solemn preface. Observe,
I. The preface, Rev 14:13. Here note, 1. Whence this prophecy about the harvest came: it came down from heaven, and not from men, and therefore it is of certain truth and great authority. 2. How it was to be preserved and published - by writing; it was to be a matter of record, that the people of God might have recourse to it for their support and comfort upon all occasions. 3. What it principally intended, and that is, to show the blessedness of all the faithful saints and servants of God, both in death and after death: Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth, etc. Here observe, (1.) The description of those that are and shall be blessed - such as die in the Lord, either die in the cause of Christ, or rather die in a state of vital union with Christ, such as are found in Christ when death comes. (2.) The demonstration of this blessedness: They rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. [1.] They are blessed in their rest; they rest from all sin, temptation, sorrow, and persecution. There the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. [2.] They are blessed in their recompence: Their works follow them; they do not go before them as their title, or price of purchase, but follow them as their evidence of having lived and died in the Lord; and the memory of them will be pleasant, and the reward glorious, far above the merit of all their services and sufferings. [3.] They are happy in the time of their dying, when they have lived to see the cause of God reviving, the peace of the church returning, and the wrath of God falling upon their idolatrous cruel enemies. Such times are good times to die in; they have Simeon's desire: Now, Lord, let thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. And all this is ratified and confirmed by the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with their spirits and with the written word.
II. We have the vision itself, represented by a harvest and a vintage.
1.By a harvest (Rev 14:14, Rev 14:15), an emblem that sometimes signifies the cutting down of the wicked, when ripe for ruin, by the judgments of God, and sometimes the gathering in of the righteous, when ripe for heaven, by the mercy of God. This seems rather to represent God's judgments against the wicked: and here observe,
(1.)The Lord of the harvest - one so like unto the Son of man that he was the same, even the Lord Jesus, who is described, [1.] By the chariot in which he sat - a white cloud, a cloud that had a bright side turned to the church, how dark soever it might be to the wicked. [2.] By the ensign of his power: On his head was a golden crown, authority to do all that he did and whatsoever he would do. [3.] By the instrument of his providences: In his hand a sharp sickle. [4.] By the solicitations he had from the temple to perform this great work. What he did, he was desired to do by his people; and, though he was resolved to do it, he would for this thing be sought unto by them, and so it should be in return to their prayers.
(2.)The harvest-work, which is, to thrust the sickle into the corn, and reap the field. The sickle is the sword of God's justice; the field is the world; reaping is cutting the inhabitants of the earth down and carrying them off.
(3.)The harvest-time; and this is when the corn is ripe, when the measure of the sin of men is filled up, and they are ripe for destruction. The most inveterate enemies of Christ and his church are not destroyed till by their sin they are ripe for ruin, and then he will spare them no longer; he will thrust in his sickle, and the earth shall be reaped.
2.By a vintage, Rev 14:17. Some think that these two are only different emblems of the same judgment; others that they refer to distinct events of providence before the end of all things. Observe, (1.) To whom this vintage-work was committed - to an angel, another angel that came out from the altar, that is, from the holiest of all in heaven. (2.) At whose request this vintage-work was undertaken: it was, as before, at the cry of an angel out of the temple, the ministers and churches of God on earth. (3.) The work of the vintage, which consists of two parts: - [1.] The cutting off, and gathering, the clusters of the vine, which were now ripe and ready, fully ripe, Rev 14:18. [2.] Casting these grapes into the wine-press (Rev 14:19); here we are told, First, What was the wine-press: it was the wrath of God, the fire of his indignation, some terrible calamity, very probably the sword, shedding the blood of the wicked. Secondly, Where was the place of the wine-press - without the city, where the army lay that came against Babylon. Thirdly, The quantity of the wine, that is, of the blood that was drawn forth by this judgment: it was, for depth, up to the horses' bridles, and, for breadth and length, a thousand and six hundred furlongs (Rev 14:20); that is, say some, 200 Italian miles, which is thought to be the measure of the holy land, and may be meant of the patrimony of the holy see, encompassing the city of Rome. But here we are left of doubtful conjectures. Perhaps this great event has not yet had its accomplishment, but the vision is for an appointed time; and therefore, though it may seem to tarry, we are to wait for it. But who shall live when the Lord does this?
"And the angel thrust in the sickle, and reaped the vine of the earth, and cast it into the wine-press of the wrath of God. And the wine-press of His fury was trodden down without the city." In that he says that it was cast into the wine-press of the wrath of God, and trodden down without the city, the treading of the wine-press is the retribution on the sinner.
"And blood went out from the wine-press, even unto the horse-bridles." The vengeance of shed blood as was before predicted, "In blood thou hast sinned, and blood shall follow thee."
"For a thousand and six hundred furlongs." That is, through all the four parts of the world: for there is a quadrate put together by fours, as in four faces and four appearances, and wheels by fours; for forty times four is one thousand six hundred.
[The winepress is trodden] outside the city, that is to say, outside of the church. This will obviously take place when the future separation has been accomplished, for then every person of sin will be outside. This trodding of the winepress or the threshing of the field will destroy all that is useless, but it will prove that which is incorruptible, for the trials of tribulations test the righteous, just as a vase is tested by fire. The blood flowing as high as horses’ bridles represents the vengeance that reaches even to the leaders of the nations. When the devil, together with his accomplices, begin to pay the penalties for the persecutions that they initiated, it is aptly said that the blood of the saints, which was once spilled, reaches as far as him and his princes, that is, those horses which in the person of the heretics started wars, as well as those who followed their errors. As it had been foretold, in the blood of sin “also the blood shall pursue you” for 1, stadia, that is, into all the four corners of the world. For four is multiplied by four, as in four square-shaped faces and in wheels. Four times four hundred gives 1,600.
However, it is possible to understand this another way. For since those who transgressed by giving themselves over to pleasure have become horses full of lust, they will be overtaken by tortures up to their bridles, for they knew no bridle in their pleasures. By the “1, stadia” we learn of the great chasm that separates the righteous from the sinners. For these were perfect in evil and did that which is abominable, and therefore ten times one hundred signifies the complete magnitude of their evil, while the six hundred suggests their eager engagement in sin through the misuse of the creation, which was created in six days, and also in the six hundredth year of Noah all land was inundated by water.
And blood came out of the winepress, etc. Vengeance came out even to the rulers of the peoples. For vengeance for the blood of the saints poured out has reached even to the devil and his angels in the final struggle. As it is written: In blood you sinned, and blood will pursue you. It was said above concerning the horses:
For a distance of sixteen hundred stadia. That is, through all four parts of the world. For fourfoldness is compounded four times, as in the four-faced quadriform and wheels. Four times four hundred is sixteen hundred. Tyconius interprets the reaper and the grape gatherer as the Church, shining forth after the flames of persecutions, holding the power to bind and to loose. The angel from the temple or altar giving the command of the Lord, not with a clear voice, but by the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, who works in His body, teaching that it is now time for the wicked to be anathematized, having power over fire, namely that which comes from the mouth of the witnesses, and consumes their enemies. Thus far concerning the conflict of the Church and the ripe end of the struggle for both.
And he says the winepress was trodden outside of the city; for it was not lawful that those being punished should receive the returns of evils and defile the joy of the holy ones in the heavenly Jerusalem, which has been called out, through sympathy for those rightly punished, not that a great chasm does not separate the pious from the impious according to the words of the patriarch Abraham, which he made toward the rich in the Gospels. (Luke 16:26)
And blood, it says, flowed from the winepress. He rightly said blood, to show that having spoken of a cluster of grapes he had spoken metaphorically, since indeed the sufferers and the thrashers were people, and they thresh with the bridles of horses for a thousand six hundred stadia, he says. Certain horses of God are handed over to us in the divine Scripture, signifying angelic power that holds God's dominion; for he says in the Song of Songs to the bride, "The heavenly bridegroom I likened to my horse in Pharaoh's chariot, the near one, my near one." (Song 1:9) And the prophet Habakkuk sings to God that he will "mount upon your horses, and your cavalry is salvation." (Hab. 3:8) The Revelation says that the bridles of these horses are wet with the blood of sinners, not nearby but standing apart by length; and the whole statement is figurative, the riddle showing that the blood is so great. For those who travel the broad way are far more numerous than those on the narrow and pressed path (Matt. 7:14), just as those bridles might well be soaked from the horses set over punishment, whether of angels or whatever else.
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SUMMARY
Revelation 14:20 vividly portrays the culmination of divine judgment, depicting a scene of overwhelming wrath poured out upon the wicked. Following the symbolic harvest and vintage of the earth, this verse describes the treading of the great winepress of God's fury, located outside the symbolic city, from which blood flows in an astonishingly deep and far-reaching torrent, signifying the catastrophic and widespread destruction of those who have rejected God and allied with evil.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 14:20 is rich in Imagery, painting a terrifying and visceral picture of divine judgment. The transformation of grape juice into blood, the depth of the blood reaching "horse bridles," and the vast expanse of "a thousand and six hundred furlongs" all create a powerful, sensory experience for the reader, conveying the horror and magnitude of God's wrath. Symbolism is paramount, with the "winepress" representing God's mechanism of judgment and the "blood" symbolizing the widespread death and destruction of the wicked. The numbers "thousand and six hundred" are also highly symbolic, often interpreted as representing completeness or universality (4 x 4 x 100), rather than a literal geographical distance. The phrase "even unto the horse bridles" employs Hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration to emphasize the extreme depth and overwhelming nature of the judgment, making the scene even more impactful and terrifying.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 14:20 stands as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the inevitable consequences of persistent rebellion against His holy character and gracious offer of salvation. While God is love and patient, this verse underscores that His patience has limits, and His righteousness demands that sin be judged. The imagery of the winepress, steeped in Old Testament prophetic tradition, affirms God's sovereign control over history and His ultimate triumph over all evil. It serves as a powerful theological statement: God will not allow wickedness to prevail indefinitely; there will be a final, decisive reckoning where every act of defiance against Him will be met with righteous retribution. This judgment, though terrifying, is a necessary precursor to the establishment of His perfect, righteous kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 14:20 is a sobering depiction of divine wrath, serving as a profound warning to all humanity. For those who remain unrepentant and aligned with the forces of evil, this verse highlights the absolute certainty and terrifying severity of God's ultimate justice. It calls for a serious consideration of one's eternal destiny and the urgency of responding to God's gracious call to repentance and faith. For believers, while the imagery is grim, it offers a deep assurance of God's sovereignty and His commitment to finally eradicate all evil and suffering. This certainty should inspire steadfastness in faith, perseverance in the face of tribulation, and a renewed passion for sharing the gospel of salvation, which offers an escape from the wrath to come. It reminds us that our God is not only merciful but also perfectly just, and His kingdom will ultimately prevail in righteousness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this judgment literal or symbolic?
Answer: Revelation is an apocalyptic book, rich in symbolism and imagery. While the judgment it describes is absolutely real and terrifying, the specific details—such as blood literally flowing for 184 miles up to horse bridles—are best understood as symbolic hyperbole. This vivid imagery is used to convey the immense scale, intensity, and catastrophic nature of God's final wrath, rather than providing a precise literal measurement or physical description. The reality of the judgment is certain, but its portrayal uses powerful, metaphorical language to communicate its overwhelming impact.
What is the significance of "without the city"?
Answer: The phrase "without the city" (Greek: éxō tēs póleōs) carries multiple layers of significance. Historically, executions and acts of defilement often occurred outside city gates. Theologically, it could symbolize a judgment that is not confined to a specific geographical location (like Jerusalem) but is global in scope, impacting all who are outside the "city" of God's protection. It may also signify a judgment upon those who are spiritually outside of God's covenant people, or even a specific geographical location like the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which is traditionally associated with final judgment in passages like Joel 3:12.
What do "horse bridles" and "1600 furlongs" signify?
Answer: Both phrases are powerful instances of hyperbole and symbolism to convey the overwhelming nature of the judgment. "Even unto the horse bridles" emphasizes the unprecedented depth and saturation of the blood, indicating a carnage of unimaginable scale. The "thousand and six hundred furlongs" (approximately 184 miles or 296 kilometers) denotes the vast geographical extent of this judgment. The number 1600 is often seen as symbolically significant in apocalyptic literature (4 x 4 x 10 x 10), representing a complete or universal judgment. It suggests that this final act of divine wrath will be comprehensive, far-reaching, and leave no part of the rebellious earth untouched.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 14:20 graphically depicts God's wrath against sin, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the profound contrast and a deeper understanding of His role. The terrifying imagery of the winepress of wrath underscores the immense price Christ paid to deliver humanity from such a fate. He, the Lamb of God, willingly entered the "winepress" of God's wrath on the cross, shedding His own blood not for judgment, but for atonement. It is the blood of Jesus, poured out at Calvary, that cleanses from all sin and delivers believers from the wrath to come (Romans 5:9). Furthermore, it is Christ Himself who is depicted in Revelation 19:15 as the one who "treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" at His second coming. This reveals that the very One who offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice is also the righteous Judge who will execute final justice. Thus, Revelation 14:20 serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of rejecting the salvation offered through Jesus, emphasizing that apart from His atoning work, humanity faces the full, unmitigated fury of God's righteous judgment. His first coming was to save; His second will be to judge, bringing both salvation to His people and righteous wrath upon His enemies.