15 And another angel came out of the temple , crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud , " Put in your sickle and reap , for the hour to reap has come , because the harvest of the earth is ripe ." 16 Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth , and the earth was reaped . 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven , and he also had a sharp sickle . 18 Then another angel , the one who has power over fire , came out from the altar ; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle , saying , " Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth , because her grapes are ripe ." 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth , and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 14:15-19
Commentary on Revelation 14:14-20
(Read Revelation 14:14-20)
Warnings and judgments not having produced reformation, the sins of the nations are filled up, and they become ripe for judgments, represented by a harvest, an emblem which is used to signify the gathering of the righteous, when ripe for heaven, by the mercy of God. The harvest time is when the corn is ripe; when the believers are ripe for heaven, then the wheat of the earth shall be gathered into Christ's garner. And by a vintage. The 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. The wine-press is the wrath of God, some terrible calamity, probably the sword, shedding the blood of the wicked. The patience of God towards sinners, is the greatest miracle in the world; but, though lasting, it will not be everlasting; and ripeness in sin is a sure proof of judgment at hand.