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Revelation 14:14-20

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

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.

Revelation 14:14-20 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Revelation 14:14

Theological / Devotional

A white cloud. Verses 14–20 are a symbolic vision of the coming of Christ. Rules for the interpretation of symbolic visions (see on Eze. 1:10) must be applied in an exposition of the passage. For the significance of clouds with reference to the coming of Christ see on Acts 1:9–11; cf. Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7. The nature of the three angels’ messages and the fact that immediately following them the coming of Christ is discussed, show that the three messages are God’s final message of warning to the world (cf. on ch. 18:1–4).

Son of man. See on ch. 1:13.

Crown. Gr. stephanos, “a wreath,” “a crown,” here, of victory (cf. on ch. 12:3). The golden crown may be contrasted with the “crown [stephanos] of thorns” (Matt. 27:29).

Sharp sickle. Jesus is represented coming as a reaper to gather the harvest (vs. 15, 16).

By SdaBc