Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 14:19
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AR 650. Verse 19. And the angel sent his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, signifies the end of the present Christian church. By "sending his sickle and gathering," the like is signified as by "sending his sickle and reaping," but the latter is said of a harvest and the former of a vineyard. That "to gather" is to take down the vine and gather the grapes, and that "to reap" signifies to cut down the harvest and gather the corn, is evident. That "a vineyard" signifies the church where the Word is, by which the Lord is known, thus here the Christian church, may appear from the following passages:--

Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches be that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fit; for without Me ye can do nothing. If anyone abide not in Me, he is cast forth, and is as a dried branch in the fire (John 15:5, 6).

Jesus likened the kingdom of the heavens to a householder, who brought laborers into his vineyard (Matt. 20:1, 8).

Of the sons who were to labor in the vineyard (Matt. 21:28).

Of the fig-tree planted in the vineyard which bare no fruit (Luke 13:6-9).

Jesus spake a parable; a man planted a vineyard, and encompassed it with a hedge, and let it out to husbandmen, that he might receive the fruits of it, but they slew the servants sent to them, and at last the son (Matt. 21:33-39; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16).

I will sing a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard which he fenced about, and planted with a noble vine (Isa. 5:1, 2).

In that day answer ye unto her, a vineyard of unmixed wine; I Jehovah, do keep it; I will water it every moment (Isa. 27:2, 3).

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have placed it in a solitude (Jer. 12:10, 11).

Jehovah cometh into judgment with the elders, for you have kindled the vineyard (Isa. 3:14).

In all vineyards there is wailing (Amos 5:17).

In the vineyards there is no singing, neither is there shouting (Isa. 16:10).

AR 651. And he cast it into the great winepress of the anger of God, signifies exploration of the quality of their works, that they were evil. By "casting the clusters of the vineyard into the winepress," is signified to explore their works, for these are signified by "clusters," as may be seen above (n. 649). But as it is called "the great winepress of the anger of God," it signifies exploration of their works as being evil, for the "anger of God" is said of evil (n. 635). "A winepress" signifies exploration, because, in presses, must is pressed out from clusters, and oil from olives, and from the must and oil which are pressed out is perceived the quality of the grapes and olives. And as by "a vineyard" is signified the Christian church, and by its "clusters" are signified works, therefore the exploring of these with the men of the Christian church is signified by "casting them into the winepress." But because they have separated faith from charity, and have made faith without the works of the law saving; and since from faith separated from charity none but evil works proceed, therefore it is called "the great winepress of the anger of God." The exploration of works is also signified by a winepress in the following passages:--

My beloved hath a vineyard in the horn of a son of oil; he planted it with a noble vine, he also hewed out a winepress therein, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes (Isa. 5:1, 2).

Send ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great (Joel 3:13).

The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the must shall fail in her (Hos. 9:2).

The waster is fallen upon thy vintage, I line caused wine to fail from the winepresses, none shall tread with shouting, the shouting shall be no shouting (Jer. 48:32, 33).

A householder planted a vineyard, and digged a winepress in it, and let it out to husbandmen, but they slew the servants sent unto them, and last of all the son (Matt. 21:33-39).

A winepress is also spoken of the goods of charity, from which truths of faith proceed, in Joel:--

Rejoice O daughters of Zion, and the threshing-floors are full of grain, and the winepresses shall overflow with must and oil (Joel 2:23, 24).

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info