The Harvest.

An angel is now shown coming out of the temple in heaven with another sickle. This picture shows that the judgment is from the Father.

Another angel is then shown coming out from the altar, which indicates Christ`s great sacrifice (altar) and the execution of the judgments (fire). 

                      `Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven,

                                                   He also having a sharp sickle.

                                   And another angel came out from the altar,

                                                   who had power over fire,

                 and He cried with a loud cry to Him who had the sharp sickle,

                                                                  saying,

             “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth,

                                                      for her grapes are fully ripe.”`

                                                                                            (Rev. 14: 17 & 18)

These activities culminate in a dreadfully final picture of the earth outside the city, (Jerusalem) as drenched in blood.

                                       `So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth

                                              & gathered the vine of the earth,

                            and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

                                And the winepress was trampled outside the city,

                                           and blood came out of the winepress,

                                    up to the horses` bridles, for 1600 furlongs.`

                                                                                            (Rev. 14: 19 & 20)

The Prophet Joel gives us more details of this terrible Day. The city is Jerusalem and the valley where the world`s armies have been gathered is the valley of Jehoshaphat. It is here that Christ judges the nations.

                    ”Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;

                                  For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations,

                                                 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe,

                                               Come, go down; for the winepress is full,

                                       the vats overflow – for their wickedness is great.”

                                                                                            (Joel 3: 12 & 13)