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.
18. the altar ] Rev 6:9.
which had power over fire ] Plainly the A. V. leads us to understand an elemental Angel, like “the Angel of the Waters” in Rev 16:5. This is not impossible: the word “fire” has the article, but in Greek “the element of fire” would be naturally so expressed. It may therefore be, that “the Angel of Fire” is made to invoke the judgement on the wicked which will be executed by fire. But probably here and at Rev 8:3-5 we are to understand that this is the Angel “who had power over the fire” on the Altar. He appears also in rabbinical literature.
Thrust in ] Send as in Rev 14:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And another angel – The sixth in order. He came, like the angel in Rev 14:15, with a command to him who had the sickle to go forth and execute his commission.
Came out from the altar – This stood in the front of the temple (see the notes on Mat 21:12; compare the notes on Mat 5:23-24), and was the place where burnt-sacrifices were made. As the work now to be done was a work of destruction, this was an appropriate place in the representation.
Which had power over fire – As if he kept the fire on the altar. Fire is the usual emblem of destruction; and as the work now to be done was such, it was proper to represent this angel as engaged in it.
And cried with a loud cry, … – See Rev 14:15. That is, he came forth, as with a command from God, to call on him who was appointed to do the work of destruction, now to engage in performing it. The time had fully come.
Thrust in thy sharp sickle – Rev 14:15.
And gather the clusters of the vine of the earth – That portion of the earth which might be represented by a vineyard in which the grapes were to be gathered and crushed. The image here employed occurs elsewhere to denote the destruction of the wicked. See the very beautiful description in Isa 63:1-6, respecting the destruction of Edom, and the notes on that passage.
For her grapes are fully ripe – That is, the time has come for the ingathering; or, to apply the image, for the winding up of human affairs by the destruction of the wicked. The time here, as in the previous representation, is the end of the world; and the design is, to comfort the church in its trials and persecutions, by the assurance that all its enemies will be cut off.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Power over fire] Probably meaning the same angel which is mentioned, Rev 8:3; Rev 9:13, who stood by the altar of burnt-offering, having authority over its fire to offer that incense to God which represents the prayers of the saints.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From the altar; the place of sacrifices and burnt-offerings.
Which had power over fire; which had commission to execute Gods judgments, compared to fire, Psa 11:6; 21:9; 1:3.
And cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying: Gods holy ones cry unto him who hath a power to execute vengeance.
Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; put an end to the rage of antichrist, and gather those clusters which grew upon this vine of Sodom, and were as the clusters of Gomorrah.
For her grapes are fully ripe; for their iniquities were come to the full, and they were now ripe for judgment. Our learned Dr. More expounds this ripeness, of a readiness for conversion, as well as for destruction, and thinks the first is here rather intended: the last words of the next verse incline me to judge otherwise.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. from the altarupon whichwere offered the incense-accompanied prayers of all saints, whichbring down in answer God’s fiery judgment on the Church’s foes, thefire being taken from the altar and cast upon the earth.
fully ripeGreek,“come to their acme”; ripe for punishment.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And another angel came out from the altar,…. Where are the souls of the martyrs of Jesus, Re 6:9 and whom this angel is thought by some to represent, in his address to him that had the sharp sickle, crying for vengeance on the wicked of the earth, who had shed their blood: the allusion seems to be to the altar of burnt offerings, where the sacrifices were slain, and on which they were burnt with fire; and which was an emblem of the strict justice of God, showing, that those persons, for whom these sacrifices were offered, deserved to be treated in like manner; and here the angel coming from thence signifies, that he came on the behalf of the justice of God, treating that he, to whom vengeance belonged, would execute it upon all the ungodly, who were ripe for judgment: and hence it is further said of him,
which had power over fire; whether the angels, as they have presided over particular kingdoms and states, Da 10:20 preside over the elements, since this angel had power over fire, and another angel is called the angel of the waters, Re 16:5 may be considered. According to the Jews c there are , “angels of fire”, and
, “angels of the waters”; particularly it is said d, that Gabriel is , “the prince of fire”, or “that has power over fire”, and Jurkemo is , “prince of hail”, or has power over it: however, fire is to be taken here, not for the Spirit, and his gifts, which not a created angel, but Christ only, has a power over, to baptize with; nor the Gospel, nor martyrdom, but rather the wrath of God, which in Scripture is often compared to fire, of which this angel was an executioner: and indeed here it may be referred, both literally to the burning of the world, and the wicked in it, in which the angels may be concerned, who will descend with Christ in flames of fire, taking vengeance on the wicked; and figuratively to hell fire, and the destruction of the wicked in it, who will be cast into it by the angels of God.
And cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, as in
Re 14:15 expressing like vehemence and importunity,
saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle: not commanding or directing, but entreating as before:
and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; not the vine of God’s planting, the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, the church of Christ; but the vine of the earth, of wicked and earthly men, whose vine is the vine of Sodom, c. De 32:32 and which is spread over the whole earth a wild vine, whose grapes are gall, clusters bitter, and their wine the poison of dragons; and to such a vine the wicked are compared, for their emptiness and unfruitfulness, their uselessness and unprofitableness, and for their being fit fuel for everlasting burnings; see Eze 15:2. And the clusters of it may denote the great multitude of the wicked now to be cut down, gathered in, and destroyed, the reason given,
for her grapes are fully ripe; their wickedness very great, their iniquity full, the measure of their sins filled up, and they fitted for destruction, and ripe for ruin; see Joe 3:13. Some understand this of the degenerate church of Rome, and the destruction of it; see Re 19:15.
c Sepher Raziel, fol. 39. 2. Targum in 1 Reg. xix. 11. d T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 118. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Another angel ( ). The fifth angel above Swete terms “the Angel of vengeance.” He responds to the call of the sixth angel here as Christ does to the call of the fourth angel in verse 15.
Out from the altar ( ). From the altar of incense where he is in charge of the fire ( ). If it is the altar of burnt offering (Rev 6:9; Rev 11:1), we are reminded of the blood of the martyrs (Swete), but if the altar of incense (Rev 8:3; Rev 8:5; Rev 9:13; Rev 16:7), then of the prayers of the saints.
The sharp sickle ( ). Useful for vintage as for harvesting. So “send forth” () as in verse 15.
Gather (). First aorist active imperative of , old verb (from dryness, ripeness), in N.T. only Re 15:18f. and Lu 6:44.
The clusters ( ). Old word , here only in N.T. (Ge 40:10).
Her grapes ( ). Old word again for grapes, bunch of grapes, in N.T. only here, Matt 7:16; Luke 6:44.
Are fully ripe (). Old and common verb (from , Mt 15:16), to come to maturity, to reach its acme, here only in N.T.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Altar [] . See on Act 17:23.
Which has power [ ] . Lit., having power. Some texts add the article oJ. So Rev., “he that hath power.”
Fire. In the Greek with the article, the fire.
Cry [] . See on Luk 1:42.
Thy sharp sickle. Lit., thy sickle, the sharp.
Gather [] . From trugh dryness, included in the notion of ripeness, and hence the vintage, harvest. The verb means therefore to gather ripe fruit. It occurs only in this chapter and in Luk 6:44. Grapes [] . The noun in the singular means also a bunch of grapes.
Are fully ripe [] . Only here in the New Testament. From ajkmh, transcribed in acme, the highest point. Hence the verb means to reach the height of growth, to be ripe.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And another angel came out from the altar,” (kai allos angelos ekselthen ek tou thusiasteriou) “And (yet) another angel went forth out of the altar,” out of the sacrifice area of heaven, making three angels that, one by one, had come forth with an harvest and Judgment cry.
2) “Which had power over fire,” (ho echon eksousian epi tou puros) “Who held administrative power (or control) over the fire; the flaming fire of Judgment in which the Son of Man shall come to end the Armageddon, 2Th 1:6-10; Rev 8:5; Rev 16:8.
3) “And cried with a loud cry,” (kai ephonesen phone megale), “And he spoke with a great (megaphone-like) voice; It was a voice of authority, sent forth from the Father, Act 1:7.
4) “To him that had the sharp sickle,” (to echonti to dreparion to oksu) “Directly to or addressing the one holding the sharp sickle,” the judge of all things, Joh 5:27.
5) “Saying thrust in thy sharp sickle,” (legon pempson sou to dreparion to oksu) “Swing forth thy sharp, (ready) sickle; The final accounting time had come for Israel, God’s vine or vineyard that rejected him, Mat 21:33-41.
6) “And gather the clusters of the vine of the earth,” (kai trugeson tou botruas tes ampelou tes ges) “and gather or reap the clusters of the vine of the earth; Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21.
7) “For her grapes are full ripe,” (hoti ekmasan hai staphulai autes) “Because the grapes of it (her), the vine, are full ripe; as Israel was God’s vine who rejected him, this appears to be her final earthly Judgment for rejecting her King. Psa 80:8-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) And another angel . . .Translate, And another angel, . . . he who hath authority over the fire. The two scenesone in Rev. 6:9-10 (the souls crying beneath the altar), the other in Rev. 8:5 (the angel mingling incense with the prayers of the saints)must be remembered. The angel who had charge of the altar fire, and flung the ashes betokening judgments towards the earth, calls with a loud cry, Send thy sharp sickle, and gather the bunches of the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Another angel The two angels of Rev 14:17-18, are the angels of the bloody vintage. The former has the sickle, and is the executioner; the latter reports the ripeness and readiness for the bloodshed.
Came out from the altar As the previous came from the visional temple in the sky; where the divine wrath against Babylon is brewing. The altar is the basis on which the victim is placed with bloodshed; thence it is revealed that the moment is ripe for the sacrifice.
Power over fire And was, therefore, the proper angel to guard the fires of the altar. The imagery presupposes the guardianship of the different elements by appointed angels. So in Rev 7:1-2, we have the angels of the four winds, and in Rev 16:5, the angel of the waters.
Are fully ripe As the juice of the grape has fully matured for the press, so the sins of Babylon are full for divine punishment.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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.
Ver. 18. And another angel ] A type of true pastors, saith Mr Forbes; by whose plain and powerful preaching the other are informed and stirred up to consecrate their hands to the Lord. Such an angel was Zuinglius, who died in battle; such was Beza in that battle that was fought in campis Druidensibus; such were the Angrognian ministers, and such were sundry of our late army preachers, Mr Marshal, Mr Ash, my dear brother Mr Thomas Jackson, now of Gloucester, &c.
Which had power over fire ] Not Christum et Evangelium flammeum praedicans, as a popish varlet a slandered Beza at the afore mentioned sight, but as the pacifying the fire of contention among brethren, and setting them all together against the common enemy.
Thrust in thy sharp sickle ] Fall on, quit you like men, be valiant for the Lord of hosts; “Cursed is he that doth the Lord’s work negligently. Cursed is he that withholdeth his sword from blood.” Thus the faithful ministers strengthened the hands and hearts of the soldiers to battle, and made them stick close to their colours and commanders.
Are fully ripe ] Ripe for vengeance, as the Amorites were, when they had filled the land from one end to another with their uncleanness, Ezr 9:11 . About the year of grace 1414, Theodoricus Urias, an Augustinian in Germany, complained, that the Church of Rome was then become, ex aurea argenteam, ex argentea ferream, ex ferrea terream, superesse ut in stercus abiret; of gold silver, of silver iron, of iron earth, which would shortly turn to muck. (Jac. Revius.)
a A man or lad acting as an attendant or servant; a menial, a groom. Now arch. OED
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 14:18 . . The figure of this angel (= Jehuel in rabbinic tradition. Gfrrer, i. 369) has an Iranian tinge. The justice of the punishment is attested by its origin in the purpose of one who corresponded to the Persian Amshas-pand ( cf. on Rev 1:4 ), Ashem Vahishtan, who presided over fire and at the same time symbolised the closely allied conceptions of goodness, truth, and right in Zoroastrian mythology ( cf. H. J. , 1904, 350). A similar representation of an angel speaking from the fire in connexion with providence occurs in Chag. 14 b .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
out from. App-104.
altar. See Rev 6:9.
which had = the (one) having.
power. App-172.
fire = the fire. i.e. the altar fire.
cried = he called. Greek. phoneo. Only occurance in Rev.
vine. The vine is the vine of the earth (Deu 32:32, Deu 32:33). Compare Isa 34:1-8. Joe 3:12-15. Zep 3:8. See Rev 19:15 and compare Isa 63:1-4.
are fully ripe. Greek. akmazo. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 14:18. , [169] , , …) See the general remark respecting the Latin Translator in App. Crit. Ed. ii, on this passage. is said in the singular number; but it appears to be the singular for the plural, since the word , here used, has no plural. Comp. , ch. Rev 16:5.- – ) are often synonymous, but they sometimes differ, in the LXX.: Num 13:23, , LXX., ; Gen 40:10, . Therefore , the whole, a cluster: , the parts, a grape.- , of the vine) The plural is not wanting, , LXX., ; and yet in this place it is singular: all the wicked are like one vine; they all cohere in one mass.
[169] So AC; but Rec. Text omits with B. A Vulg. omit : and A omits the following before , which Vulg. retains; so Lachm. But BC support -; so Tisch.-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
came: Rev 6:9, Rev 6:10
which: Rev 16:8
and cried: Rev 14:15, Rev 14:16
Thrust: Joe 3:13
Reciprocal: Isa 5:2 – a winepress Jer 6:9 – They shall Jer 25:30 – give 1Pe 4:6 – but Rev 14:17 – came Rev 16:1 – I heard Rev 16:7 – out
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 14:18. The next attending angel came out from the altar. That article was also at the temple and it was the piece that was used for burning certain victims- The symbol is very appropriate since this sickle is to be used for gathering the grapes; grapes for the wrath of God. This angel gave the signal to the one holding the second sickle to use it for gathering in the clusters. The reason assigned by him for the order was her grapes are fully ripe. God is never premature in his operations. He explained to Abraham in Gen 15:16 that the reason for waiting until the fourth generation for attacking the land of promise was that “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” In 2Pe 3:15 it says that the longsuffering of God in delaying the destruction of the earth “is salvation.” Whenever God in his infinite wisdom sees that the time is fully ripe for the harvest He will send forth the reapers and bring an end to the earth and its contents.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 18.
A third angel came out from the altar saying to the angel that had the sickle: Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe–Rev 14:18. This angel from the altar undoubtedly signified the answer to the cry of the martyrs under the altar of Rev 6:9-10 : “How long, 0 Lord, how long, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” The Lord replied that “they should rest (wait) yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Now, the vision of these angels in chapter 14, sees the role of the martyrs in the visions completed and finished. The angel from the altar was seen answering the souls under the altar (Rev 6:9-10),
and he made an announcement to the angel with the sickle that time had come to avenge the martyrs. With these signals the Son of man reaped the earth of its harvest of grain, and his ministering angel gathered the vintage of grapes. Here was a double vision: the harvesting of grain and the gathering of vintage. With the double vision there was the double instrument of reaping and pruning. It signified reward and retribution. The harvest of grain represented the gathering of the faithful saints, and the vintage of grapes the crushing of their wicked oppressors. The symbols are comparable to the Lord’s illustration of the wheat and the chaff, to the extent of the imagery of reward and retribution.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 14:18. The third of the second group of three angels comes not merely from the temple, but out from the altar, the most sacred part of itthat altar over which the angel stands who presents the prayers of the saints to God, and who casts its fire upon the earth (chap. Rev 8:3-5). It is this fire, not fire in general, that is referred to when the angel is described as he that hath power over the fire. The fire is the judgments of God upon the earth.
The angel next cries to him that had the sharp sickle that he should gather the clusters of the vine of the earth. As in Rev 14:16 we were told only of the harvest of the good, so here we are told only of the vintage of the wicked. The figure is often used in the Old Testament (comp. Isa 63:1-4; Joe 3:13).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Another angel, the sixth in this chapter, came out from the golden altar of incense in heaven (Rev 8:3). This is probably an allusion to his responding to the Tribulation saints’ prayers for vengeance from under the altar (Rev 6:9-10). His "power over fire" may indicate his authority to execute punishment. It seems clear from Rev 14:19 that this angel was addressing the angel with the sickle (Rev 14:17), not Jesus Christ. John saw a different crop here ready for harvest. The two reapings seem to describe a single judgment at the end of the Great Tribulation (Rev 19:15; Rev 19:17-21).
"Following the pattern of Joe 3:13, the scene furnishes two pictures of the same judgment for the same reason that Joel does, i.e., to emphasize the terror of it." [Note: Ibid., p. 220. Cf. Isaiah 34:1-3, 6; 63:1-6.]
The vine may represent Israel and the wheat Gentiles.