Winepress of Wrath

Scripture:

Revelation: 14:14-20 (ESV)

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Devotional:

Reading this I picture Lucile Ball in “I Love Lucy” stomping grapes in a wine press.  I can still see her face as she is squishing grapes.  I can see a giant version of that winepress with the unsaved thrown in. I picture the blood rising higher and higher seeping through the winepress, and over it.

This is definitely not a place I want to end up.  Full of God’s wrath nothing but pain and misery.  When the earth is ripe God will poor out his wrath.  I think about the hell, damnation, fire and brimstone sermons we never hear anymore.  I use to think we didn’t need to hear them anymore.  They got old and outdated.  But, looking at where we are today I wonder if it might be possible we need more of those sermons.  For those who are saved it makes a great reminder.  For others hopefully a wakeup call. 

Do you need a wakeup call?  Do you know someone who does?  Revelation 14 shows us God’s wrath.  It also shows us what will happen to those who remain lost.  I am glad to know where I will reside in eternity.  Do you know where you will spend eternity?  What about your family and friends?  What about your neighbor?