652. 14:20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city. This symbolically means that the examination was made in accordance with Divine truths in the Word, to discover the character of the works that flowed from their church's doctrine regarding faith.

The trampling of the winepress means symbolically that the examination was made to discover the character of the works. To trample a winepress means, symbolically, to examine, and the clusters of grapes that were trampled symbolize works, as in no. 649 above, here the works that flowed from their church's doctrine regarding faith, namely evil works. The city here means the great city mentioned in chapter 11:8, above, "the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt." That it means the doctrine of faith divorced from charity - the doctrine of the church of the Protestant Reformed - may be seen in nos. 501, 502 above. And because every examination of a church's doctrine is made in accordance with the Divine truth in the Word, and because this is not found in the doctrine of the Protestant Reformed, but apart from it, this too is symbolically meant by the trampling's having taken place outside the city.

It can be seen from this that the trampling of the winepress outside the city means symbolically that the examination was made in accordance with Divine truths in the Word, to discover the character of the people's works that flowed from their church's doctrine regarding faith.

In the following passages, to trample or tread a winepress means, symbolically, not only to examine for evil works, but also to hold them up to view and to remove them and cast them into hell:

I speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is your apparel red, and your garments like those of one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone... (Isaiah 63:1-3)

The Lord has trodden underfoot all my mighty men...; the Lord has trampled the winepress of the... daughter of Judah. (Lamentations 1:15)

(He who sat on the white horse) shepherds (the nations) with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of... God. (Revelation 19:15)

650. 14:19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the vine of the earth. This symbolizes the end of the present Christian Church.

Thrusting in his sickle and gathering the vintage has the same symbolic meaning as thrusting in his sickle and reaping, but reaping is said in reference to the crop of a field, while gathering the vintage is said in reference to a vineyard. That to gather the vintage is to harvest a vineyard and gather the grapes, and to reap is to harvest a field and gather the grain, is apparent without explanation.

That a vineyard symbolizes the church which has the Word and where the Lord is thereby known, thus in this case the Christian Church, can be seen from the following passages:

(Jesus said,) "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he shall be cast out as a branch... withered... into the fire...." (John 15:5-6)

Jesus' likening the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who hired "laborers for his vineyard" (Matthew 20:1-8).

The sons who worked in a vineyard (Matthew 21:28).

The fig tree planted in a vineyard that bore no fruit (Luke 13:6-9).

Jesus' telling the following parable: A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it. And he leased it to farmers, that he might receive its fruit. But they killed the servants he sent to them, and finally killed his son (Matthew 21:33-39, Mark 12:1-9, Luke 20:9-16).

(I will) sing... a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard: My beloved has a vineyard...(which) he fenced around... and planted with a choice vine. (Isaiah 5:1-2ff.)

In that day reply to her, "A vineyard of red wine!" I, Jehovah, keep it, I water it every moment...." (Isaiah 27:2-3)

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard... They have made it desolate. (Jeremiah 12:10-11)

Jehovah is entering into judgment with the elders... For you have set fire to the vineyard. (Isaiah 3:14)

In all vineyards there shall be wailing. (Amos 5:17-18)

In the vineyards there will be no singing or rejoicing. (Isaiah 16:10)