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)
