“And the winepress was trodden outside of the city; and blood came forth out of the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, a thousand six hundred furlongs off” (Revelation 14:20).
The time of great trouble so clearly pointed out in Bible prophecy which closes the present age, this order or arrangement of human affairs, ecclesiastical, social, and national, is now seen by the earnest student of prophecy to cover a much longer period of time than some have supposed. It is already to some extent a matter of history, and has developed more or less in spasms in these last times. However, the present world troubles are not yet looked upon, except by a few enlightened ones, as being a fulfillment of prophecy, or as in any sense related to the providence of God at this time. To see these things taking place as Scriptural fulfillments is one evidence to the Lord’s consecrated that the day of their deliverance, and the great Judgment Day of mankind draweth nigh.
The “vine of the earth,” referred to in this vision is a very comprehensive symbol, and includes all the organizations, religious, social, fraternal, and national, described in the word Christendom. Let it be borne in mind that Christendom is described under several symbols in the Apocalypse, the “vine of the earth” being one of the very significant ones. The great increase and general diffusion of knowledge is bringing to light how contrary to the Great Teacher’s precepts is the principle that animates, with few exceptions, these organizations that profess to a greater or less extent to be Christian. This unholy principle is selfishness. The fruitage of the true vine that Christ referred to when He said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:1), is that fruit of love — love for God, love for all who are seeking to serve Him, love for our neighbor, love for all. The fruitage of the many branches of the vine of the earth is that of selfishness; and while it is true that these branches are all to be destroyed, the great central object to be realized in this winepress judgment is that of pressing out and separating this fruitage of selfishness. The symbol seems to portray it in this way, and when we read that the fruit of this vine of the earth is cast into the great winepress of God’s wrath, it is describing principally the destruction of this fruitage of selfishness. As expressed by another:
“Selfishness is the controlling principle, not only with the major part of, but with nearly all Christendom, and is bearing its own bitter fruit and ripening it now rapidly for the great vintage of Revelation 14:19,20.”
We are not to suppose, however, that this will be accomplished in so brief a space of time as might seem to be portrayed in this symbol. That which will be destroyed in this winepress judgment will be the outward manifestation of selfishness; the inner working of it will require the whole of the great Thousand-year Judgment Day for its destruction. The suppressing of the outward manifestation could be accomplished only by a general leveling process — troubles and commotions of such a character, as would cause high and low, rich and poor, master and servant, to be brought to the same level and to feel their utter dependence one upon another; and even more than this, to cause them to look to a higher power — to God, in their hour of extremity. The conditions that will bring this about are described in a general way in the strong figurative language of the Prophets. We read: “Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him” (Isaiah 24:1,2. See also Zephaniah 3:8). The gradual weakening of these powers has been going on for some time. While it is true that when events have occurred which seemed to indicate their overthrow near at hand there has been a temporary recovery, yet when the time divinely appointed for its destruction shall come, nothing can prevent it.
The vision of the great winepress treading does not, however, describe these progressive features, but rather that of the last final feature of the great time of trouble — that feature that will usher in immediately the Kingdom of God. This is according to the observation of Mr. Russell: “It [this winepress symbol] pictures to our minds the last features of the great time of trouble which shall involve all nations, and of which we are so abundantly forewarned in the Scriptures.”
Prophetic Views of Winepress Treading
To be the final, last feature of the great time of trouble that will involve all nations would necessitate the development of such a state of affairs as would not only result in the destruction of Christendom, but would require also such a trouble as would cause all Christendom, all the world, to see that it was none other than the hand of the Almighty that had brought it about; and further, such as would cause all the adherents and supporters of the existing nominal Christian organizations that make up the present so-called Christian civilization to cease longer to claim the name Christian. Concerning this last feature of the trouble, this great winepress treading, we have a reference in Isaiah 63:1-6. Commenting on this Mr. Russell further says:
“The symbolic Edom of Isaiah’s prophecy corresponds to the symbolic Babylon of Revelation, and of the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Thus the Lord designates and describes that great system to which men ascribe the misleading name, Christendom — Christ’s Kingdom. As all of the land of Edom symbolizes all of ‘Christendom,’ so its capital city, Bozrah, represented Ecclesiasticism, the chief citadel of Christendom. The Prophet represents the Lord as a victorious warrior who makes a great slaughter in Edom, and specially in Bozrah. …
“The reply to the Prophet’s inquiry — ‘Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?’ — is, ‘I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’ It is the same mighty one described by the Revelator (Revelation 19:11-16), the ‘King of kings and Lord of lords,’ Jehovah’s Anointed, our blessed Redeemer and Lord Jesus.
“For our information the Prophet inquires further, saying, ‘Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winepress?’ Hear the reply: ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the nations there was none with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled on them in My fury; and their blood was sprinkled on My garments, and all My raiment have I stained; for the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come. And I looked, and there was no one to help, and I was astonished; and there was no one to support; and then My own arm [power] aided Me; and My fury, this it was that upheld Me. And I stamped down nations in My anger, brought down to the earth their victorious strength.’ And the Revelator adds, ‘He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God’ (Revelation 19:15).”
“It is a time for the world to reap its whirlwind harvest — for the reaping of the vine of the earth, and the treading of its fruitage in the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 14:18-20).”
“As the chaff [of the Jewish nation] ceased from all pretension to Divine favor as the triumphing Kingdom of God, before that harvest closed in the great fire of religious and political contention, which consumed that system, so it shall be with the tare class of so-called ‘Christendom.’ They will be consumed; they will cease to be tares; they will cease to deceive either themselves or others; they will cease to apply to themselves the exceeding great and precious promises which belong only to the overcoming saints; and, when their various so-called Christian kingdoms, and their various religious organizations, rent by discords induced by the increasing light of truth, will be consumed in the fire already kindled, ‘the fire of God’s zeal’ (the great time of trouble with which this age will end — Zephaniah 3:8), they will cease to claim for their worldly systems the name ‘Christendom.’”
“All of these things are to be accomplished in the closing days of the Gospel Age, because, as the Lord states through the Prophet (Isaiah 63:4, 34:8), ‘The year of My redeemed is come,’ and ‘it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.’ All through the Gospel Age the Lord has taken cognizance of the controversy, the strife and contention, in nominal Zion. He has observed how His faithful saints have had to contend for truth and righteousness, and even to suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake at the hands of those who opposed them in the name of the Lord; and for wise purposes the Lord has hitherto refrained from interfering; but now the day of recompenses has come, and the Lord hath a controversy with them, as it is written, ‘For the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish.’ (Hosea 4:1-3). This prophecy, so true in its fulfillment upon fleshly Israel, is doubly so in its fuller application to nominal spiritual Israel — Christendom.
“ ‘A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations: He will plead with all flesh: He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.’ ‘Hear ye now what the Lord saith … Hear ye, O mountains [kingdoms], the Lord’s controversy, and ye [hitherto] strong foundations of the earth [society]; for the Lord hath a controversy with His [professed] people.’ ‘He will give those that are wicked to the sword’ (Jeremiah 25:31, Micah 6:1,2).
“Hear again the Prophet Isaiah concerning this controversy: ‘Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein: the world, and all things that come forth of it [all the selfish and evil things that come of the spirit of the world]; for the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath [taking the future standpoint] utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter … and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion’ (Isaiah 34:1,2,7,8).
“Thus the Lord will smite the nations and cause them to know His power, and He will deliver His faithful people who go not with the multitudes in the way of evil, but who wholly follow the Lord their God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. And even this terrible judgment upon the world, as nations, thus dashing them to pieces as a potter’s vessel, will prove a valuable lesson to them when they come forth to an individual judgment under the Millennial reign of Christ. Thus, in His wrath, the Lord will remember mercy” (C. T. Russell).
Winepress Trodden Outside of City
The particular time and place of the last momentous event of the great time of trouble is stated in several prophetic descriptions and seems to be revealed in one of the symbols of this vision, in the language: “And the winepress was trodden outside of the city.” It is essential first to understand what is symbolized by the “city.” Students of Bible symbology are agreed that a city is symbolical of a center of influence and power, such as a controlling government or kingdom. There are only three cities mentioned in the Revelation, or three senses in which a city is used symbolically:
- The “holy city” that was trodden under foot of the nations (Revelation 11:2). This we interpreted to signify the citadel of truth, the sanctuary class of the Gospel Age.
- The “great city,” in one of the streets of which God’s witnesses lay dead for three and one-half years (Revelation 11:8). This we interpreted to be symbolic Babylon — in its narrowest significance, the Papal hierarchy, and in its widest significance, Christendom.
- The “Holy City, the New Jerusalem” of the glorified state, which is divinely interpreted to be the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife (Revelation 21:9,10).
The problem for solution then is, outside of which of these symbolical cities will the very last great crisis of the age take place — a crisis that will result in the establishment of God’s Kingdom? Can it be outside of the city or “citadel of truth” which is represented in the true Church class, this side the veil? And the answer is that this construction would not meet the requirements of the symbolical city here referred to. As we examine those Scriptures that portray the final scenes of the time of trouble it will be seen that they refer to events that transpire after all the spiritual or at least the Kingdom class have passed beyond the veil. Thus it is manifest that the “citadel of truth,” or the sanctuary in this sense will no longer be here. We ask then would it be reasonable to think that it would be the New Jerusalem, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife, that would be referred to? We think not for two reasons: first, this city, the New Jerusalem, when first seen, begins to exert a benign and healing influence over the inhabitants of earth (Revelation 21:1-4); second, this city “comes down” or begins to exert this influence after the great winepress feature is over. Compare Revelation 19:19,20 with Revelation 21:1-4.
We are therefore led on to the conclusion that it must be outside of Christendom, the “great city,” that this last feature of the time of trouble, the treading of the “wine-press of the wrath of God” occurs; and if it be so, it should not be difficult to locate this place. The world at the time this momentous event occurs will be divided into Heathendom, Christendom, Mohammedanism, and the Jewish government or Commonwealth. Then the query: Which of these fills the symbol outside of the “great city,” Christendom? The reply is that God’s Kingdom will not be established in connection with the last features of the great time of trouble in Heathendom; neither in the land governed by Mohammedanism; and as Christendom itself is the “great city,” we are left to conclude that it will be in the Jewish State or Commonwealth, that this most significant event will occur. And this view is in harmony with all the statements of the Prophets that describe the establishment of the Kingdom of God, and also explains, as we shall endeavor to show, every feature of the awful symbolism of the treading of the great winepress of God’s wrath, and its tremendous effects. In proof of this we notice that there are several prophecies which clearly point out that it is in Israel’s land, after the restoration has commenced, that the last feature of the great time of trouble occurs, as we read: “For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it” (Jeremiah 30:3, see also verses 4-11, Zechariah 12:8-10). Mr. Russell has thus commented on the various Scriptures that describe this final feature of the time of trouble as taking place in Israel’s land after the restoration:
“While the trouble and distress of this day of the Lord will be first and specially upon Christendom, and eventually upon all nations, the final blast, we are informed by the Prophet Ezekiel (38:8-12), will be upon the people of Israel regathered in Palestine. … He represents them as gathered there out of the nations in great numbers, and, with considerable wealth, inhabiting the formerly desolate places; and all of them dwelling safely at the time when the rest of the world is in its wildest commotion (Ezekiel 38:11,12).”
Commenting on the causes and nature of this time of trouble in Israel’s land we have these words:
“But yet one more wave of anguish must pass over that chastened people; for, according to the Prophet, the final conflict of the battle of the great day will be in the land of Palestine. The comparative quiet and prosperity of regathered Israel near the end of this day of trouble, as well as their apparent defenseless condition, will by and by stimulate the jealousies of and invite their plunder by other peoples. And when law and order are swept away, Israel will finally be besieged by hosts of merciless plunderers, designated by the Prophet as the hosts of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38), and great will be the distress of defenseless Israel. ‘Alas!’ says the Prophet Jeremiah, ‘for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it’ (Jeremiah 30:7).”
Again, in Ezekiel 38:16, we are informed that it is in connection with the Lord’s deliverance of Israel in this last feature of the great time of trouble that the nations are caused to recognize Jehovah as Israel’s Deliverer:
“The Prophet [Ezekiel] foretelling these events as though addressing these hosts, says, ‘Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts [Europe and Asia are north of Palestine], thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days [apparently the closing scene of the day of trouble], and I will bring thee against My land, that the nations may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee [set apart, distinguished as thy conqueror], O Gog, before their eyes’ (Ezekiel 38:15,16).”
Moreover, it will be in Israel’s land that the establishment of the earthly phase of the Kingdom will take place, at the conclusion of this final great trouble. “The overwhelming destruction of these enemies of Israel (bringing the end of the time of trouble and the time for the establishment of God’s Kingdom) is graphically described by the Prophet Ezekiel (38:18 to 39:20). It can be compared only to the terrible overthrow of Pharaoh and his hosts, when essaying to repossess themselves of Israel, whom God was delivering. In this particular also Israel’s deliverance is to be ‘according to [like] the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt’ — ‘marvelous things’ (Micah 7:15).”
Furthermore, the nations of Christendom will be represented in these armies that will be overthrown — destroyed in this great invasion of Israel’s land:
“We read, ‘For I will gather all nations [as represented in the hosts of Gog and Magog] against Jerusalem to battle. … Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle.’ (Zechariah 14:2,3). …
“After describing that the coming of this army from the north-quarters against Israel (regathered to Palestine ‘in the latter day,’ ‘having much goods’ and ‘dwelling peaceably’) will be suddenly, and ‘as a cloud to cover the land’ (Ezekiel 38:1-17), the message is, ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Art thou he of whom I have spoken in olden time by My servants, the Prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years, that I would bring thee against them?’ The Lord then declares His purposed destruction of the wicked host; and the description seems to indicate that it will be accomplished by an outbreak of jealousy, revolution, and anarchy amongst the various elements composing the great mixed army: a revolution and strife which will involve whatever may still remain of the home governments [of Christendom] of the various peoples, and complete the universal insurrection and anarchy — the great earthquake of Revelation 16:18-21.
“The testimony of all the Prophets is to the effect that the power of God will be so marvelously manifested in Israel’s deliverance, by His fighting for them (incidentally for all), with weapons which no human power can control — including pestilence and various calamities — poured upon the wicked (Israel’s enemies and God’s opponents) until speedily all the world will know that the Lord has accepted Israel again to His favor, and become their King, as in olden times; and soon they as well as Israel will learn to appreciate God’s Kingdom, which shall speedily become the desire of all nations.”
Another argument is that it is in Israel’s land that the conversion of the nation of Israel will take place, as we read, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him” (Zechariah 12:9,10). Then again, it will be in Israel’s land, and with Israel as a nation, that the great event, the inauguration of the New Covenant, under which the blessing to all mankind is to come, will take place (Jeremiah 31:31-34). It is to Israel’s land that the collapsed nations will look for help in the great (then) successful work of reconstruction (Micah 4:1-4). And, as meeting the requirements of the vision, Israel at that time, according to all the prophecies describing their full return to favor, will be no part of Christendom, but a Jewish Commonwealth, and thus will be “outside of the city.”
There are many other prophecies that very plainly locate the last features of this great fall of the enemies of God, the nations of Christendom, in Palestine. One of these has this winepress symbol connected with it to describe the terrible destruction. It is that of the prophecy of Joel 3, which very manifestly describes the same notable events already considered — those of Ezekiel and Zechariah. The prophecy first pictures the restoration of Israel to their land (Joel 3:1). It next speaks of a gathering of all nations into the valley of Jehoshaphat (verse 2). The Prophet then, evidently speaking for Jehovah, calls upon the nations in the words: “Assemble hastily together and come, all ye nations from every side, and gather yourselves together: there doth the Lord strike down thy mighty ones. Let the nations awake, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations from every side. Put forth the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread down (the grapes); for the press is full; the vats overflow; for great is their wickedness” (Joel 3:11,12, Leeser’s Translation).
In closing this part of the exposition it will be interesting to the reader to know that it was the thought of Mr. Elliott, author of Horae Apocalypticae, that this treading of the winepress symbol would occur in Palestine. This was also the interpretation of F. W. Grant, several times quoted in previous chapters.
We next consider that feature of the symbol described in the words, “and blood came forth out of the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, a thousand six hundred furlongs off.”
That the expression, “and blood came forth out of the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses,” is symbolical, there can be no question. As an introduction to what seems to be the significance of this symbol, we quote the words of Thomas Newton:
“It is said that the ‘blood came even unto the horse bridles’ (verse 20), which is a strong hyperbolical way of speaking to express vast slaughter and effusion of blood; a way of speaking not unknown to the Jews, for the Jerusalem Talmud describing the woeful slaughter which the Roman Emperor Hadrian made of the Jews at the destruction of the City of Bitter, saith that ‘the horses waded in blood up to their nostrils.’ Nor are similar examples wanting even in the classic authors; for Silius Italicus, speaking of Hannibal’s descent into Italy, useth a like expression of ‘the bridles flowing with much blood.’”
Blood, when visible, we learn from Scripture usage, is a symbol of death; and frequently, of destruction by violence, of great slaughter. In a corresponding prophecy (Isaiah 34:3), we have a similar expression: “And the mountains [kingdoms] shall be melted with their blood”; and again (Isaiah 34:7): “And their land shall be soaked with blood.” These Scripture citations are strong hyperbolical expressions of great slaughter, destruction. About all the commentators interpret the symbol to refer simply to the great final slaughter of the enemies of God, as represented in Christendom.
“A Thousand Six Hundred Furlongs Off”
But what shall be said of the thousand six hundred furlongs off? What lesson can this feature of the symbol convey? We might mention several recent expositions of this furlong measurement that have come to our notice of late. Two of these make the furlongs (stadia) to represent days. These expositions purport to find in this measurement the number of days that shall elapse before a certain event — the change of the last member of the Church class. To us these interpretations are strained and of a highly speculative character and seem to be based upon a determination to discover the exact date of the change of the last members of the Church. It is our thought that the Lord has not revealed this feature, although it behooves us to be in readiness at any time for that event. We might mention other highly speculative and fanciful interpretations which have failed, but will refrain, believing that to the earnest and sober student of the Lord’s Word the above will suffice.
We submit an interpretation which we believe is in perfect harmony with the Scriptures already noted, to the effect that this winepress treading of the vision under consideration occurs in the land of Palestine, and describes the last feature of the time of trouble there. The land of Palestine or a portion of it might be considered as fulfilling the symbol of the vat into which the blood flowed. Certain methods of measurement of this land seem to fit perfectly this thousand six hundred furlong measurement. We quote an expositor in this connection, noting, however, that further light than that which he had, indicating who or what will be represented in this final gathering of God’s enemies in the land of Palestine, causes us to disagree with a few of his conclusions. And this variation on our part is simply and solely because more light on this great event is now due, than when this writer gave his exposition, about seventy years ago. The quotation follows:
“As to the remaining particulars of the figuration we may observe, in passing, that the gathering of the vine’s clusters by the angel’s sharp pruning hook, and the casting them into the winepress of the wrath of God, seemed to indicate acts preparatory to the winepress-treading; the former perhaps meaning some signal separation, by sharp judgments, of Antichrist’s members from those of Christ; the latter, the overruling of their own wicked wills to accomplish the gathering of the anti-Christian body to the fated field of vengeance.”
Concerning the locality of this winepress-treading of what Mr. Elliott (the writer we are quoting) calls the “fated field of vengeance,” he speaks of it as “the glorious holy mountain,” Palestine, and associates this event with the deliverance of Daniel’s people in connection with the great time of trouble (Daniel 12:1). Note his words, as further elaborating this point:
“And let me not fail to add, in corroboration of these views, that there are three other well known prophecies in the Old Testament, viz., in Ezekiel 39, Joel 3, and Zechariah 12, which seem all to point similarly to some grand destruction of an anti-Christian confederacy in the mountains of Judah or Israel, immediately at, or before the final conversion and restoration of the Jews and the commencement of the consequent glorious predicted times of blessedness [times of restitution].
“After all which agreeing evidence, it seems to me that we shall probably not err in looking confidently for the coincident occurrence of the two grand events following, viz.:”
“(1) The homeward return of the Jews from captivity in fullness and strength like as when the mighty Euphrates stream of their conquerors is forced back- ward by the mightier influences of the tide of the Southern Ocean. [The words of the Psalmist, “Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south,” Psalms 126:4, are the words upon which Mr. Elliott bases his poetical exposition.]
“(2) The gathering into, and the destruction in Judea of the Papal Antichrist; and perhaps, too, of the Mohammedan Turk.”
He further enlarges on this point:
“Two things seem clear about it:
“(1) That the treading-floor, as all admit, can scarcely be different from the Armageddon of the other series of Apocalyptic prophecy;
“(2) That its description here as ‘without the city’ (a figure in itself very appropriate, let me observe, as both the king’s and other winepresses of old were actually situated outside the walls of Jerusalem) is a characteristic that agrees well with that prediction in Apocalypse 19, which represents the beast and his adherents as slain by Christ after the destruction of Babylon, the great city, and consequently away from it. [We would understand the beast referred to by this writer to be the final eighth and last form of Roman rule.]”
Mr. Elliott next comments on the significance of the thousand six hundred furlongs. He states that some commentators have interpreted this to represent that the great scene of slaughter would reach to the whole length of the holy Land — one thousand six hundred furlongs, two hundred miles, being about the length of that land. (Pliny calculates the length of Palestine to be 189 miles.) Mr. Elliott’s understanding of the matter differs from these commentators:
“The number 1600 is, as sundry patristic as well as other expositors have observed, a square number. And both the circumstance of wine fats — square, it might be, or of other shape — dug in the earth or rock, being a constant appendage of the natural winepress, and that of their being expressly mentioned in the parallel figurative prophecy of Joel (‘Come, get you down, for the press is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great,’) concur to make it probable that in the Apocalyptic picture [under consideration] this appendage of the wine fat was not wanting, and that the 1600 furlongs expressed its square. Supposing which to be the case, the depth of blood mentioned might be that in the wine fat; a uniform depth, and one gauged easily, and as usual; whereas, on the hypothesis of a stream of 1600 furlongs in length, it is hard to conceive how the depth should not vary, but be still up to the horses’ bridles throughout the length of the 1600 furlongs. Indeed I doubt the words admitting that sense. What the square intended, if such it be, is a little dubious. If we take the number 1600 as the square of 40, then the area will be one of 5 miles to a side, equal to 25 square miles. If on the other hand, the 1600 furlongs be explained to give the circuit of the square, 400 to each side, then the square area will be vastly greater, being one not of 5 miles to each side, but of 50. Even on the smaller scale, the figure would indicate tremendous slaughter. Its executor we are told in another Apocalyptic prophecy is to be the Word of God, the Lord Jesus (Revelation 19:15). For he it is that is there described as treading the winepress of the wrath of God; being the Omega, as well as Alpha, of the judgments of the consummation. With which other description of the great winepress treading, the present is connected not otherwise only, and by general resemblance of the main subject, but also by that singular standard of measure, ‘up to the horses’ bridles.’ For it indicates horses and horsemen to be present on the scene of slaughter; the same fact that appears prominently also in the picture of the winepress-treading described in Apocalypse 19; this latter being executed on ‘them that sat on horses,’ among others, in the beast’s army, by him that sat on the white horse; and with his saints, themselves on white horses, likewise, following him. Nor does it seem undeserving of remark, that the extent of the hill country of Judah, between the two seas, has been estimated at about fifty miles square.”
Of all the interpretations that have come under our observation concerning this symbol, significant of terrible destruction, this seems to us to be well substantiated and to open the way for a correct solution; indeed, understood from the standpoint that this last winepress feature of the time of trouble occurs in the land of Palestine, wherein will then dwell a Jewish Commonwealth, and consequently outside of Christendom, we believe the following conclusions are most reasonable:
Two features of an eastern vintage are implied in the words of the vision: first, the winepress into which the grapes are cast and trodden; and second, the winevat into which the blood of the grapes flows.
The treading of the winepress of God’s wrath seems to clearly represent the final feature of the great conflict of the “Word of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords,” and his armies, the glorified saints, with the last representatives of the anti-Christian hosts of Christendom (Revelation 19:11–21). The scene of the conflict is the Holy Land — outside of Christendom; and in harmony with this interpretation the immense symbolical winevat into which the blood is represented as flowing, etc., would represent the territory of the fatal field of destruction. The great quantity of blood, represented in the symbol as up to the horses’ bridles, is designed to teach the extensiveness of the destruction. While the destruction will include the loss of many lives, this is not the chief thing represented in the symbol. It is rather the great and final victory of truth over error, bringing all the many various elements of Christendom, the opponents of God, to an enforced and complete submission to His will. On the other hand it will bring great rejoicing on the part of those friendly to righteousness, as represented in the new order, the Kingdom of God.