2 Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?
That image of the supper of the birds is not only then a picture of the roundness of Christ's victory in His last battle of Armageddon; it is also a picture of the judgment of God that Lord Christ brings with Him in His return. The King of kings returns not only for the battle of Armageddon, but He returns for judgment upon the enemies of Himself and of His Church. Remember that Revelation 19:11 gives that as the other purpose of His return. He comes to
judge and make war(Revelation 19:11).The battle itself is certainly part of His judgment, but the greater judgment follows. Revelation 19:20 gives us the result of the battle: The Antichrist and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire. This is the first mention of hell in the book of Revelation. This is the leaders of the two great beasts of Revelation 13:1–18: The leadership of the anti-Christian kingdom (including the Antichrist himself) and the leadership of the false church that prop that kingdom up. Notice that they receive no trial here. They don't even go through the Judgment Day. Christ casts them alive into hell, for all men (including themselves) know that their judgment is due. For the rest who were deceived by them at the end and throughout the whole history of the world (as the principle of the service of man is alive and well throughout the history of the world), they are brought through to Judgment Day, which immediately follows this, and are cast then into the pit of hell. There are certainly different degrees of punishment in hell. The fact that the Antichrist and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of burning fire indicates that they had more responsibility and will receive a greater punishment.
Nonetheless, for all it is still hell. It is still judgment and the execution of the wrath of Jehovah God by the King of kings and Lord of lords. How terrible that punishment of hell is is indicated by a frightening description of the fierceness of Jehovah’s wrath that Christ brings:
And he…(That is, Christ)…treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 19:15, KJV
That is an image (like most of the images in the book of Revelation) that comes from the Old Testament, from Isaiah 63:1–19, where there is a mysterious individual who returns from executing God's judgment upon Edom. A question is put to this individual:
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat?...
Why does it look like you have been stomping on grapes of wine?And this individual – who is a type of Christ – answers:…I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart. Isaiah 63:2–4a, KJV
An ancient winepress was a great square vat that would be filled up with grapes. The grapes would be trampled by someone who went in there and trampled them by foot. And the juice of the squished grapes would come out at the bottom of that vat. The image here is that the wine vat is God’s and Christ is the one who treads it. The grapes are the unrepentant who are in that vat and Christ is the personal agent of the just wrath of God upon a wicked world. He is there stamping and trampling upon them. And instead of grape juice coming out of the bottom, it is the blood of those whom He tramples underfoot that comes out. It is that blood that splashes up upon His own garments. This is His terrible vengeance upon a world that has rejected Him. He is the executer of the razor sharp justice of Jehovah in sending the wicked to hell.
As I have said, this is the Jesus the world never knew. But maybe this is the Jesus you never knew, or maybe the Jesus you knew but are put off by, or maybe think ought not really to be talked about. There can be something almost disturbing at first to us about this picture of the Lord Christ treading the winepress of Jehovah's wrath. But the reason for that, beloved, is because we are so earthly minded and have such little zeal for the glory of Jehovah God. This Christ lives for the glory of the Father! And the glory of God has been maligned and rejected throughout the history of the world, and leads Him into this just vengeance now. The angels that return with the Lord Jesus Christ are not put off by Him coming this way! The saints who return with Him at the end (which is going to be you and me) are not put off by it! They have seen the effulgence (the ability to shine brightly) of the glory of Jehovah God and they know what sin is purely before His most high majesty, and they know that this judgement is right and true.
Don't you and me be put off by this Christ! He doesn't come simply as a bloodthirsty madman. There is no emotional response that has put Him into a frenzied state where He is just engaging in acts of senseless vengeance. That fire in His eyes is the fire of righteous, pure judgment. It is the steady response of pure justice for violations of God's law. God made man capable of obeying Him, and man has for years upon years filled his days with rebellion – purposely, consciously – not wanting the salvation that is set before him all history long. All culminating now in a final kingdom where man expresses his full despisal of God and His law. Remember that Christ’s judgment is expressed upon a world that has, all history long, abused and persecuted His church. Let me ask you: Would you be so put off by this if they were taking your babies and throwing them over cliffs, like they have done in the history of the church? Would you be so put off by this if they were burning your churches and killing your women and hanging your office-bearers upside down and ripping out their toenails, as they are currently in parts of the world? In burning love for His church, for His bride, as well as a passion for the glory of God, He executes the fierceness of His justice.
And it is righteous! It is righteous! Those eyes, as flames of fire, discern perfectly what punishment is due. There is omniscience behind those eyes and the name that no one knows but Himself. He can see everything and take in account every factor. He executes perfect justice upon those who have defied His righteous rule over God's world. And the unrepentant themselves will know that they deserve the fury of His wrath poured upon them. That is why in Revelation 19:11 the Holy Spirit is careful to add in this description:
Cory GriessIn righteousness he doth judge and make war. For each individual it is not going to be too much and it is not going to be too little. It is going to be exactly what is due. And each one, although they of course will hate it, will know it is right. And you and I will know that it would be right and just for it to fall upon you and me too, except that the one whose vesture is dipped in His own blood has taken that judgement for you and for me upon His cross.1
20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.