What does Revelation 14:19 mean?
The angel described in verse 18 used his sickle to sweep across the earth and to gather the grape harvest. Then he threw the grapes into the winepress of God's wrath.This imagery is easily lost on a modern reader, but to the original audience, it would have been clear. The custom of the day was to produce grape juice by trampling the grapes underfoot in a winepress. Here, the grapes represent the wicked: God will prepare the wicked for final judgment by gathering them together to be trampled upon.
Isaiah 63:2–4 prophesies: "Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart.'" That prophecy, along with this verse, anticipates the horrific scene depicted in Revelation 14:20.
At His return, Christ will gather earth's armies together at Armageddon, where He will "tread down" His enemies (Revelation 17:12–14; 19:15). Just as grapes are smashed and torn in a winepress, releasing wine, the enemies of God will be ripped apart, creating a tidal wave of blood.