Texts in Conversation
Revelation’s picture of God crushing the nations like grapes in a winepress comes from Jeremiah. In it, the roar and trampling imagery describe war as an act of punishment on the earth. Revelation reshapes it into a scene of final judgment.
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Jeremiah 25:30
Hebrew Bible
29 For take note, I am already beginning to bring disaster on the city that I call my own. So how can you possibly avoid being punished? You will not go unpunished. For I am proclaiming war against all who live on the earth. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, affirm it!’ 30 “Then, Jeremiah, make the following prophecy against them: ‘Like a lion about to attack, the Lord will roar from the heights of heaven; from his holy dwelling on high he will roar loudly. He will roar mightily against his land. He will shout in triumph, like those stomping juice from the grapes, against all those who live on the earth. 31 The sounds of battle will resound to the ends of the earth. For the Lord will bring charges against the nations. He will pass judgment on all humankind and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.’ The Lord so affirms it!
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Revelation 19:15
New Testament
13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” 17 Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God,
Date: 92-96 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Additional meanings of the imagery of being under the feet include disdain, defilement and judgment. Disdain, especially for despised persons such as Jezebel (2 Kings 9:33; compare 2 Kings 7:17, 20; Isaiah 14:19), is shown by trampling their corpses underfoot. Seating the poor at one’s footstool is likewise an act of disdain (James 2:3), as is shaking off the dust of one’s feet (Mark 6:11). Pearls are defiled under the feet of swine (Matthew 7:6); foreigners defile the land of Israel (Micah 5:5–6), the city of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24) and especially the temple (Isaiah 63:10; Daniel 8:13; Revelation 11:2) by trampling it underfoot (compare the removal of shoes on holy ground in Exodus 3:5 and 1 Samuel 5:5). Treading the winepress is an image of divine judgment (Jeremiah 25:30; Lamentations 1:15; Joel 3:13; Revelation 19:15; compare treading grain in Jeremiah 51:33), the juice of the grapes vividly suggesting the blood of the slain (Isaiah 63:1–4; Revelation 14:20) ..."
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