What does the grape harvest and sharp sickle in Revelation 14 symbolize?
The grape harvest and sharp sickle symbolize God gathering the residue of humanity still living at the end of the Tribulation. They are gathered in the Middle East under military auspices for the last great battle of Armageddon. The reaped earth represents humanity, and the ripe grapes picture that same gathering.
Les explains that Revelation 14 comes at the end of the Tribulation, after horrible events man has never experienced. The survivors are in the armies of the world, gathered around Jerusalem for the last great battle of Armageddon. In verse 16, the one sitting on the cloud thrusts His sickle into the earth, and the earth is reaped—meaning humanity. Another angel comes from the heavenly temple with a sharp sickle, and another angel from the altar with power over fire calls out to thrust in the sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the grapes are fully ripe. Les teaches this is symbolic language of God gathering the residue of humanity still living, gathering them in the Middle East under military auspices.