650. [verse 19] 'And the angel put forth his sickle into the land, and gathered the vintage of the vineyard of the land' signifies the end of the present Christian Church. By 'to put forth his sickle and gather the vintage' a like thing is signified as by 'to put forth his sickle and reap', but the latter is said of the harvest and the former of the vineyard. That 'to gather the vintage' is to lower [the vines in] the vineyard (vineam demittere) and gather the grapes, and that 'to reap' is to lay the harvest low (messem demittere) and gather the corn, is plain. That it is known that 'a vineyard' signifies the Church where the Word is and thereby the Lord is known, thus here the Christian Church, can be established from the following places:-
Jesus said, I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, the same bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Unless one abides in Me, he shall be cast away, and like a withered branch into the fire John xv 5, 6.
Jesus likened the kingdom of the heavens to a householder who brought labourers into his vineyard Matt. xx 1-8.
Of the sons who should work in the vineyard Matt. xxi 28.
Of the fig tree planted in the vineyard which was not bearing fruit Luke xiii 6-9.
Jesus spoke a parable; a man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, and let it out to farmers that they might get the fruits thereof, but they killed the servants sent to them, and at last the Son Matt. xxi 33-39; Mark xii 1-9; Luke xx 9-16.
I will sing a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard, My well-beloved has a vineyard, which he fenced about and planted with a noble vine Isa. v 1, 2 seq.
In that day a vineyard of undiluted wine, answer unto her, I Jehovah am keeping it, I will water it every moment Isa. xxvii 2, 3.
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard; they have placed it in a solitude Jer. xii 10, 11.
Jehovah will come into the judgment with the elders, for you have set the vineyard on fire Isa. iii 14.
In all the vineyards wailing Amos v 17, 18.
In the vineyards there is no singing, nor shouting Isa. xvi 10.
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