REAPING FROM BOTH 'VINES'--THE TWO 'SICKLES'--AND THOSE DEEMED "HAPPY".
THE "SANCTUARY"--THE "TENT OF WITNESS"--AND THE "ALTAR". (Rev Ch.14 & 15).
After a certain event takes place, namely the termination of 666 years of the "wild beast's" rulership over mankind, those living faithfully according to God's commandments at that time and those who had died while still doing so during its reign of compulsion, are all deemed to be "happy. This is because they are conquerors from the standpoint of God. Happy, because they will enter the Kingdom of God in heaven, or they will benefit from it on earth.
THE FOUR ANGELS AND THE 'SICKLES'. (Rev 14:14-18).
The first of the angels emerging from the temple sanctuary tells the crowned Son of man the hour to reap the harvest of people on earth. The angel from the altar tells another angel from the temple sanctuary, with the "sharp sickle", to: "Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth", "and he hurled it into the great winepress of the anger of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city". (Rev 14:18-20 NWT). This, because they became those trying to "resemble the Most High". They did not belong to the "true vine" (John 15:1,2. Isaiah 14:14), the heavenly "vine", so instead cultivated their own, for their own glory. That is why they are trodden outside the "City" of God.
THE "ALTAR". (Rev 14:18).
This is where the spiritual sacrifices from people are offered up, and from where they are examined and tested by "fire" (1 Cor 3:11-15. 2 Esdras 13:37,38 NEB). Those now in "clusters" (of sectarian religions) are now ripe (full-grown in wickedness), and have no part in the "City" of God. They are reaped for disposal. "One grape I saved out of a cluster" (2 Esdras 9:19-22 NEB); out of, that is, "Babylon's" "clusters".
THE "TENT OF WITNESS". (Rev 15:5).
On being opened, indicates the time for declarations of judgements of power to begin from heaven as respects mankind on earth, after the accomplishment of God's Word and Holy Spirit. These judgements result in people being reaped from plagues of disapproval, from which some do give "glory to God" out of fear of His show of awesome destructive power ("trumpet" warnings and "bowls" of His wrath). (See Page 26/9/85. Rev 14:7. 11:13).
The witness comprises: "In heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one [in unity of purpose]. And these are three witness bearers on earth" (Vg); also, "the spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are in agreement". (1 John 5:7,8 Greek Translation and NWT).
All the foregoing things took place prior to the seven plagues ("bowls") of His anger being poured out.
6/8/86.