The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon [Mount of
Destruction]." The words of this symbolic angel are in themselves sufficient to show that
the description in the closing verses of this nineteenth chapter is that of one of the final
destructive acts of the judgment of Christendom.
It will have been noted in our expositions of the visions relating to the harvest period that
we considered one very significant gathering (which of course preceded the one of this
vision), namely the gathering out of the rejected, religious systems, the Elect, the wheat
class, the overcoming saints. (Rev. 14:14-16.) This gathering will have been completed and
these overcomers it would seem will have entered into glory with their Lord before the
vision we are now considering meets its fulfillment. Another, a second gathering, will
have been completed before this vision meets its fulfillment; this is the one described as
the gathering of the ripe clusters of the vine of the earth, preparatory to their being cast
into the great winepress of the wrath of God.--Rev. 14:18-20.
The gathering or assembling referred to in the words of the angel standing in the sun is
that of those represented by the birds of prey, the vultures, which will of course take place
at the conclusion of the great winepress feature of the time of trouble. While this great
battle is undoubtedly a symbolical one, and the great slaughter is more especially
designed to portray the destruction of the various governments, systems, and
organizations that will then be found in opposition to the establishment of God's Kingdom
of truth and righteousness, yet there can be no question that there will be a most dreadful
and appalling slaughter and loss of human life in connection with the destruction of these
systems. It seems to be one of those visions that combine both symbolical and literal
statements.
The angel standing in the sun
Coming to the consideration of the symbols of the vision more particularly, we inquire
first, Who or what is represented by the angel who is seen standing in the sun? It is of
interest to note that nearly all commentators who wrote before 1890 quite generally
understood this angel to be one of the spiritual, heavenly messengers. Mr. Lord, who
wrote in 1846, is a notable exception, and seems to us to come much nearer to the truth in
his exposition. In the light of the events of history unveiling more clearly these Revelation
visions that embrace the closing scenes of the Age--the harvest and the vintage--his
explanation is indeed remarkable and convincing and constitutes a basis for invaluable
assistance at the present time in obtaining a clear insight into what seems to be the true
and correct interpretation. It was his understanding that the angel stationed in the sun,
who summons the birds of prey to assemble to the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of
the anti-Christian host, is a symbol of either one conspicuous person or a class of persons
that have been made aware of the impending destruction and are in a position of close
observation of the great leaders of this vast anti-Christian host, although not of their
number. This person or company of persons are to warn these of their impending
destruction.