Sickle

A cutting tool with a short handle used in harvesting grain. Early blades were made of wood lined with flint teeth; these were later replaced with curved iron blades. The cutting down of grain at harvest with a sickle is used as a symbol of God's judgment.

Sickles used to harvest grain

Mark 4:29 See also Deuteronomy 16:9, Deuteronomy 23:25 Sickles were not to be used in another person's field; 1 Samuel 13:19–21; Jeremiah 50:16

And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Cutting down grain as a symbol of judgment

Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:14–19 See also Isaiah 17:5; Jeremiah 51:33; Micah 4:12; Matthew 13:30

Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.

And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest, for the crop of the earth is ripe.” So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.