The Sixth Seal Revelation 6:12-17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Revelation 6:12-17 deals with The Sixth Seal. When the 6th seal opens we are right at the end of the Tribulation.
v.12 – the great earthquake also accompanies the sounding of the 6th trumpet Revelation 11:13 and the pouring out of the 7th vial Revelation 16:18 – the earth is powerfully affected by the events at the end of the tribulation – Isaiah 24:20; Zechariah 14:4; Joel 2:10
v.12 – the sun becomes black – Matthew 24:29, Joel 2:10 in part due to a solar event Revelation 8:12 and in part due to the smoke arising from the pit Revelation 9:2
v.12 – the moon becomes as blood because of what happens to the sun – Ezekiel 32:7, Joel 2:30-31, and because of what the Lord does to the rest of heaven
v.13 – the stars of heaven fall – two things to note here – the stars of Revelation 12:3-9, representing the fallen angels definitely fall to the earth because they are cast out into the earth – but if literal stars fall to the earth then scientists have a dilemma because their measurements of the stars are so large that just one would consume the whole earth – and according to the metaphor of the fig tree, there are many stars that flal to the earth during this seal
v.14 – the heaven departs, but this is not Revelation 20:11-15, which is the white throne judgment at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus – this is the departing of the first heaven [Genesis 1:20] which allows the world to see the face of the Lord [v.16] – it’s like the Lord pulls back a curtain and reveals himself [Psalms 104:2, Revelation 1:7]
v.14 – the mountains and islands are moved – this is more evidence of the violent shaking through which the earth goes at the end of the tribulation Revelation 16:18-20
v.15 – several things to note – there are still many wealthy and powerful men at this point in the tribulation – the idea of spreading the wealth and redistributing the wealth always leaves those who are in control with a disproportionate amount of the wealth
v.15 – there are also bondmen – those are slaves – don’t think that we have seen the end of slavery
v.15 – they hide in dens and rocks of the mountains – just like Osama bin Laden – these have been hiding places for millennia – Genesis 19:30, Jude 6:2
v.16 – they pray to the mountains and the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of the Lord – Jeremiah 8:3; Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30; Nahum 1:6
v.16 – he came as a meek Lamb before to die for us – this time he comes back as a Lamb full of indignation
v.17 – the great day of his wrath is come – this is the 2nd Advent – Revelation 11:15, 14:20, 19:11-15 – everyone, including the devil, who is not on his side is going down