I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?“
Verses 12-17 set forth the sixth seal.
6:12
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
With the opening of the sixth seal comes a great earthquake. The sun becomes pitch black, and the moon turns blood red in color. This may be a solar eclipse.
6:13
And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
The stars fell to earth as figs fall from a fig tree in strong winds. These are great catastrophes in nature and cosmic upheavals universe-wide.
6:14
Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
The sky looked like a rolled-up scroll. The mountains and islands moved from their locations.
6:15
And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
Due to these preceding events, great fear came upon the leaders of the earth. People of all social strata go into a state of great fear. John indicates that there were seven walks of life affected by these cosmic disturbances. This probably refers to people of all stations in society taken in terror by these events. No politician will be sheltered from these events.
6:16
and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
The leaders of the earth call for death. They would rather die by natural disturbances than yield to the Lamb.
6:17
“For the great day of His wrath has come,
God is not only a God of love, but He is a God of judgment — “the great day of His wrath has come.”
and who is able to stand?
Those who avail themselves of the Lamb slain for our sins can stand. All others will not stand. All those who refuse the offer of God’s grace will have nothing on which to stand in the presence of God.
PRINCIPLE:
God has more than the attribute of love.
APPLICATION:
The events of chapter 6 show that a God is more than a God of love who would never judge a wicked world. However, even in worldwide judgment, God allows some to be saved.
