The Meaning of the Sixth Seal of Revelation
Bible Study Guide
This past global empire would be the first to be used by God to fulfill His will. It’s king would fulfill God’s purpose and then be punished for its sins. The spirit of this empire would be carried across generations of people by Satan himself. This evil spirit will eventually be brought to it’s conclusion during the tribulation.
The empire is Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar was it’s king. An empire, like the others that no longer exists in accordance with God’s word.
Approximately 2,700 years ago, the prophet Isaiah heard from God the prophecy against Babylon. He heard it through what I like to call the near-far principle. God’s prophecy against Babylon begins (near) with how he’s going to use Babylon to come against his people Israel. This will be as punishment for their sins and turning away from God.
The prophecy concludes with a future (far) event that will put an end to the evil spirit of Babylon. This spirit has been carried through the Medi-Persian, Greek and Roman empires. Finally, a resurrected Roman empire is soon to come in the form of a global world order.
This future event allowed Isaiah to hear of the devastation that was going to come upon the earth in the last days. This is the event that Jesus is now describing to John the apostle. He sees Jesus crack the sixth of the seven seals.
The Foretelling of the Sixth Seal of Revelation
While the events shown to John in his vision of the tribulation may appear to some to be the first ever mentioned, it was foretold of by Isaiah the prophet over 2,600 years ago.
“See, the day of the Lord is coming
—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light.
11 I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless.
12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold,
more rare than the gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;
and the earth will shake from its place
at the wrath of the Lord Almighty,
in the day of his burning anger.” (Isaiah 13:9-13)
The World Plunges Into Darkness
(Verses 12-13) Like a hand on a lever ready to pull, the breaking of the sixth seal releases a violent earthquake. By all accounts of it’s description as a great earthquake, this will be one unlike the earth has seen since creation. It also signifies that many earthquakes are to take place up to the time of Christ’ return on the Mount of Olives.
The tribulation will be a time of great and consistent seismological activity. Many scholars believe that what John is seeing is the culmination of the effects of what mankind has brought upon itself (wars). Additionally, there will be supernatural powers intervening to punish mankind for its sins. Refer to Isaiah’s passage above.
John sees a great darkness come upon the earth. In God’s great love for His creation, He foretold mankind of this coming event over 2,800 years ago through His prophet Joel.
“The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (Joel 2:31)
This foretold warning through Joel was directed more specifically to Israel during this time of tribulation.
“Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
16 The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.” (Joel 3:14-16)
Even Further Into Darkness
The prophet Zechariah also speaks directly to the nation of Israel. He gives a foretelling prophecy of the tribulation where two-thirds will perish. One third of all the Jews that remain in the land will survive the seven years of God’s wrath.
“In the whole land,” declares the Lord,
“two-thirds will be struck down and perish;
yet one-third will be left in it.
9 This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.
They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” (Zechariah 13:8-9)
Remember, we talked about the intensity level of God’s wrath rising. This happens as more of the judgments are unsealed by Christ. This is exactly what John is now witnessing. It must’ve been difficult for John to see what’s going to come upon mankind in the last days for all it’s sins.
Sins matter! Repentance matters! Turning ourselves back to God and accepting His Son matters! This is not just a story, it’s reality!
(Verse 14) This verse gives us a clear indication of the actual intensity of the geological and supernatural forces exerted upon the earth.
John wrote that not a few, not many, and not even most mountains and islands would be moved from their place. John wrote that “every” mountain and island would be moved from its place.
This devastation is unlike any other this planet has seen since the great flood that covered the entire world. Not a plot of land will be untouched by God’s mighty hand.
The evangelist Martin Lloyd-Jones once said this about the judgments of Revelation. “You know, if I cannot allure you to trust in Christ, let me try and scare you.”
No Hiding Place From the Sixth Seal of Revelation
(Verse 15) There is no shortage of stories and books about the wealthy and their search to find the answers to live forever. God has the answer they’re looking for, but they continue to look in all the wrong places.
There are many stories of the wealthy building themselves mega fortresses and underground bunkers in preparation for the apocalypse to come. They recognize from the things that are occurring in the world today that this world cannot continue as it is. Something is going to happen.
They’re right about that. This verse gives the answer to how well their bunkers of protection will help them. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. You will not escape the wrath that is to come upon this planet for the sins of mankind.
Sins matter! Repentance matters!
Notice in this verse that it’s not only the rich, famous and powerful that will look to escape that judgment being poured upon the earth. All inhabitants of the earth will seek to hide. But there will be no place untouched by God’s reach.
They Will Still Not Turn to God
(Verses 16-17) Despite the literal hell that people will be living through and dying from, they will refuse to turn to God in repentance of their sins and ask for forgiveness.
People of the earth will never have experienced anything like they’re going to live through at this time. Yet, John records they’ll recognize that they’re living through the wrath spoken of by prophets since ancient days. They will realize it’s all coming from the hand of God and the Son, Jesus Christ.
So, what will they do? They will run and try to hide. Rather than turn to their creator in repentance and prayer asking for mercy and forgiveness, they will seek a hiding place from Him.
Even to the point that they’ll acknowledge that no one can possibly survive what they’re experiencing. Isaiah spoke of it this way over two thousand years ago.
“See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth
and devastate it;
he will ruin its face
and scatter its inhabitants—
2 it will be the same
for priest as for people,
for the master as for his servant,
for the mistress as for her servant,
for seller as for buyer,
for borrower as for lender,
for debtor as for creditor.
3 The earth will be completely laid waste
and totally plundered.
The Lord has spoken this word.” (Isaiah 24:1-3)
Christ also made mention of it in His Olivet Discourse.
“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22)
How to Escape the Sixth Seal of Heaven
Just as evangelist Martin Lloyd-Jones stated, “You know, if I cannot allure you to trust in Christ, let me try and scare you.”
Any reasonable person would think that to learn from this passage about things to come during the tribulation is all they need now to turn to Christ in repentance. They should accept God’s free gift of salvation.
We all know people close to us that will need to be scared into believing in Christ. They must believe in all that He has planned for those who love Him. Let’s share the terror of the sixth seal of Revelation with them. Maybe, just maybe, this will be enough for some to come to Christ.
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