God's Wrath Begins Series

The sixth seal is now broken and the great day of God’s wrath begins. Tonight we will look at the effects of God’s wrath upon the universe, the effects of God’s wrath upon the people, and the reason for the catastrophes and the panic of men.

We have to remember that this is still not the end of the world. It is still not the final judgment. The seals of the Book of Destiny have to be broken before the book can be read. So tonight we see the beginning of God’s wrath against the violence, hatred, and rebellion of a corrupt and evil world.

In verses 12-14 we see the effects of God’s judgment on the universe.

1. There will be a great earthquake. Note the word great. This will be no ordinary earthquake. Jesus predicted there would be more earthquakes in the latter days than ever before. The Book of Revelation mentions three great earthquakes. Here in Rev 6:12, then in Rev. 11:13, and then in Rev. 16:17-19. The Old Testament predicted earthquakes in the end time.

Ezekiel 38:19 – “In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.”

Jeremiah 4:24 – “I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.”

Amos 8:8 – “Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt.”

Joel predicted earthquakes. (Joel 2:10) Haggai predicted earthquakes. (Hag. 2:6). So this is nothing new. But we are also told in verse 12 that the sun and moon will be eclipsed and blackened and stars or meteorites will shower the earth.

And practically speaking, there are times when these things happen right now. We have eclipses. The heavens are darkened by volcanic eruptions and such. Stars or meteorites fall from outer space to earth quite often.

Is this what is meant by these passages or is there to be something worse? There is no way to really know right now. All we know is that there is going to be a severe intensification of these happenings and they will begin right before the end time comes.

Scripture is pretty cleat that these events will occur during the end times. We might want to note that the stars fall to earth only two times in Scripture: here when the sixth seal is broken, and after the tribulation when Christ returns to earth.

Verse 13 says the stars will fall to the earth like the figs drop from a tree when shaken by a strong wind. This will occur right before the end time. Then when the tribulation comes, we will see again some astronomical happenings. Rev. 8 and 9 and 16.

There will be more astronomical happenings right after the tribulation when the day of the Lord comes. Jesus spoke of it Matt. 24:29 - “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

And again throughout the Old Testament these happenings are prophesied.

Isaiah 13: 9-11 – 9 “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,

Cruel, with fury and burning anger,

To make the land a desolation;

And He will exterminate its sinners from it.

10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not flash forth their light;

The sun will be dark when it rises

And the moon will not shed its light.

11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil

And the wicked for their iniquity;

I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud

And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.”

Isaiah 24: 21-23 –“21 So it will happen in that day,

That the LORD will punish the host of heaven on high,

And the kings of the earth on earth.

22 They will be gathered together

Like prisoners in the dungeon,

And will be confined in prison;

And after many days they will be punished.

23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed,

For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,

And His glory will be before His elders.”

Ezek. 32: 7-8 – “7 “And when I extinguish you,

I will cover the heavens and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with a cloud

And the moon will not give its light.

8 “All the shining lights in the heavens

I will darken over you

And will set darkness on your land,”

Declares the Lord GOD.”

Joel 2: 30-31 –“30 “I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,