Revelation 6:12-17
As we approach this last section of chapter six things are building up and we are going to really see things begin to turn for the worse.
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.
As Jesus opens the sixth seal we see multiple things happening and each of them is in itself a horrific event so imagine them happening all at once.
First, an earthquake and not some run of the mill earthquake but one of great magnitude and most likely one like has never happened before as we will see in the next verses.
Next, the sun becomes black, black gives us an indication of a severe lack of sunlight. Sackcloth used to describe it is a loosely woven fabric made with a coarse yarn of thicker hair. If you were to put this type of sack over your head you could still see some light because of how loosely it is woven, but even so this event would have caused the people of this time great distress.
Along with the lack of sun the moon turned blood red adding to the distress these people were experiencing. I have no doubt they are beginning to understand that God was doing this or maybe they thought one of there false god's was doing this because of how many things were happening at the same time. Of course we know false gods can do nothing but those who follow false gods at least for a time think it is their god.
Lastly, a meteor shower is raining down on the earth instilling even more horror onto all witnessing this.
Though it is not explained these event's are happening around the whole world not just in one place. These events obviously would be a little different because of time zones but all would be experiencing these things but most likely in differing order I would think.
We know that much of Revelation is symbolic meaning John is trying to explain the things he is seeing without ever seeing anything like it before and that what he is trying to explain he is explaining in a way that it's not actually what he is saying but something else. That there is a different or deeper meaning to what he is saying. But that isn't all of Revelation, many things are straight forward and I think these things are straight forward and actually happening.
The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
The sky vanished meaning that the stars vanished when they fell to the earth and the sky was void of the stars leaving it empty. It doesn't matter what century you are in this would be a sight that would leave any person to think that the end is near.
Along with this because of the great earthquake(s) happening, every mountain and every island was removed from its place meaning the mountains collapsed and the islands sunk into the ocean. That gives us an indication of how massive these earthquakes were.
It goes on to say that everyone hid themselves in order to protect themselves from the devastation happening. The interesting thing is that it didn't matter who you were, no matter if you were rich or poor, royalty or a commoner, famous or not everyone was within the same areas just trying to survive. Everyone at this time is equal under God's wrath.
It had gotten so bad that people had wished to just die rather than continue in the horrors that were around them and they knew this wrath was from God carried out by Jesus the Lamb and they were the subject of this wrath. There was no escaping it, no way around it, rather they faced the penalty of what was being inflicted.
What I find interesting is that at this point there is no mention of faith and repentance. At least not right now, that time was gone.
This reminds me of the story of Noah. God gave everyone ample opportunity to repent and believe in Him as their God but they had no desire. Then when the flood came scripture says it was God himself who closed the door of the ark and shut anyone who wanted to enter at that point to be closed out. The time came, the opportunity was gone, and God's wrath was in process.
This is a salvation story, a representation of sorts of Jesus. God calls everyone to faith and repentance, Jesus is represented by the ark in which life and salvation is either had or taken away. God closing the door of the ark is showing that salvation is only by Jesus and the failure to believe in Him as Lord and Savior shuts them out of salvation.
This brings about multiple questions for the unbeliever, the first being of course do you understand how your sin and lack of faith has caused a separation between you and God? Will you believe in Christ who saves before it is too late? Do you understand how Jesus is like the ark and the only way to being saved? Do you see that God is providing a second chance?
But like the door of the ark being closed and now in Revelation the earthquake, the stars come crashing to earth, mountains crumbling and islands sinking, there is a point when it is too late. This is why the believer shouldn't wait any longer because tomorrow is not promised.
God's wrath once in progress gives no opportunity to change ones mind because it would most likely not be genuine faith but done just out of fear of death and that isn't a saving faith just as God's love alone is no reason for genuine faith. Salvation is a little more complex than this.
