The Sixth Seal—HEAVENLY SIGNS

Next comes the sixth seal—the HEAVENLY, or astronomical, SIGNS: “And I beheld when He had opened the SIXTH SEAL, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind” (Rev. 6:12-13).

How do we know that the Heavenly Signs come directly on the heels of the Great Tribulation? Here are Christ’s words: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matt. 24:29).

This is an almost verbatim, phrase-by-phrase description of Revelation 6:12-13. The parallel is unmistakable. Christ has again interpreted the sixth seal, and its timing, for us. The phrase “immediately after the tribulation” removes all doubt about when the Heavenly Signs occur.

The arrival of the Heavenly Signs heralds a great overall change in the direction—and speed—of events. This is understood by continuing in Revelation 6:1-17, a few verses later. Notice: “For the GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH IS COME; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev 6:17).

There it is in plain English. The Day of the Lord, or Day of God’s Wrath, follows the sixth seal. Heaven and earth are shaken! This time reveals God’s AWESOME POWER! It is comparable to nothing that has ever happened before, or will ever happen again.

The prophet Joel was speaking of this time when God’s awesome power and great Wrath will be displayed when he said, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and dreadful Day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:31).

Some have claimed that these signs have already occurred. This is impossible! Matthew 24:1-51 makes plain that they all follow—not precede—the Tribulation. In addition, when they occur, they are either immediately followed by or accompany the sign of Christ’s Coming (Mt 24:29-30).

The terrible period of God’s Wrath is foretold to last an ENTIRE YEAR—after the initial two and a half years of the Tribulation. Here is how Isaiah described it: “For it is the Day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the YEAR of recompenses for the controversy of Zion” (Isa 34:8). Jeremiah refers to this period as “the YEAR of…visitation” (Jer 11:23; 23:12—also see Ezek. 4:6 and Num. 14:34).

A Great Earthquake

Notice Jer 11:12 speaks of a “great earthquake.” This earthquake occurs after the fifth seal, upon the opening of the sixth seal. The terrible time of the fifth seal involves the military invasion and the captivity of the peoples of the modern nations (which are just tribes grown larger) of Israel. This includes the two and a half years of unparalleled suffering and tribulation—unrivalled in history. It is coming on this generation—soon!

By its very timing and context, this earthquake proclaims the end of the tribulation and the beginning of signs that appear in the heavens.

Revelation 6:12 states, “And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.”

This event was also covered in Matthew 24:29. Re-read it: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”

Luke 21:25-26 describes this same event: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring [tsunamis]; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

This earthquake will be so terrible that “every mountain” and “every island” will be shaken out of position (Rev. 6:14).

Remember, this is the time of God’s GREAT WRATH! This earthquake will be worldwide in scope. But all the earth’s topography will not necessarily be changed by one final earthquake. This process appears to take place in stages. God will bring it about in such a way as to preserve life on the earth, with each of five final earthquakes contributing to some aspect of the transformation.

If only one cataclysmic earthquake did this, it could threaten all life on earth. Still, only a tenth of humanity will survive into the millennium. Again, this earthquake announces the SIXTH SEAL—the Heavenly Signs.

Notice Isaiah’s description of this time: “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth” (Isa 2:20-21). This compares with Revelation 6:15-16.

All of Revelation 6:14-17 shows that this sign is the heavens rolling together like a scroll. This time will be so terrible that John records people, in sheer terror, hiding themselves in caves and rocks and crying out to die. Rev 6:17 asks, “...and who shall be able to stand?” The masses fear facing the full Wrath of the One they have disobeyed!