6.
SIXTH SEAL
> cosmic,
geographic and internal disturbances > Mt.
24:7b, 29
“I
looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great
earthquake; and the sun
became black
as
sackcloth made of hair, and the whole
moon became like blood; and the stars
of the sky fell to the
earth,
as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The
sky was split apart like a
scroll
when it is rolled up, and every
mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Then the
kings
of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and
the strong and every slave
and
free man hid themselves in the caves
and among the rocks of the mountains;
and they said to the mountains
and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide
us from the presence of Him who sits on the
throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb; for
the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able
to
stand?'” (Rev. 6:12-17)
First, let's consider the cosmic disturbances in the heavens. Notice the words 'as' and 'like.' The alert us to metaphorical
language. The purpose
of a metaphor is to instruct us about what we don't
know by using what we do
know.
- “ . . . the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair . . .” Metaphor > black sackcloth > solar eclipse
- “ . . . the moon became like blood . . .” Metaphor > blood (red) > blood moon
- “ . . . the stars of the sky fell to the earth as a fig tree casts its unripe figs . . .” Metaphor > figs in a windstorm >meteorite shower
- “The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up . . .” Metaphor > rolled up scroll > provide a glimpse of what the heavens were 'hiding'
Second, let's consider the geographic disturbances on the earth. Notice the absence
of the metaphorical words 'as' and 'like.' In other words, John isn't
making analogies; he is stating facts.
- “ . . . there was a great earthquake . . .” Fact: Either an earthquake happens or it doesn't.
- “ . . . and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Fact: Either every mountain is moved or it isn't; either every island is moved or it isn't.
Third, let's consider the internal disturbances in people's hearts. No status of man was exempt. No title, rank, position or amount of wealth could exempt
someone from experiencing the outpouring of God's wrath. “Then
the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders
and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man . . . .” Mankind discovered something that was more terrifying than death: “ . . . the
presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb . . .”
What a contrast Scripture presents! Those who are God's children
look forward to seeing Jesus; this is their hope
(1 Jn. 3:2). Those who are God's enemies
dread seeing Jesus; this is their terror
(Rev. 6:16; Heb. 10:31).
Notice the four things that the people know.
- They know they have just seen God, as they refer to “the presence of Him who sits on the throne.”
- They know they have just seen Jesus, as they refer to “the wrath of the Lamb . . . .”
- They know they are experiencing wrath, as they mention that “the great day of their wrath has come . . . .”
- They know they are insufficient to withstand what they see and what they are experiencing, so they cry out for death.
Fourth, let's consider the wrong response to God's presence and the Lamb's wrath. Those on the earth decide they would rather die by an avalanche of
rocks than to look upon the presence of God and endure the
wrath of His Son, Jesus. That sounds like an attempt at reverence, doesn't it? Unfortunately, Rev. 9:20-21 reveals that, instead of reverence and
repentance, the inhabitants will choose rebellion. Never underestimate the propensity of the human heart
toward rebellion. Even an outpouring of the Lamb's wrath,
along with an awareness of its source and reason,
couldn't entice human hearts away from rebellion. The best way to guarantee you won't have a hard heart
later is to make sure you have a soft heart now.
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